Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/143

120 sixty-eight. He was all his life a conscientious and consistent Republican, and in the old days of his party's power in this State he was a leading spirit. Financially, Judge Ludeling was more than successful, and was at one time president of the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Pacific Railroad.

Mr. Justice James G. Taliaferro was a Virginian, but came to Louisiana with his father when quite a youth, and settled in the Ouachita country. He was educated at Lexington, Kentucky. Judge Taliaferro in his day was one of the most excellent citizens of the State; was a first-rate scholar in the classics, science, and history; was most urbane, refined, and singularly patriotic in temperament, — his favorite motto (from Cicero) being, "Defendi rempublicam juvenis; non diseram senex." When the troubles between the States culminated into revolution, he was sent as a member of the convention of that year, which seceded the State of Louisiana from the Union. It was in that convention the Roman firmness and more than Roman integrity of his character shone so conspicuously. Devoted to the Constitution and the union of the States, he calmly, steadily, and fearlessly opposed secession, nobly breasting and combating the unreasoning fury of the popular will. And when at last the ordinance of secession was adopted by an almost unanimous vote, he drew up his protest against the act, and asked to have it spread upon the journal of the convention. This was denied him. It was upon this occasion that he uttered the memorable words: "My conscience is my guide; my judgment and patriotism approve, and though I am scorned and hissed, I am willing to abide the arbitrament of time and events as to the correctness of my course. The act I denounce as one of mad folly, and of which, if my judgment errs not, every signer of that paper will come to be ashamed; and for one, it shall not herald my name to the future infamy which I predict will be its fate."



Judge Taliaferro died in 1876, at the age of seventy-eight years. He was succeeded by the Hon. John Edward Leonard; and, Mr. Justice Wyly's term of office having expired, Mr. John E. King was appointed to succeed him, the former acting from Nov. 6, 1876, and the latter only on Jan. 9, 1877. The last regular sitting of that court was on Dec. 23, 1876. Opinions were read on Jan. 9, 1877, but no minutes were kept of the doings of that sitting. There were present Chief-Justice Ludeling, and Justices Leonard and King, Justice Morgan being absent, and Justice Howell having declined to serve.

There were then two claimants for the Governorship at the general election in 1876, — Governor Nicholls, who is the present Executive of the State; and Mr. Packard, who was some years ago United States Consul-General at Liverpool. On Jan. 8, 1877, Governor Nicholls appointed five justices, who were confirmed by the Senate then sitting, which recognized his authority. Packard