The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-02-26

nave often been struck Win surprise at seeing
on the assessors return rolls Of the different parishes
the large quantity of land returned as belonging to
"owners unknown" we La.e thoughtit strange, and
concluded that something was 'fotten in Denmark"
The Algerine Newsboy says it with establishment
that we learned from the report Of the parish treasurer
the police jury the other day, that very large
proportion of the real estate Of the parish il without
owners known to its assessors or other parish author
ties Some Of these assessors have been in Office for
nearly generations; many Of them were born and have
grown up here and yet have remained ignorant Of the
changes in the proPrietorship Of the soil The only
one it is true who is peculiarly chargeablc With TIL,
dutyof knowing the mutations of titles is the asses
sor But the duties of that officer have been imposed
from time to time on many different gentlemen, some
of whom at the least have carried with them the pre-
sumption Of peculiar capacity and knowledge Of parish
affairs.
It is very likely that these unknown owners have
all been born in the year. though one Of them,
it is quite likely has been permitted to die BY the dis
covcry of some real owner since the unknown was first
ushered into existence on the assessment roll.
BE this as it may, the number Of owners unknown
has now become formidable one, and The amount
which they owe to the parish considerable that the
treasurer asks the police jury what is to be done with
the shadowy and ghostly bills which he holds against
them, and which in three wears have reached the re-
spectacle sum of $500.
It's of some importance to ascertain who the un-
known are. If they Be men they may, in these days
Of revolution, do good service as mitamcn, or even
be induced to volunteer to man our batteries If they
be alien enemies their lands may be made to pay the
interest on the value of some negro stolen by the yam
KEGS At all events tine money they and must con
tinue annually to FOR parish improvement and all
other taxes which may yet be imposed would be CRATE
fully received BY that numerous body Of whom old Mr.
Brunet is the captain tile printer, and all the other
officers whom the parish helps to feed to mention
that awful parsonage at whose mob all police urymcn
we beg pardon-all policemen bow.
Yet some how Or other there seems 10 be little hope
among our rulers that the unknown viii ever be
brought to life The treasurer refers them despairngv
into the face Of their president for hint, turn them
over to their attorney ito do what?" ITO DO a. be
pleases with them"
The jury have done, no doubt the best they could
with these uncoectad accounts with the lights be-
fore them" LISA lawyers business to ferret out tt
ties Re will be able to discover where the legal in
terest is held if he hunt long enough If indeed there
be no great room for a law suit to test it. Even if
there be- his dispas-onae judgment should be able to
decide IT, But bis decision OF these questions win not
be the work Of day or an hour One single title
mghtrequirea week, Or even many weeks topnrave
Tie jury must not expect as easy OF brief shrif
of this as of most Of their other difficulties which they
refer 70 their committees with power to report"
we have only one other observation to make on
this subject, and that is there should be no additional
unnowns brought into this right bank parish world Of
ours. Theyare without father ormother and are there
fore disgrace to orr morality They are altogether
reproductive, and therefore add nothing the wealth
of our community If the assessor has any doubt as
to property which last year had putatve owner, re-
sort to the conveyance Office will tel him whether It
has been alenated That the place to enquire, and
the answers obtained there are reliable.
1t is a veryremarkable thing that % large share
of the public revenue has been allowed to drop out
year BY year. from the public pocket; but now that
the treasurer has brought the matter light hope
that it may be fully investigated and darkness be made
light before Us; butespecally dat in the future our
OlCEto ''iio ~ S eitt'A "Cli d. tfG governing
Of the parish, will see that such dangerous and susp
cous persons rs unknown owners Of its lands shall not
lark about to swallow up its taxes.
The above remarks applies as well to Caddo and the
other parishes Of the State to the right bank parish
and police jures should look into the matter with
scrutinising eve
The Richmond Wing says the following, from the
LeesbGrg Washingtonan, is communicated by spy:
Gen Mcclellan remarked, fortnight since to Col
fax Of Indiana, 'tha the war woud he short" Col
fax expressed some surprise at the opinion OF the gen
eral tho continued ia the same strajn-''Tes, I viii
adhere to the opinion that the will be short one.
We need only wait with patience until tie rebel army
is reduced condition Of forces after the
Bull run fight when the time of Is 1900 of our three
months men expired and they refused to reenst. The
hour rapidly draws near The rebel forces siekened
with the rigor of winter campaign, will be sure to
disband when the terms of their twelve months men
expires The rebel States viii be compelled to resort
to a draft but drafted raw militia cannot supply the
places of their we'll drilled and disciplined volunteers
Their army must necessarily become dsorganised and
then viii be my appointed time to strike. Ny own
men are all in for The var they are roy well drilled
soldiers and cannot be successfully resisted BY dscr-
ganised army. That is Why Mr Coliax, / still think
the war will be short