New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-20
ADDRESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC FINANCE
COMMITTEE.

0SQeQ Wudt tAcJ O'Au SO"S
yery cunningly devised address to tn
.S;tizens of New Orleans" Although
the address is rather b%unglingly done, i
has some slight resemblance to a chart!
sermon preached by q Hard Shell Baptis
parson. The old Boy, who stands as thu
target of their untutored and ingram
NAUTICAL eloquence is the Republican party
The taxes entailed upon the people by
the preceding administrations, both State
and municipal, are the heinous sins com
planned of, and a small donation to vino
up with is suggested as a means OF
grace.
The address was evidently written by
the talented chairman of the committee,
E. Booth, halter, trunk seller, and all
articles in the way of carpet-bags, UNI
brellas, etc, corner Gravier and Magazine
streets. Thrift shows even in the address,
as he does not forget to give his business
address. His example is followed by his
| colleagues who insert their business adj
dresses, thus getting a light lift in the
way of a stroke of free advertising. Lis
| ten to the eloquent committee:
Fellow-citizens: Great events are upon
us. The Radicals compel us to pay taxes;
! Democrats don't believe in taxes. They
| would rather issue city and State shin
| pIasters or sell State bonds at thirty cents
| on a dollar. But taxes, never! Repudia-
! ton first. But the Radicals make us pay
whether we like it or not. They let none
escape.
Working men, artisans, merchants. ten
ants, owners, can any of you escape the
outrageous taxation which has been i'm
posed upon you!
It is q shame that no one, not even the
prime favorites around the City Hall, can
escape this most impartial assessment.
The Democrats always let up on their
friends, especially if they We're wealthy !;
but the Republicans wickedly tax all
alike.
Many q hard working man will be driven
from his labor, many a merchant will be
driven out of business, many a tenant will
be driven ont of his home. and many a
property owner will be driven out Of his
property.
In that case we shall be reminded o tLe
good old times, when the friends of the
Finance Committee were in power, and
not only drove the people from their bust
ness, but forced Union men to leave the
city, and every man who could not buy a
substitute, or who did not own FIVE slaves,
into the rebel army.
The Democratic party is, and ever has
been, that of the people; and to support
it's interests and insure its success, we will
not doubt that every citizen approving its
objects will gladly contribute as he may be
able. Past and existing bloody wars are
waging, and have been waged, in the inter
est of dynasties and thrones, and while
liberal contributions are pouring in on
either side in aid OF the bell;gerent wound
ed, can we carelessiy sec our own wounded
Louisiana, u%nhappily fallen among thieves,
and not act the part of the Good Samaritan
toward her, and give of our means to
rescue from contiscatiOn and calumny her
fair fields and fairer fame. Were We our
selves wealthy. there would be nc ~solicita-
ton made to you. Or any, for assistance III
this matter.
The above excerpt is q perfect gem of
composition. It should be first read
downward, then upward, and then be-
ginning at the sentence ''Past bloody wars
are waging," and read both ways. 1t can
not be properly understood in any other
way. By the time the reader comes to
the end of the paragraph he vii! not be
willing "carelessly to see our own
wounded Louisiana in such a bad FIX
without, at least, asking his next door
neighbor to pay a little something toward
rescuing her fair fields from calumny."
If the reader were wealthy, which, Of
course, he is not, neither is the commit
tee-there would be no need to say any
thing more about it. Either would in
that case foot the whole bill; or, if the
gentlemen who sign their names to this
narrowing address could get a chance
once more to steal their hands full out Of
the public treasury they would not com
begging before the people for aims. To
show the voters of this parish the pious
designs of these super excellent patriots,
we quote the exact language:
Had we las our enemy and yours hasj the
exclusive control of the patronage OF the
Federal. State and city Offices, with concur
rent power to assess against office holders
such mounts as might be deemed necessary,
as well as the receipt and disbursement OF
the public taxes, then, indeed, citizens might
pause before they contributed means to
swell amounts in hands already sufficiently
full Of the iniquitous fruits Of public rapine
or official population. But such Is not our
case.
We think, gentlemen of the committee,
that "citizens will pause after reading
this too frank declaration If the result
of giving to you exclusive control OF pub
lie patronage is to FILL your hands SO fall
of the ubiquitous fruits of public rafine
and official population that it will not be
necessary to call upon any n else tor
money to buy Democratic voters, we may
well pause and back rapidly on both
wheels. ''But, such is not the case.
Thank Heaven for that ! you have not that
exclusive control, and that possibly &C
counts for your admitted honesty. The
election of April, 1868, and the law Of
March 1G, 1870, deprived your party of
the exclusive control which you long
for most ardently now that you arc empty
handed. And as such is not the case,
va, ~, f,r-vo,: a,,1 oil A. s4yo,,c 70