Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-01-27
The Louisiana Troubles.

So long and fierce has been the
war of factions in Louisiana that
the great mass of newspaper readers
have lost sight OF the cause which
brought It about. The grave crisis
which has now been reached in the
affairs of the State makes a connect
ed history of the struggle one Of es-
pecial interest.
In 1868 the Radicals raised a great
hue and cry, especially in the rural
diEtri cts, about the alleged insecure
ty of life and property, and so arOus-
ed the fears OF the negro population
that q mOmentous agitation took
place, and WarmOth was elected
Governor. Under the pressure Of
this panic, the Legislature made
laws, which really bestowed on the
Governor absolute power, and ia
augurated a system most cunningly
calculated to usurp the liberties
OF the people and squander their
property. Upon the Governor were
conferred autOcratic powers. He
could appoint by his own will, sub
ject to no revision, all judges, JUS
tees of the peace, sheriiIs, coroners,
constables, State assessors and collec-
tors of taxes, jurors in courts, Judges
of election, registers of voters, in
spectors of election returns, officers
of militia, from colonies to lieuten-
ants, and the whole police force of
the city of New Orleans. Thus he
had everything within his grasp.
He was monarch of all he surveyed
from Lake Providence to Ship Is
land. He used this power to enrich
himself and his fayorites out of
such public and private property in
the State as was in condition TO be
stolen, given away or taxed. The
result is that millions of dollars of
State bonds have been squandered,
and the taxes will amount, for the
coming year, to eight per cent. of
the valuation of all the property OF
the city of New Orleans alone.
At last tho Democrats and respec-
table Republicans, black and white,
small property holders, bankers,
planters, merchants, ship and steam
boat owners, in fact, ali the people
of the State, whose opinions had
any weight of consequence, met and
resolved that forbearauce had ceased
to be virtue. The unexpected re-
suit was, that in spite of the ire
INGENIOUS JOh EA Vi NiONEl AOA W al
moth, its rival was found, and the
election of members to the Senate
and House was clearly ia favor of
the reform movement, and against
those traitors to the best interest OF
the State, who had foisted them
selves on the people as rulers. In
opposition to the Warmoth party
are found all who call themselves
POLITICALLY speaking) Democrats, all
gentlemen of wealth, all land-hOld-
ers who own more or less arabic
land, frSm twenty acres upwards,
all honest men who hate corruption,
and all who have taxes TO pay on
property legitimately acquired. The
array of wealth and talent and pub
lie indignation against Warmoth
and his Acknowledged is equal in
its majesty and sincerity of purpose
to the outburst against the Tweed
and the Custom House Rings in
New York, and the people of New
Orleans, like those of New York,
met in q grand m2ss-meeting last
month, and appointed a committee
of fifty-one" to investigate the sd-
ministration OF the government and
examine the amount of indebtedness
OF the State and the city OF New
Orleans.
The wretched and fearful condi-
ton of affairs at New Orleans has
arisen directly from the misrule and
corruption which has been fastened
upon the people of Louisiana by Ra-
dical policy. 1t has gone to such ex-
treme lengths that the better class
of people, acting in the sense of "any
port in Storm" have made such
combinations as presented them
selves and gave hope of relief from
intolerable rapacity. But what is
called the Custom-house party, or
Grant Ring, have never contempla-
ted any course likely to afford re-
medy for the evils that lie at the
foundations of existing misrule; but
their policy seems to have been die
tated by personal desire to reach
power for purposes or uses time
alone will disclose. Meantime, the
good people are left to the mercy of
winds and waves. They are certain
ly without hope from the WArmouth
regime, and no one can say that they
will be better off if the Custom
house Ring should come out first
best in the disgraceful struggle now
in progress.-BdRneT.