The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-07-15
JUDGE NICHOLS ADDRESS.

Chief Justice Nichols, Of Louisiana, in
his learned and able address delivered
last week before the North Carolina Bar
Association at Asheville, paid a very
graceful tribute to North Carolina. in the
following words:
The people of Louisiana are connect
ed with those of North Carolina by very
close ties. They are united, not only by
the recollection of common sacrifice and
brilliant achievements, but by the fact
that many of our citizens are either
themselves from the old North State. or
are the descendants of men who. going
to Louisiana from here in days past,
have helped to make her what she is.
And / can say to you that one of the
most marked characteristics of those
whom / have known, is the tenacity and
strength of their affection for their old
home.
Three North Carolinians have pre-
sided over the Supreme court of Louis
lana. One as Presiding Judge and two
as Chief Justice. l say three, for while
Francois Xavier Martin was born in
France, he came as a youth to the United
States and at once established his resi-
dence at New Bern, in this State"
After telling briefly and simply OF
Judge Martins life, how he worked his
way up from a boyhood of poverty and
manual labor, Judge Nichols referred to
Martins History of North Carolina, and
his Old and New Series Reports of the
decisions of the Superior and Supreme
courts, saying that these latter are ex-
-, " -
and the seeker after historical informa-
ton. He mentioned also that Judge
Martin wrote a History of Louisiana and
translated into English Pothiers' ia
nous Treatise on Obligation and a Digest
of Louisiana Laws.
The two Chief Justices referred to
were William E. Lyman and Thomas C.
Manning. The latter, Judge Nichols
spoke of in the following manner:
Manning became Chief Justice in
January, 1877, at a very critical period
of Louisiana's history. In accepting the
office rendered him, he placed his flu
ture career as a lawyer in jeopardy, for
had the effort made by the better ele-
ment in 1876 to assume control of po-
5000 "t"AAD WI IL ~
quires no great discernment, to know
what the effect would have been upon
his personal fortunes.
n was an excellent lawyer and grace
tul writer; a man of profound integrity
and one who commanded universal re-
spect. He has done credit to the State
of his nativity and honor to the State OF
his adoption"
Judge Nichols address was upon the
system CT law prevailing now in Louisi-
ana, upon which subject he said a very
general misconception existed, as it was
believed to a very great extent that the
laws of both France and Spain, though
more or less blended, continued opera
tive when the territory passed into the
possession Of the United States, until re-
pealed either directly or by implication
The speaker explained most clearly
Z and interestingly wherein lay the miscon-
ception in this belief, saying that. as a
matter of fact, after the delivery of
Louisiana by France to Spain in 1859 the
Spanish code was introduced, and the
French laws were thereby repealed, SO
that when Louisiana was coded to the
United States the colonial laws of Spain
existed as the prevailing system. After
the purchase these remained operative
until abrOgated.
The address was greatly enjoyed by all
present, both for it's subject matter,
style and d%iction, and for the personal
charm of the speaker.