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Speech

	FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2005
	DEDICATION OF JUDGE CLYDE CAHILL PARK AND MEMORIAL TRIBUTE, THOMAS F. EAGLETON FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, EIGHTH DISTRICT, US FEDERAL COURT
Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay
	GOOD AFTERNOON. SENATOR EAGLETON, JUDGE TEER, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. TODAY, WE ARE HERE, IN THIS GREAT HALL OF JUSTICE, TO HONOR A MAN WHO MADE THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ACCOUNTABLE TO EVERY CITIZEN… JUDGE CLYDE CAHILL. IT WAS MY GREAT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SPONSOR THE LEGISLATION THAT DESIGNATES A PARK OUTSIDE THIS COURTHOUSE IN HIS MEMORY. IN THE ON-GOING STRUGGLE TO ACHIEVE FULL CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW; THERE ARE CERTAIN SHOULDERS THAT WE ALL STAND ON… GREAT JURISTS LIKE THURGOOD MARSHLL AND EARL WARREN. IN ST. LOUIS, AND THROUGHOUT MISSOURI, JUDGE CLYDE CAHILL WAS OUR THURGOOD MARSHALL. WHETHER SERVING ON THE BENCH; OR AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE NAACP; OR AS A PROSECUTOR; CLYDE CAHILL WAS A FIERCE DEFENDER OF THE RIGHTS OF THOSE WHO ARE TOO OFTEN INVISIBLE IN OUR SOCIETY. HE SHOWED US THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS A LIVING, POWERFUL DOCUMENT THAT PROTECTS LITTLE CHILDREN, WHO JUST WANT TO ATTEND A DECENT PUBLIC SCHOOL; PRISONERS WHO ARE SITTING IN AN OVERCROWED AND UNSAFE JAIL; YOUNG OFFENDERS WHO ARE FACING UNFAIR SENTENCING GUIDELINES; AND VOTERS WHO JUST WANT TO CAST THEIR BALLOT AND HAVE IT COUNTED. HISTORY WILL RECALL THAT JUDGE CAHILL WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO SERVE ON THIS HONORABLE COURT. BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE RECORD WILL ALSO SHOW THAT JUDGE CAHILL UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LAW EXISTS, NOT JUST TO PUNISH, BUT ALSO TO PROTECT. EVERY DAY IN HIS COURTROOM, HE STOOD FOR CIVILITY, JUSTICE, COURGAGE, AND COMPASSION. TOWARDS THE END OF HIS LIFE, JUDGE CAHILL WAS ASKED WHAT LED HIM TO A CAREER IN LAW. AND HE RECALLED AN INCIDENT FROM HIS DAYS AT VASHON HIGH SCHOOL, RIGHT HERE IN ST. LOUIS. IN 1942, THE LAST RECORDED LYNCHING IN MISSOURI TOOK PLACE IN SIKESTON. A BLACK MAN WHO HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING A WHITE WOMEN WAS TAKEN OUT OF JAIL, AND LYNCHED BY AN ANGRY MOB. THE US ATTORNEY IN ST. LOUIS WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY WITNESSES TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE CRIME. CLYDE CAHILL’S HISTORY INSTRUCTOR AT VASHON, MR. GUY RUFFIN, TOOK HIM AND A COUPLE OF OTHER STUDENTS TO SIKESTON TO TRY AND GET SOMEONE TO TALK. OF COURSE, THEY WERE FOLLOWED AND HARASSED BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. AND JUDGE CAHILL SAID THAT HE NEVER FORGOT THAT HARD LESSON ABOUT HOW THE LAW PROTECTED SOME PEOPLE, BUT ABANDONED OTHERS. AND I THINK THAT’S WHY HE FOUGHT SO LONG AND SO HARD TO MAKE THE LAW WORK, FOR EVERY CITIZEN. MAY IT ALWAYS BE SO… IN THIS PLACE, AND IN EVERY PLACE WHERE PEOPLE SEEK JUSTICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  # #