The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-05-06
THE x H+QUIsIANA ORMORANTs.
spoiiation Without a Parallel.

spoiiation Without Parallel!
The correspondent of the Springfield
Mass.) Republican, a, Radical journal,
writes to that paper the following dam
.ge criticism upon the Radical party
Ind its leaders i'll this State. The letter
is dated at New Orleans:
Well, how about the Radicals: When
the poet sung,
GLOW SMALL of all that human hearts on
That part which laws or kings can cause or
perhaps he was singing wisely. It is
well enough to think SO. 1 am not a
politician, but sec how things go, and
at the risk of controversy and hard
feeling will venture to say, and my
language is plain, and it is ssthc hcft of
my Judgment that there has never
been, in the tide of time, such an utter
failure of human schemes as we see in
the result DEMONSTRATION in this State.
say "this State" because I am here,
and know how it is myself. Possibly
it is worse elsewhere. A more con-
temptible, disreputable, low-doWn, OPP
pressive government than that of LOU
isiana never before polluted human
records. It has not q decent aspect or
redeeming feature, and as revolutions
do not move backward, I see no pros
pect of favorable change at present. !
have faith in my people sufficiently
strong to believe that if the body of men
called a Legislature, just adjourned in
this State, had done to the people of
Massachusetts, what they did to Louisi-
ana, they would never have left Boston
alive.
The complaint is not merely that
these legislators are ssradicap' in poll
tics or that many of them are ignorant
black men, who but yesterday were
slaves, or that the majority of the white
members are base carpet-bagging scala
wags from the North, with no knowl-
edge Of the State, no pride in its past
history or interest in it's future, elected
after ten days residence in a parish by
the convenient machinery of registra-
ton and commissioners and "inspcc-
tors" of elections, appointed by a gov
ernor, himself the creation of similar
frauds. Nor is it because a small mi
nority of them are the 1neanest South
ern white trash, men without a "last
place of residence" soaked in whisky,
living with negro women, and smell
ing like wet dogs, as they elbow about
the lobby openly selling their votes !;
for even such collection of foul birds
might be got rid of and the State have
a future. But these cormorants have
not only plundered, looted and sold out
every visible thing, but they have SO
mortgaged the State that the noble do
main of Louisiana, purchased by Jeffcr-
son from the First Consul of France,
once rich in sugar and cotton land, is,
to-day, without credit or available re-
sources.
But few facts must be stated. New
England understands figures. Look at
these: In 1865 the debt of Louisiana
was about s., 100000. 1t is now Il quote
the State Auditors report) $25, O21 1903,
comprised of State bonds, 1922, $50, 233
warrants and certificates, 1888, 1897
miscellaneous, 1867 1913. Add to this
"accruing debit" being Endorsements
on railroad, "ship canal' and Other
swindlcs, amounting to 81 {, 1896, 900, and
there is total Of $40, 4I6, 1853. That is
oil there you have the blessings Of
in "dcmnition total.'' Only forty
millions of mortgage on farms and Ia
Dor and skill! Little drafts OH the
future, and for what-wlat have VIC
got? Nothing; the money has been
stolen. In addition to this, franchises
have been granted, corporations created,
oppressive, injurious and abominablc,
so that the whole community groans
under the oppression. History can
furnish no parallel to this spoliation in
time of peace. 1t is idle to expect men
to be satisfied with it, and to rejoice al
the sight of tho cold flag" and talk OF
the chest government the world eve,
saw" when they arc living under 8
robbing, swindling, indecent prctcnse
government. Yet Louisiana is quiet
I do not think even a Congressional
smelling committee could report single
case of "outrage" in the State. Sham,
on them, say I, that they arc quiet
But all this planting and Watering mus
bear fruit, and what will it be? Th,
time will come when Federal bayonctS
cannot be so easily invoked as now, ant
then trust the occupation OF carpet
bagging will come to the end it so just
ly deserves.
Bon Honmie Quondam, the cdito
! of tho Morehouse Official, makcth fun
of the TELEGRAPH; but wo observe
that the sputtering of Latin and Frcncl