New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-15

general credit of the State. BY ascertain
ing the nature of the appropriations VI
means set aside to meet each class ol war
rants, holders may be assured Oh thelr APP
proximate value.
Never did a Legislature open so tar
field for sneculation for few individuals,
and never perhaps. was an opportunity
more effectually made use OF That 1t has
hnen a harvest to the tax collectors and
brolers associated with them, there can be
no doubt. And as to whether the Treas
urer has in any manner co-operated WIN
them. or given aid or comfort, is matter
for your inquiry. One thing certain is that
he has not turned the money changers our
as in DAYS of old. 1t was certainly the
duty of the Treasurer of the State to have
encouraged first the bona fide holders OF
warrants by prompt payment, or by giving
them such assurances as would cause them
to retain their warrants for payment at the
counter of the Treasurer, and not part with
them at fifty four cents on the dollar. zen
tlemen. as / have before used my case as
illustrative of my views, L will again refer
to it.
am compelled to sit during the entire
year, having perhaps more business than
any other court in the State. have made
earnest appeals for aid from the treasury.
| have received not q dollar, although IN
the third quarter of the current year.
Other Judges, performing perhaps but half
the labor. have been paid, some one and
others two quarters. The Treasurer has
not only failed to pay me, after repeated
requests, but has given me not the slightest
encouragement. and, indeed, on the third
instant, specially declared that there was
no prospect.
This conduct, gentlemen, on the part of
the Treasurer forces me to the conclusion
that there is either gross partlalIty or a
fixed determination, to force me, with
others. into the hands of tax collectors and
brokers, and this inference is strengthened
from the fact that warrants are so depressed
and little appreciated by holders, and the
further fact that several OF my brothers of
the bench could only realize their money
through broker, by the payment of two
and half per cent. The same gentleman
was kind enough to offer his services to col
lect mine at the same rate. L told him as
tell YOU. gentlemen, that l would not pay
a cent if | could help it. That if the treas
ury is what it purpOrts to he, a State treas
ury, was entitled to my money at the
counter, or to have 1t paid in bank. If 1t
belongs to the Treasurer and Company, L
have no favors to ask of them. | was COM
PEELED to pledge the warrants for means to
pay current expenses, and found great
difficulty in doing so, one saying that the
treasury was r0tton concern, another
that it was run by few individuals for
their own benefit, and a third that it be-
longed to -- & Co. This want of conf
dence will greatly account for the de-
pressed condition of the warrants. You
will find, gentlemen, in the revenue act
of 1871, and especially the ninetieth and
ninety-eighth sections, very clear inten-
tion of the Legislature to see that the reve
nues of the State are fairly and impartially
received and discussed, under penalty of
criminal prosecution, etc.
If there are no funds to pay the warrants
of the judicial and other officers of the
State, | am willing to share the credit of
the State, and consequent losses with them;
but if A. Dubuclet is using the State treas
ury to accommodate his own friends, and to
pander with brokers, the office can no
longer be called State treasury, but a ma
chine of oppression to bona tide creditors,
and wrong and disgrace to the State
The soubriquet of War Horse" being as
signed to me by my friends, it is not un-
natural that there should be some FESTIVE
ness, fodder, in the way of greenbacks, not
being forthcoming, and if l am able to sue
coed in kicking the dust from the eyes of
the people, they would see state of affairs
unparalleled in the history of any free peo-
pie.
Gentlemen, 1 ask you to look well to this
papers, and if you should find the servants
of the people acting in good faith, and
with impartiality guarding, as they are
sworn to do, the public interest, say to
them: Well done good and faithful servants.
But if they are acting corruptly against
the credit of the State and interest of the
people, make such representations as will
enable the people en- masse to tear off the
vail and see their deformity: and if you
find them obnoxious to any of the criminal
statutes of the State, fearlessly indict them.
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, in OBTAINING
you thus long, in this intensely hot
weather, my only apology is, that in at
tempting to pledge the warrants of the
State for salary due, discovered more cor
ruption and wrong than felt it my duty,
or possessed the charity, to hide-and
felt it my duty to call your attention to the
subject. Sworn as you are to keep your
secrets and those of your fellowjurors,
you can freely investigate any crime or
misdemeanor without fear of individual
censure.