The Opelousas courier., 1870-04-16
TO 'yBEE PEOPLE OF ST. Ian
DRH.

In consequence Of the publication and circul"-
t"r within this Parisl, of the above circular.
have thought it proper. and perhaps expected of
M. hy the ruhlic that should take notice pub
liclv of the stricturea contained in the article
over the signature Of ''Citizen."
.(itfzen's" article first appeared in the
Oseiousos .JourHai Of January 10Th. 1870. !
then gave it no public notice through the press,
though it's statement Of facts was not, in justice
TO me, sufficiently full. dislike newspaper con-
trrvrrsies. and arm averse to the unnecessary
agitation of the public mind. aud refrain. as far
AZ possible. from indulging in either. Thought
that the f;.rts of public nature connected with
the judicial and ,olitic0l contest hetween Dr
Thompson and myself. for the Office Of Sheriff
were known to the people who elected me to
office. and felt disposed to trust TO their memo
riea for the supplying of "(itizens" omissions
tlsat might he prejuical to me. ] should per
hans have continued not to notice. through the
press. "Citizen's" ''observations in reference to
the events Of December 3Oth, 1862 had his ar
ticIe not been reproduced in tha foregoing cir
cular 1t il now evident to my mind that the
publication Of the article in this form is intend
cd to produce. on the public mind. an nntavora-
hle impression in reference to my course on the
occasion referred to.
lii thus addressing the public, my object ia to
correct "Citizen's" statement Of facts in refer
ence to the events connected With the contest
for the ehrievalty Of this Parish. by giving
succinct but tull history Of the whole matter.
Citizen" a. the totp17'G1 reviewer Oh puDnc
! events that he certainly wishes to be CONSIDER
ed should, in justice to me, not have lett room
, for any such corrections
I,will now proceed to give history of those
events from the beginning of the contest: A
! su1,crfcial glance at my statement VIII sufhce
| TO show to the reader thu nature of "Citizens
errors they are errors ofAonsission. he pas
failed to state facts that are essenta 70 my JUS
titication in the eyee of the people, for the part
! taken by me in the disturbance alluded TO oy
him. But to the statement.
! 1T will be we'll remembered that some time
! after had been elected by the people ct the
| election of April 1868, had qualified under the
the e4oyerDor az sheriff Of St. Landry, the Legis
lature of the State, for strictly partisan and
prescriptive purposes, enacted an unjust, uncon
stitntionaf and oslious law, prescribing an addi
tional oath of office to be taken by pnbtir OH
! cials throughout the State. The Radical part J
having failed at the election of April, 1868, the
first under the new Constitution adopted BY lts
delegates. to elect all the Radical candidates
some Democrats having been selected by the
1.oule to fill Parochial and State offices, this sc
wns passed for the purpose of oustng from ofic<
suc, De,nocrata as were obnoxious to the party
in power.
| o. nv alleged failure to take this aaditiona
oath, the Governor, in pursuance OF the provls
ions of said acf, declared my office vacant ane
| appeintea Dr.. j. G. Brooke a. my successor A
Tie ensuiug terra Of the District Court. held II
this place, DR. Brooks, through his attorney, y
w. Hudspeth, District Attorney OF the sf d Dis
trict. presenteda q petition to the District Judge
asking that his commission a. Sheriff OF the par
ial, OF St. Landry might be spread. ON the MN
utes of the Court. and that his off1ctai capaelty
might be recognized. was net made . pam!
to this proceeding. Ny attorneys noticed thu
irresularity in their argument to show why TN
PRAYER OF Dr. Brooks should not be granted
and insisted tlat the pruper course for him u
pursue was plainly pointed cut In the very &c
by virtue Of vhich he had been appointed, We
fiat the District Attorney, Joining DIR. Brook
with him therein, sliauid hare institntad ON se
tion +. oraf me from once. But theG Court tool
a difsrent view of the Question. ansar rendere'
i,,lemeot in. the ex.partes nroceeding. rneHg
iising Dr.. Brook AS, and declaring hiH to D.
the Sheriff Of st. Landry, FrslR this deeis!Gn
did T,af appeal, thBugh , considered myself ag
,rievesi thereby; hat without the slightest snov
If resistaneeyishfeagp gp tnDf sisrooks fos wa
MOTHS ap6oigs.es. the ofstfe With which the s"i
n,ases ef my fsllow-citisens, bad entrusted ms
7 Lksp fesorteA to the action Indicated ~ u
ats dY the fegislatnre Above Feterrs6 20, p a g.
I'd nran George ". Hndspe'h. ESQ., the D'str1c