Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-09-24
Taking Practical Possession.


We paid a short visit to Crosse Tete a few
days since, and almost the first item of news
that we heard, was the astounding fact that an
Assessor from West Baten Rouge had been
on the Bayou, and had actually assessed much
of the property there!
1t is only necessary to take a common sense
view of this matter to understand it we'll. For
this high-handed course of sending an Asses
sor on our territory, for the purpose of taxing
the property of our citizens, West Baton
Rouge ciles a law passed twenty-five years
since, and q correspondent of the Tis-a- Vis of
the 18th, says the following are the words of
that act, upon which she claims Crosse Tete,
and consequently the right to assess and col
lect taxes:
'That until a good and practicable road be
made between the settlements on the Bayou
Crosse Tete, and some point in the parish of
West Baton Rouge, which shall not Re more
than three miles to the right, Or 10 the left of
the Court house of the last mentioned Parish,
such persons as are row or may hereafter be
settled upon the Bayou Crosse Tete, as above
mentioned, shall continue to be within the lim-
its and jurisdiction of the parish of IberviIle."
"SEc. I'd. That any acts or part of acts con-
trary to the provisions of the present act, be
and the same are hereby repealed"
"West Baton Rouge claims under THIS act"
says the correspondent alluded to. Where,
pray, is there any mention in the above that
Crosse Tete shall under any contingency, ever
become a part of West Baton Rouge? The
inference is, we admit, ~strong-but does a mere
inference authorize her Police Jury to proceed
to take practical possession upon the strength
of that "good and practicable road" which they
would now insist, by their acts, is fully estab-
listed7 But we not only contend that no right
is given TO West Baton Rouge by the above
act, authorizing her to proceed as she has done
but We also deny that there exists a "good
and practicable road" We learn that is it next
to an imposibility to travel that road even on
horseback, when it has rained upon it for a day
or so. And the Assessor himself, who went
to Crosse Tete on the strength of this "good
and practicable road" remarked to a gentleman
whose property he was assessing, that he had
to get there by way of Point Coupee, thus ac-
knowledging that the road was not in travel
ing order!
We have no objection whatever that this
matter shall go to the courts, or wherever else
those most interested, wish it TO 60. But what
we think advisable on the part of the people of
this Parish, is this-that in the election of Sen
ator and Representatives in November, theirin-
terests in this great local question should not
be lost sight of; that whether the question be
left to the courts or not, it is PROFESSIONALLY
obliged to come before the Legislature. The
attempt is already made to quiet US with the
assurance that the courts will take possession
of the subject, and that we should proceed to
elect a Senator without any reference whatev-
er to the question. 1t will not be done. No
good man will tamely look on and see his pa
IRISH dismembered. Callousness and indiffer-
ence in matters of this kind, does not speak
well for a good citizen; and equally is such
feeling condemned with inertness and inacti-
witty when his country is in danger.