The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-08-02
THE LIBEL LAW.
Some Particulars of the Great
Speech I Did Not Deliver.

Just visited Dertoit and, | think, have
had frst-rate time. They are the
shrewdest body of men that l have ever
met They came here to have a good
time, and they were resolved that there
was going to be nothing to mar their
pleasure Thus it was that did not
get chance to fire off the great speech
that had carfully prepared for the
occasion.
1t was suggested to me, as I had a
great admiration for some of the laws
Of the province of Ontario, that l would
makea speech to the association on the
Ontario law of libel. / bit at this sug-
gestion with only too great avidity,
quite forgetting that it takes at least
two to make a speech successful, the
other fellow being the listener. was
ON hand early with huge volume of
the Revised Statutes of Ontario under
my arm, but for the first while there
was other business to transact, and
there seemed to be no chance to work
of my speech, l let it be known pretty
thoroughly throughout the convention
that | was loaded for bear and had q
great speech prepared and there, 1 now
believe, made a mistake. l put the
association on their guard. Another
time when appeared in the hall they
adjourned and went to the Island Park.
Again, with the big book still under
my arm, approached the platform and
tried to catch the Presidents eye, but
some one moved that they go to the
House OF Correction, and they went. l
admit that looking at this matter in
The light of after events, | might have
known that folks who preferred a term
IN the House of Correction to listening
'oa speech from me, perhaps did not
want to hear me at all, but did not
know as much last week as | do to-
day.
I The day that the subject of libel
actually came up was on hand, of
course, but the moment they saw the
auge bulk of the Revised Statutes some
enc hastily moved an adjournment,
Which was hastily adopted and l was
els again. 1t began to dawn on me
aoout this time that it was one thing to
prepare speech and quite another to
get to deliver it. The last day of the
session the big book and myself were
afiy on hand. planted-or per.
aaps should say we planted ourselves
right in front of the presiding officer,
80 that If he did not notice me, he
would at least notice the book. l rose
M'er every speaker until at last
we President was compelled to take
some action. He said:
There is gentleman here who de.
s,res to address you on the subject o.
aie noel law Dense silence, during
which moved to the platform. 90
hought it best, perhaps, that thi:
speech should be postponed until the
@trnoon session, as we have gooi
seal OF business to get through with
aus forenoon" Great applause "Al
= laVor OF postponing this discourse
aaeii THIS afternoon, make it manifest by
s"smg aye" Storm of ayes. "Con
safy no. Deep silence. .'Th,
4 ayes have it".
ven, there was nothing for me tt
" under those circumstances, so
"ea' and did it. had lunch, looked
p'T my speech again and wen
ea 70 the hall. For an hour l sa
~ ne Platform entirely alone. / thel
@0aght of sending down for the jani
~ 70 see If he would not consent to lis
~ 70 me, but at that moment the janito
unself appeared.
asked.
ies' I'm waiting for the Press As
socation.n
nos y they won't be here again The
'eu that the afternoon session b
asadoned so that they would be sur
W. 70 miss the boat
The boatP What boatp"
y they're all going to Star Islam
Sso' You'll have to hurry if your
ss'lg The boat leaves in a fe,
aa'es. They're going to have bi
sasas, ~ there tonight and lots {