New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-06-24
/. THE SUGaR INTEREST.

Will well repay perusal.
ns THE SUGAR INTEREST.
1t was with some surprise we learned from the
report Of the proceedings of the Sugar Planters
Convention, held at Donaldsonvile on the 18th
inst, that E. w Noise, u s. Attorney for thi.
District, had refused the aid of assistant counsel
in the prosecution of the Messrs. Belcher 6
Brother for alleged frauds upon the revenue Il
Is known to our readers that these parties stant
chssged with importing sugar into this por
under the name of Concentrated Molasses,
or Mallada," thus avoiding the payment o
duties and bringing the foreign article in drec
and ruinous competition with sugar of nativ,
growth. The Messrs. Belcher, according t.
4 statements before the Convention, buy the ar
ticle in Cuba in its crude state, have it certified
there as Molasses," pass it through process
at their mills at Matanzas, by which it becomes
refined sugar, and then introduce it through
our Custom-house by paying the same duties as
. are imposed ON the article as invoiced There
is not gallon of molasses m barrel of it, and
/, it could not be gagged by Mr.. Garfield, the APP
praiser, ut the Custom house. A specimen of
the imported article was submitted to the in
spection of committee of merchants, and they
pronounced it sugar--better sugar than could
be raised in Louisiana
A number of our sugar planters, aware of the
injury done to their interests, by this evasion
Of the revenue laws, by the Messrs. Belcher,
held meeting and resolved to employ counsel
to assist Mr.. Noise in prosecuting them The
committee appointed to carry this resolution
into effect engaged the services of Randell Hunt,
Esq, to assist the District Attorney-not, how
ever, without first having requested Mr.. Cam
field to consult Mr.. Noise on the subject Mr.
Garfield Informed the committee that Mr.. Noise
had substantially expressed his appreciation of
the employment of Mr. Hunt Mr.. Hunts
standing as a lawyer, and his acquaintance
with the sugar interests of the State, justified
the committee in believing that he would be an
efficient auxiliary in the case, and they accord
ingly employed him. They then informed the
District Attorney that they had engaged Mr..
Hunt to assist in this important matter, and
that his fee should not be charge on the Gov
eminent
Mr.. Morse, in his reply to the committee. viz
tually refuses to permit Mr. Hunt to assist him,
and goes on to remark as follows
Z /" As it is, have to say, that as soon as saw
IN the newspapers a statement that public
meeting had been called TO engage counsel to
ald the U. 5. Attorney in protecting the inter-
ests OF the Government, / determined TO ascer-
tain from the proper quarter whether the
government was willing that private interests
ohould be represented in public prosecution"
We think the District Attorney takes very
erroneous idea of his duty in this matter, and
that his manner is quite as unhappy as his con-
illusions are illogical. The long dissertation
upon courtesy and upon the true interests OF
the planter, and the advantages of low duties in
which Mr.. Noise INDUCES, appear quite insult
ed to the occasion and foreign to the subject
The substantial and real question to be determ-
ined is whether our planters have not right TO
give their aid in the enforcement of law, in
tended for their special protection and for the
general advantage Such aid would of course
be only in furtherance Of the law which Mr..
Noise is appointed to enforce, and if SO, why
should he, who no doubt is ready to acknowl-
edge In any other case the value of such assis-
tance, decline it when rendered in behalf Of the
Government, the interest of the people, and par
ticularly Of large and meritorious class of his
fellow-citizens. Is not this q mere punctilo,
aquibble Of the District Attorney, enforced with
quite an unnecessary display of feeling and sar-
3casm, and with number of trivial and irrele-
want illusions
The practice Of aiding the prosecuting officers
has become 50 well established that we did not
imagine it would be departed from, at this day,
unless for reasons which do not appear in this
case We have known such aid to be cheerfully
accepted; nay, sought for in cases of high crimes
Involving the seyerest penalties. Why shouldit
be declined on this occasion alone, when not only
the government has a large interest in the re-
suit, and the penalty is not merely that of mis-
demeanor, but also when the issue involves to a
large extent the interest of our own citizens |
We duly estimate the ability of Mr.. Noise. |
But we do not think it is any disparagemento of
his capacity and skill as lawyer that he
should be aided, by older, VIC will not add
ADLER lawyers, in prosecution in which he will |
find arrayed against him the ablest counsel |
which can be obtained in the Union. We hope |
that he will review and change his determine
ton in this matter.