The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-07-17
THE 0PEL0USAS JOURNAL
LA:
Saturday, July 18th, 1865
Meeting oil the Taxpayers.

the 24eh inst, when, it is expected, the
auditing committee will present o report
commensurate with their protractcd re.
searches. Meanwhile, we extract for com.
tnecnt, from the last Courier. the subjo;ned
paragraphs, which We shall notice with the
GOODNESS and e~quapimity due to the extreme
heat of the season, and the impressive gray
ity Of the subject. Leaving aside that por'
ton Of the leading article devoted to the
"elephaut," the "fat largesses Of the
JouasAh," the question of " eligibility,
and other kindred topics, intended as pi'
quaint sauces to the m Yin dishs we repro
duee what is most pertinent:
"Can our readers or the people Of large
account for the sneers and leers OF OUT
neighbor, the Ju1nsl at the poor, feeble
and protr1etsR efforts Of the Taxpayers o'
this Parish, to b. informed Of the present
condition OF their affairs and their past
Standardization? ...
q IFS such q desire on their part criminal,
5or" violatIse OF that normal relation, which
has always been considered 10 exist up to
this time at least, between constituent and
representative, principle and agent, and, in
short, between the, Tax payers and the
Police Jury !? If any notifications, chan.
ges or abrogations Of the proper a~ccounta.
bility in such cases have, amid the vaulting
usurpations of the day, crept into the OK
clusion Of responsibility, we desire to be
informed? ,- ,...- =,
Possibly the. 14th amendment, and the
various stringent enabling acts Of our last
Legislature. which have made up thu village
gossip ana excitement Of the last few. weeks,
and which Of late have been Interpreted to
the gerrions 5shbvursion. Of popular power,
may have been likewise construed to impair
that Fright 'also,"" ~ a.z .f+.. ~.
n this matter, % in many others, there
.sesms Ia besa wide margin for diversity Of
opinion. Some few persons, under the in
'auenceto Of political decisions. may look upon
this movement as the painful aud arduous
struggle Of IN impoverished and tax,ridden
people, In, the midst Of darkness. disap
poineneat and namberlsss opposing obsta
.ssss, tsssto beainformsd of the present eondi
Zion of tteir affairs. On '~''s 49, 49,
= Lila Ajax In, the fght, oil they want is
etesses their way clear :n2 g: ot'd "5i '
3a1tsDispel these clouds! The light Of Heaven
IN sErestoros td5 ,fadt A'& ,.s@ J..
I'd Give;me 10 see, and Ajax asks no more:"i
TO Others, equally honest, and composed o.
The laafrgesf portion ofthe community, look
upon The movement Is 2 y'exatious contro'
eyessy bstween the INA snd the Onts, where
i'm the forsaera anaintaia their places with
the most qddooag3gdd :pertinacity,, while The
latter are ire ready to flI lhAsn with the great
rest5advsntag &C. to the public unfortunate
lythis alts, cation, ipfsome form or other
between the ms and The Outs, under GU,
Republican form Of government, will con
tinueAo agitase the popular mind and 1t
bekooyes as'to study The coo: ness necessary
tos,rneet every new pparoxysr, as it occurs,
with a due regard to The wear and tear Of
tbs neryous spstem: 9TH ,ln4,H II H. j."
The people Of st: Landry are just: They
desire to see their public agents treated
with the fairness and consideration due. to
Representatives. Theyfao hold them and
kwiltaholdiahem' responsible for their acts.
The la'va, has prescribed the mode Of elect.
ipsg emaenb esrsI > T. ahe Police Jury, and
,theaaasaa law hasprovidsd for thsir account
abililylss tBbeirteeoussitaehts, ind has estab.
iiishsa tkssp CHECKS md balances necessary ,ec ssGry
ttoinsqre 20 equitable adtninistration. They
aEssuquirsd to- keep books, / accounts ard
soussssts, which ere alwsyssopen TO pnblie
inspection. They make and publish detail
cd ssstcments, showing clearly the nature
and smauntsfof Tho sariousl receipts and
expenditures. ~ They lhave generally several
officers, nStt' member ar nle1 u the. Police Jury
who must concur ii these statements.
They usnally i'd an experienced account.
anti 1to qaidd the Treasurer and finance
scsnnitseass when stheoimportanco of the
labof detnands IT. They hold their position
" members ~ ~ ~ limited term tern
oftgo years, snbiset5tq reelection They
are constant aHsarksr brittle shafts of the
UutsjSpartiealafly ID Cue eve Of 1 general teeraal
'eiecti0t. Under I'M these tciirrccun,nrsz ttane es. it
is next e impossible fiat any svindle can
cbeiuapossd upon the public. No one OBJ
jects to any number Of citi uniting to
examine the books. accounts and vouchers
Of The Police Jury On The contrary, this
:.bbytt itseslf, in llaudalbls enough But il is not
spFaissweFshyst or oohdehnahs Police. Jnry
itfaavaace;soslabor to- reiddics the popular
~ mind \ sggainst them y . charge them through
The IN Rpeta' press with corruption 3 l 10 Office;
aaaAo bod them up to the condemnation
ss1tASsax:paysrs of shese parish without
Having Been fret fortified with. the fact facts
necessary to substantiate the charges.
1Withoht desiring to impugnt the motives of
The nesting Of Taxpayers, and attrsibdd-
ears 70 them The proper 1;rectituude,, Of pur-
pose, we thiakla as . majority of the citizens
saat1a Ethat5shsy have erred is Judgment.
'"sshodsa intending dodbtless, any dissrre.
speeI II seahe people, ;yetby the extraordinary
manner IN which, they have proceeded
aea'nss sns's. sssnta.dths people have given
them sna;u bat aacosd' support, "A fair trial,
fStfowed by ! .s~sassssaaasat verdict. would
Aavsiheea more acceptable. DO the 4,,en,,,.r
tssse' ;siaa sae'adkenunsiaaiens which have
pTecsas1 ai'd 1d aattasanadssdeh The trial s,&f beq
vi TBS 'taS'paying people far.herrno .sa, up.
darsasnd AAasuthere are tonne grievances
a~ssFsea'ssd tsashs peliss sufy, sort which
they are not Responsible. In thu rns,.serr
fsrjaataReesso f expenses far uyirnina, pro'
sscnsionsais sinsdetass duty sof I'm .aors
witgsoaF aSscrsfiorI ID aanadEEs mn as,g q,