Every one was making haste to be rich;
speculation was wild, and everyday was witnessing transactions of
doubtful morality. Society was a chaos, and _sauve qui peut_, or, take
care of yourself, the rule. Every one who owed money, however
inconsiderable the sum, was ruined. Under such circumstances, Prentiss
determined on removing from Mississippi, and selected New Orleans for
his future home. The civil law, or Roman Code, was the law in
Louisiana, and materially differed from the common or English law,
which was the law of authority in Mississippi. Very few lawyers coming
from the common-law States, have ever been able to succeed in
Louisiana, especially after having practised in other States for any
length of time. They have not only to learn the civil law, but to
unlearn the common. Some, who did not know the extraordinary powers of
Prentiss's mind, feared he, like many others who had made the attempt,
would fail; but, almost from the moment of his advent at the New
Orleans bar, his success was complete. To realize the expectations of
the public, required abilities and attainments of the highest order.
Pages:
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751