▁ ▁assistant ▁cl erk ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁Louisiana ▁Constitution al ▁Convention ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁Louisiana ▁Constitution al ▁Convention . ▁After ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Governor ▁Henry ▁L . ▁Fu qua ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁Or am el ▁H . ▁Sim pson ▁succeeded ▁to ▁the ▁governor ' s ▁office , ▁and ▁Gilbert ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁sen ate ▁became ▁the ▁inter im ▁lieutenant ▁governor ▁until ▁his ▁abbre vi ated ▁term ▁exp ired ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁as ▁the ▁Senate ▁President ▁Pro ▁Temp ore , ▁Gilbert , ▁a ▁loyal ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁governor , ▁H ue y ▁Pier ce ▁Long , ▁Jr ., ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁sign ▁the ▁round ▁ro bin ▁to ▁announ ce ▁that ▁the ▁two - third s ▁state ▁Senate ▁majority ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁obtained ▁for ▁Long ' s ▁conv iction ▁of ▁the ▁im pe achment ▁voted ▁by ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁Long ▁called ▁his ▁friend ▁" a ▁splendid ▁scholar ▁and ▁parliament arian . ▁... ▁The ▁inten se ▁hate ▁of ▁my ▁enemies ▁toward ▁me ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁matter ▁of ▁frequent ▁comment . ▁It ▁is ▁more ▁than ▁offset , ▁however , ▁by ▁the ▁loyal ty ▁of ▁friends ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁Gilbert ▁became ▁judge ▁of ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁ 2 3 rd ▁Jud icial ▁District , ▁a ▁post ▁that ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁his