St. Landry democrat., 1886-09-11
Precedent and Custom nm.

MF. CSUllCttCs dltCk lCtoAASS AiiC SOAn
mittee sleep for two years, while anoth
er committee appointed by a conven'
ton which his committee called, has
heen attending to all the business of the
party, suddenly concluded to wake ul
his committee and resume control OF
the party. The inference from his act
ton is, that the party belongs to the
committee, and not the committee to
the party; that the party can do moth
ing without being authorized by the
committee; that the large Democratic
convention which assembled two years
ago, had no right to appoint a com
mittee because his committee did not
authorize it to do so. Yet during these
two years the Littell committee has
been doing all the work Of the party,
while his was too sound asleep to even
nrotest. He seems to rely entirely on
precedent and custom, not on right and
iustice. There are many bad customs
in the world which should be abolished !;
and the assumption by committee,
even by a real committee, Of authority
to appoint delegates to convention,
should never be allowed to grow into
a custom. Mr.. Estilette's committee,
it seems, did this thing this week; and
several years ago another committee
did it on the plea that there was not
sufficient time for parish convention
to be held, but even then public senti-
ment was strong against what was con-
sidered usurpation by the committee.
This time however there is no room for
such plea.
AS to precedents, they can be found
in limitless numbers for every sin and
every crime known to mankind.
Mr.. Estilette seems to justify his at
tempt to resume authority, after his
successor had been appointed and acted
for two years, by the alleged precedent
and custom that parish committees are
only appointed every four years by the
convention held just previous to gene
raj election, and not then unless the
committee calling the convention ex-
pressly mentions in the call that anoth-
err committee is to be appointed.
A convention of the party has the
inherent right and authority to do as it
pleases, without any restrictions from
its creature andN servant-th the commit
tee that called it together. However,
let MS examine the facts in regard to
these alleged precedents and custom.
Tn June 1878, the two committees
representing the Courthouse" and
ssVarieties Hall'' factions Of the Demo-
craey, compromised and jointly called
q convention to meet on July 9th, and
specified among other things that a
committee was to disappointed by the
convention. There was no general
State election this year, as one had
taken place in 1876. So this precedent
is against Mr.. Estilette, though the ap-
pointment of the committee was
necessity; and the appointment viola
ted the custom he pleads.
DIR. w. A. Robertson was elected
president of this committee. On Au-
gust 80, 1879, this committee called a
parish convention to meet on Septem-
Der 27th, for the purpose among other
things of electing delegats toa State
Convention. Notwithstanding this
Convention was beld just before gen.
eral State election, nothing was said in
the cali about appointing parish com
mittee, and therefore the custom Mr..
Estilette pleads was again violated.
But when the convention met, it did ap-
point another parish committee; and
here the precedent again is against Mr..
Estilette. At meeting of this same
committee, on March 90, 1880, without
any notice to the public that we are aware
of, w. A. Robertson and Andre Mallet
members of the committee, and several
Others, were elected by the committee
as delegates to convention in New
Orleans. This is q precedent for the
action of Mr.. Estilette's committee this
week !; and it may be custom after
awhile, to be invoked ON future occa-
sions, if the party will submit to it.
So the good precedents are against
him, and only the bad ones for him
and they vary too much to create any
custom whatever.
Therefore convention can do as it
pleases.
Saved His Life.
Mr.. d. I. Wilcoxson, of Horse Cave.
KY. says he was, for many years, badly |
Of 3iotnd with pJ,fic;p olco n;alat,,'. /