The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-05-03

CouiC' LIE court auJOufneu early, that
the meeting might be held in the Court
house. We arrived there after the min
utes of the previous meeting had been
read and adopted, and just as the first
speaker was about to speak. He said
that on the motion to adopt, there was
but zone ave." and he was ASHAMED
Of his people" He and another speaker
expressed their disgust that the tax
payers did not turn out stronger and
take more interest in the scheme of tax
resistance. The greater body of tax
payers, however, in their collective ca
pacity, are insensible to such lecturing.
No individual of them takes it to HIM
self, but goes along and attends to his
own business, as his own common sense
and prudence dictate. This speaker
stated that their object was not "to put
Kellogg out and McEnery ill.," but to
resist burdensOme and unjust taxation.
From the way one of them shook his
head, this did not meet with unanimous
response. It was however about the
first sensible, unpolitical idea that had
been uttered; and no good citizen could
object to its being carried out in a legal
manner. There was a considerable
falling off and SOLDERING down, in the
whole concern, from previous projects
or modes of resistance, evinced more in
outside talk than in the meeting. No
good citizen could object to legal re-
slstance to burdensOme and unjust tax
alton; and we have never opposed a re-
sort to the courts for that purpose. On
the contrary, we counseled the resisters
to go there, quietly and ~peaceably, and
nothold useless political meetings and
d~isOrganize the labor of the parish. The
great body of taxpayers are of the opin-
ion that nothing will be gained by 60
ing to law, but additional costs and ex-
pense; but the few who express their
determination to resist, out Of regard to
their fellow taxpayers whose crops de-
pend on the labOrers they have employ
ed, it for no other reason, should resist
by legal process in the. courts and not
by stirring up political strife by means
of political meetings.
The next speaker, who the tax collect
or says does not figure on the tax rolls
Of this parish, exploded for a considera-
bic time, with violent wrath, against
this paper and its editor which we
have noticed elsewhere-and against
the Police Jury, who had plundered,
and fattened and grown sleek upon the
spOils of the people. This means OF
course, not only this editor, but judges,
district and parish attorneys, members
of the police jury, clerk, sheriff, recor-
der, and the balance of the list of pub
lie officers from the highest to the low
est. He wa specially severe in regard
to the jail tax.
Now the District Judge, who was
elected on the Democratic ticket, ap-
pointed at the last term of the court,
grand jury from the list Of jurors drawn
by the Parish judge, clerk and sheriff
etc., according to law. 1t was the duty
of the grand jury to examine the condi.
ton Of the Jail, and report. The report
was that the Jail was very much dila.
pidated and misconceptions coulC
escape from it at any time unless they
were guarded. The report recommend
ed a new Jail. It is web known tina
the amount of taxes necessary to have
the jail guarded, would in no great
length of time pay for a new one. The
grand jury saw at once that it would b.
real economy to build a new Jail, an6
dispense with guards.
The report and recommendation
were presented to the Police Jury
which was elected by the people of thi
parish last November. Its member
are not a~ristocrats, but are of the PEG
pie, and know the wants Of the people
They adopted the report of the grant
jury, and have taken steps to have
new Jail built. That q Jail tax wa
levied by another Police Jury, sewers
years ago, and that tax appropriated t.
defray other expenses of the parish, i
no just cause of complaint against thi
, grand jury and this Police Jury, and NJ
reason why the parish should have n,
jail and continue to be at heavy expens
for guarding prisoners.
We did not hear all the speeches O
t the two following speakers. What W
heard was mostly Of an abstract nature
about government, etc.
The other speakers we did not hea
at all.
The next meeting is to take place
next Saturday. When they decide pos
! itively to adopt the legal mode of re
! sistance in the courts and abide til
result, we are willing to join, provide,
somebody else viii play Booth, Will
, we await the result. But the test cas-
must be hurried up and decided, befor
the tax collector seizes US. Some zeal
! Gus and anxious resister should prevail
on the collector to seize his property a
once, so as to make a case and have tn
matter settled.
t There viii be much horse racing a
Arnaudyille next Saturday. The sport
ing fraternity with all the crack horse
! of the parishes of St. Landry, Iberia
Lafayette and st, Martin, are expecte
. to be there.
This parish is just now running tW
machines racing one and a tax re