The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1869-05-15
4 Good Picture.
From the Alexandria Democrat. !

coseph Medel, Radical editor of III
, :SuGago Irsoaas, has been for some tim,
in new Orleans, and writes as follo,rs =,
ms paper. We ask the attentive neru
sai oi the article by the Rapides Buzzar,
rev, aud We are certain thev will ar
, knowledge it faithful and graphia nh" M
tograph. Read it.: f''~
They entertain an irreyocable on;mos
j ny toward carpet bag Office seekers, and
teaiy cannot blaMe them, for it ia ,
aeplofaoie fact that very large majori
-: u these gentry are scamps and
shleves; rotten driftwood, who have
oeen noated down the Mississippi and
squatted on the offices. They bring dis.
grace on the party to which they profess
20 oeiong. They possess as keen q scent
anu as faSenous an appetite for plumber
as tne Vultures who I'LL the air have for
potrld carcasses. The difference. be-
tween ts these brief birds of prey is that
The FORMER feast on the substance of liy-
ing men, while the latter content them
selves with carcasses Of dead snimals.
IL would be safe to enter the Louisiana
carpet~baggers for pilfering, pecuiating
and scoundrelism, in competition with
any OF the tribe in any other part Of the
South. These rascals were, MANY. or
most OF them, appointed before the
breach between johnson and Congress.
They gave in their adhesion to INV pol-
ICY" while the power of removal remain
ed with the President. After the enact
ment OF the Tenure-of- Office law most
OF them proclaimed themselves Radicals.
But johnson managed to get rid of a
gooS many. and filed their places with
men OF the stripe of Steedman and Per-
ry Fuller. But no matter whether they
professed to be Radicals or Conserya-
tives, they were all alike vultures, who
fed and fattened on the people and the
Treasury. Millions upon millions of
State and city taxes have been stolen,
and other millions of Federal taxes have
taken the same direction. The corrup-
ton in the custom house was little less
fiagrant than in the Internal Revenue,
and both were only excelled in down
right, anblushing dishonesty, by the
State Legislature and State Government.
To sum up the whole matter in a SEN
tence, official life in Louisiana is syn
onymous with turpitude and rascality.
'On the make" is the rule of the Office
holder. and honesty is the exception. 1t
is estimated that while tho cotton tax
lasted, one-third of it was stolen. and
that one half Of tho custom house duties
are divided among the officials and the
importers. As to the whisky tar ninety
five per cent. of it for three years past
has been flched by the whisky ring.
During the twelve months preceding
the advent Of Supervisor Creecy, mot
enough revenue was derived from the
whisky tax to pay the salaries Of the col
lectors and assessors, notwithstanding
there were forty five distilleries In full
blast in this State. It is q low estimate
% say that six millions . year were stO-
len by the. whiskv ring in Louisiana.
The rubbing Of the tobacco tag, and the
evasion of income tax were hardly less
fragrant chan the cheating in the custom
house, ! dare not trust my pen I'd relate
what is told me Of the doinRs of the Leg
islatnre Of how money ID appropriated,
raised and squandered how bills for
swindliDg the public we're passed, or the
means employed TO induce the Governor
10 sign some bills and veto others
how gambling shops and lotteries were
chaftered; and how much it cost to buy
the Y0tes 81 The Radical cafpet- -bargers
and Democratic scallawags 70 pass the
bills and secure their approval bY the
ExScstiYe. On ever business street Of
New Orleans gambling hells, licensed by
ass nightly In fnll blast. The gamblers
hang ont their banners on the onter wal,
and from tho 6rst dOor % the attic all
games of chance, fraud and deception
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