The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-08-06
The Eminent Fitness of Judge
Il. w. Sutherlin.
Mansfield Journal. July 29th:J

4
announces it's support of the Hon.
Phanor Breazeale for Congress.
The News assigns the reasons for
it's choice, but pays high compliments
to our candidate, Judge E. w. Suth-
erlin, that she is suave, affable and
honorable gentleman, and makes a
most excellent Judge and that he
has ga trained judicial mind, well
calculated to balance the weight OF
evidence or preponderance of law"
The News, however, makes against
JudgeSutherlin the charge that" how
ever, with all his accomplishment
and many noble traits of character,
the Judge is totally untitled for the
active field of national politics; as he
is so conciliatory by nature as to be
unable to cope with the shrewd pro-
fessional politicians with whom he
will have to contend in the arena of
political STRIFE"
1t is difficult to answer the News
article, because it is not the policy of
Judge Sutherlin or his friends to saw
aught against his opponents. The
Judge has pitched his campaign upon
a higher plane, and will win the race
by resting his claims upon his own
merit and not by detracting from his
opponents. Then the criticism of
the Judge in the article referred to is
so full of praise that, as his friends,
we are almost totally disarmed. The
sole charge leveled at Judge Suther-
Inns candidacy is his so-called con-
ciliatory nature. We doubt if q can
didate ever before offered for office
against whom the only objection that
could be raised was that he was too
conciliatory. Since "conciliatory'
means power to win confidence and
good will, it is difficult to conceive
how a conciliatory disposition could
impair the usefulness of a member OF
Congress. This ability to inspire the
confidence and good will of the men,
beers OF Congress and to bring them to
his way of thinking to our mind would
be one of the strongest reasons for
sending Judge Sutherlin to Congress.
Buff by conciliatory, the News means
timidity land that by nature the Judge
shrinks before opposition, we deny the
charge most emphatically. Nothing
could possibly be further from the
mark. The charge is so absurd that
it must bring a smile to the face of
any one who knows Judge Sutherlin.
On the contrary, under fire, ON the
hustings and before the bar, Judge
Sutherlin is the very incarnation of
combat. And against the charge his
whole life is q refutation.
Judge Sutherlin went into politics
in this State a young man in 1874,
when the policy of conciliating the
Republicans and carpetbaggcrs had
been on trial for several years, and
his clear Judgment at once discerned
that the occasion was not suited to
cOnciliatory action, and he plunged
into the White League campaign and
his voice was amongst the first to
call the people to unite on policy of
vigorous and determined action. At
all times and upon every occasion he
was ready to lead as well as to advise,
and those Of us who served by his
side in those critical times thoroughly |
know that no danger was too great, |
no risk too hazardous for him to hes
itate to take leading part. With |
his fluent tongue he aroused the peo-
pie, and when the time for action |
came he was a leader rather than a |
follower. At the time many of us
thought him too extreme: that he |
was not 'conciliatory" enough, and |
only when the white people of the
State came into power did he exhibit |
that disposition which has led the
News to call him conciliatory. As |
chairman of our Parish Democratic |
committee and the acknowledged |
leader of the party, it is true that his
every effort was to reconcile the differ
ences as they arose among the white :
people; for with large negro major
ity in our parish, his clear Judgment
caused him to at once realize that the /
white people must be united or all
was lost; and many times he has sac
rificed his personal aspirations that
harmony might prevail.
In the constitutional convention of I
1879, though but a mere youth in
years, no man took a more prominent
part in it's deliberations, nor sustain
ed his contentious with more energy,
courage and ability. In the State
Senate, the same indomitable persev-
erance and courage marked his ca
reer. At the bar for period OF twen-
ty years, it is universally known in
this parish that he not only repre-
sented his clients with ability but
with the most aggressive vigor. On
the hustings and in the numerous
State campaigns in which he has been
an active participant, many an oppo-
nent has felt the keen lance of his wit