The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-05-05
A Good Picture

A Good Picture
Joseph Medel, Radical editor of the
Tribune, has been for some
time in New Orleans, and writes as fol-
lows to his paper. We ask the atten-
tive pcrusal of the article by the
Bazzard Crew, and we are GER
tain they will acknowledge it faith
full and graphic photograph. Read it
They entertain an irrevocable ami
mostly toward carpet bag Office seekers,
and / really cannot blame them, for it
is a deplorable fact that q very large
majority of these gentry are scamps
and thieves; rotten driftwo0d. who
have been foated down the Mississippi
and squatted on the Offices. They
bring disgrace on the party to which
they profess to belong. They possess
as keen q scent and as reven0us an ap-
petite for plumber as the vultures who
fill the air have for putrid carcasses.
The difference between thcs brief
birds of prey is that the former feast
on the substance Of living men, while
the latter content themselves with car
cases of dead animals. 1t would be
safe to enter the Louisiana carpet bag
gers for pilfering, REGULATING 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 "my
policy" while the power Of removal re-
manned with the President. After the
enactment of the Tenure-O Of Office law
most of them proclaimed themselves
Radicals. But johnson managed to get
rid ola good many, and filled their
places with men of the stripe of Steed-
man and Perry Fuller. But no matter
whether they protested to be Radicals
or Conservatives, 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 d.
rection. The corruption in the custom
house was little less fragrant than in
the Internal Revenue, and both were
only excelled in downright, unblushing
by the State Legislature
and State Government. To sum mp
the whole matter in sentence, official
life in Louisiana is Synonymous with
and rascality. "On the make"
is the rule Of the Office holder, and hon
esty is the exception. 1t is estimated
that while the cotton tax lasted, one
third of it was stolen, and that one
half of the custom -honse duties Arc
divided among the officials at, the inn
porters. As to the VT husky tax ninety
ty-hve per ceGGtS. of it for three years
past h:s been filched by the whisky
ring. During the twelve months pre-
ceeding the advent of Supervisor Cree
cy, not enough revenue was derived
from the wl.iskey tax to pay the sala-
ries of the collectors and assessors. not
withstanding there were forty-five dis
tilleries in full blast in this State. It
is a low estimate to say that six mil
lions a year were stolen by the whisky
ring in Louisiana. The rObbing of the
tobacco tax, and the evasion of income
tax were hardly less fragrant than the
cheating in the custom-house. dare
not trust my pen to relate what is told
me of the doings of the Legislature; of
how money is appropriated, raised and
squandered; how bills for swiDdliug the
public were passed, or the means en-
ployed to induce the Government to
sign some bills and veto others, how
gambling shops and lotteries were char
tered; and how much it cost to buy the
votes of the Radical carpet baggers and
Democratic scalawags 10 pass the bills
and secure their approval by the Exc
cutive. On every business street of
New Orleans gambling hells, licensed
by the Legislature to ply their avoca-
ton, are nightly in full blast. The
gamblers hire stores OH the chief bust
ness streets, hang out their banners on
the outer wall, and from the first floor
to the attic all games of chance, fraud
and deception are carried on from night
fall to morning, and these places are
visited by thr0ngs of our peOple-hun-
dreds gambling and thousands looking
on and hearing the games preparatory
to trying their luck in combats with the
tiger. Blacklegs are swarming hither
from all parts Of North American and
from Europe to prey on those of less
skill in the art of cheating with dice and
cards, A bill for the licensing of house
Of prostitution was gravely discussed
and nearly passed the Legislature; and
it is believed, only failed in becoming
a law in consequence of the inadequa-
cy of the bribery fund raised to secure
its enactment-otherw fornication
would be carried on as openly under
the protection of the law as gambling
now is.
PUr THAT AND THAT ToaErHER.-The
Cincinnati Commercial, commenting upon
acts of violence in Tennessee, the Memphis
Avalanche replies.
Only few weeks ago four men were
taken from an Indiana Jail by n mob and
hanged, and violence and bloodshed 10 that
State are as common as in Tennessee.
7 ct, the Commercial has not recommend
ed martial law for Indiana. Horrors equal
10 the Dickens assassination every year
stain the criminal annals of Cincinnati and
Hamilton country; and nearly every por-
ton Of Ohio furnishes like repasts; but
kh<r 81 E.:l Slsx.n