The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-02-10

SWer to Gov. Sanders letter to him,
with regard to the prosecution of
those who may be charged with vio-
latlon of the election law Not only
as a part of the record, but as an
amusing public document, it is
worth reproduction in the tardy and
congested columns of a weekly news
paper. 1t has been compared to the
utterance of a Delphic oracle, but
whereas these votaries of Apollo al
ways expressed themselves ambigu-
ousy, in phrases capable Of two con-
Structions, the worthy land worried)
attorney-general very clearly enun-
ciates his feeling in each paragraph,
but these paragraphs contradict each
other. The reader however may
judge for himself, for this is Judge
Guions letter:
New Orleans, Feb. 1, 1912.
Gov ] Y Sanders, Baton Rouge, La:
Dear Sir-I am in receipt of your
letter of the 31st ultimo, in which,
after stating you had been inform
ed that the Hon. St. Clair Adams,
District Attorney in and for the par
ish Of Orleans, has filed informations
in the Criminal District Court of the
parish of Orleans against numerous
citizens of the parish of Orleans, who
asked for assistance in the prepare
ton of their ballots at the primary
election held on Jan. %, 1912" you
make the further statement that act
| ing under the provisions of the laws
OF this State l (you) hereby request
you (me), as Attorney-general of
Louisiana, to take charge Of all those
prosecutions that have been insti'
tuted by information, or which may
hereafter be instituted by information
or by Indictment in the Criminal Dis
trict Court Of the parish of Orleans
or in any other parish of the State
where similar action may be taken
and conduct said prosecutions ac
cording to your Interpretation of the
statute governing this matter"
| regret very much that you have
concluded to make this request Of
me, for, aside from the fact that
have a great deal Of very important
work, properly belonging to my OF
| flee, requiring my immediate atten
ton, and which ought not to be lalt
aside, | have not been able to see
why it is necessary that | should be
called into these cases. However,
| feel that | have no discretion in the
matter, at least in so far as the pros
ecutions instituted in the parish o
Orleans are concerned, for Act No
| 6 Of 1880 declares that, although it II
not made the duty Of the Attorney
general of the state to prosecute fo
the State in criminal cases before TIT
criminal courts of the parish OF Or
leans. che shall act in all cases Wnel
requested so to do by the GoVerno
or either branch of the General AS
sembly of this state" Besides, un
der my Interpretation Of the opinion
of the Supreme Court Of this state
in the case of State VS.. Hackley
Hume & Joyce, in re Ellis, Distrlc
Attorney, 119 La, p, 4S2, it Wout
seem that you have the right to max
the request contained in your com
munication of above date. Therefore
I will call upon District Attorney, MI
ST.. Clair Adams, and submit to Mn
YOUR request that take charge Q
the prosecution already institute
by him in the cases referred to o
YOU, and will also appear in the Grin
inal Court for the parish Of Orlean
= for the purpose of carrying out tn
: request contained in your commun
y cation Of above date.
If l should be recognized as In
J proper officer to take charge OF an
( conduct these prosecutions, l beg t
assure you that l will do so to IN
4 best of my ability. You will pleas
understand my opinion has alway
been that a person who is able
prepare his ballot, without asslstanc
Il violates the provisions of Act No. a
: Of 1910 when he calls upon one
the commissioners, or watchers
Y clerks of election, to assist him
n preparing it, and that he may
j prosecuted criminally under that &C