The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-05-01
THE OPELOUSAS JOURNAL
~OPELOUSAS, LA:
Saturday, $500 May LIST, 1869.
The Meeting on Monday.

The meeting of the people of the parish
convened on Monday the Goth inst, to heal
a report from a committee appointed at
previous meeting, for the purpose of invcs
tigating the state of the finances of the par
ish and their management by the Police
Jury, resulted in developments highly graf
flying to that honorable body as we'll as te
the taxpayers present.
The bad management of the parochia
legislature, its reckless expenditure anc
appropriation of the peoples money, its
loose manner of keeping accounts of reve
nues and expenditures. the irresp"nSibility
of its officers who haye had the collection
and custody Of the parish funds, have beer
so frequently and persistcntly alleged fol
two years past, that the dissatisfaction en-.
gendered thereby finally. found expression
in a public meeting of citizens and tax-pay.
ers, which, after passing resolutions and
appointing an investigating committee, ad'
journed to meet again on the occasion allu.
ded to.
By reason of the illness of DR.. j. Brooks,
President of the Jury, at the time applies
ton vas made to him, there was no
inspection of the books and records, and
the committee, in consequence, had no re-
port to make.
This, however, did not interfere with, or
delay the accomplishment of the object of
the meeting; for, as most of the officers of
the Jury were present, including its presi-
dent, DR.. j. G. Brooks, and the Hon. Thos.
G. Anderson, Treasurer of the parish, the
citizens present, after an animated discus
sion and many patriotic speeches which,
for want of space we cannot gise to our
readers, expressed a desire to hear from the
Treasurer a statement of his accounts with
vouchers, leaving the committee then ap-
pointed to make a more thorough examina.
ton hereafter.
The result at once satisfied the most in
credulous how reckless and undeserved have
been the censures cast upon that honorable
body. The people, many of them at least,
had been led to believe that on this occa-
sion disclosures of startling nature would
be made, that our parish was burdened
with a debt of fabulous proportions, brought
about by the corruption and extravaganza
of its officers. 1t was said that no books
were kept, that our finances were involved
in doubt and confusion, and for aught the
people knew, or could find out, the parish
debt might be one, two, or three hundred
thousand dollars. Some were convinced
that the debt amounted to the sum of two
hundred thousand, while few would allow
it to be less than one hundred thousand
dollars. These representations, so persist
emily made, had sunk the parish credit to
the lowest ebb and reduced its paper cur
rency to the last degree of worthlessness
in so much that the Jury were, and have
been for two years past, utterly unable to
prosecute any public work.
We have, therefore, to express our graft
fcation in behalfofth the people o fthis commu-
nifty, that this public meeting was called,
and that it happily resulted in the complete
and final refutation Of the reckless assertion,
not to q abuse, which it has been the habit
some, for a long time past, to heap without
or reason upon their parish officers
their management of its affairs.
The inquiry set on foot by these public
meetings have had the effect of demonstra- ]
ing to the people that the representations
Dove alluded to, were entirely erroneous
md unfounded, that instead Of being bank.
upt, their finances were in admirable con-
lition, that instead of being burdened with
debt of hundreds of thousands, their reg
Indebtedness does not amount to
ne paltry sum of twenty thousand dollars, a
nd finally, their qualification is heightened I
y the conviction that their servants en-. S
rusted with the revenues and legislation
f the parish are not plunderers and thieves,
ut conscientious and honorable gentlemen. r
Below is a statement of our parish inan- c
T
Variants isued to Sheriff. 81, 1872 95 4
" Constables... 965 30
Just's Peace. 2, 1874 81 y
% Is 4 Witnesses @ n0H ~ N