The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-01-23

The Condition of Louisiana aS
Described by the EitizenS' Conn
in their Appeal to Congress.
THE TAXES on PROPERTY


have assumed such proportions thar they
might be called rents paid by the proprie-
tor 10 the State for its occupation and use.
The taxes upon business Cypress the com
mercial and labOring classes. The laws to
control elections, corporations and public
institutions stimulate these excuses OF
otfice-holders. and the consequence Is de
preston and discomfort. The State needs
an honest faithful and responsible govern
meut, conducted to attain public objects,
aud not to enrich its members or to perpetu
ate their power. There was an earnest
effort to obtain such government at the
last election.
We affirm. without fear OF contradiction,
that the foregoing statement exhibits on the
part of the United States Court the most
unparalleled aud baSeleSs usarpati0u OF
jurisdiction and authority OF which the an
mails of Jurisprudence afford any example.
The action of the Returning Board recog-
uiZed and vested with all the powers by
this Court has been equally unprecedented,
without any official returns before them
without any of the official data on which
alone their action could have been right
FULLY based they have presumed To proclaim
the results of the election.
The declaration by them of the votes east
in the different parishes is as purely fanciful
as If no election whatever had been held.
They have arbitrarily reduced and increased
the votes on one side or the other in differ
ent parishes to SUIT their purposes. In sew
ing TO the votes cast for their candidate,
they have simply annIhliated or stricken
out entirely the votes cast for their oppo-
nents. In other parishes they have exactly
reversed the returns, giving 70 their candi-
dates the majority which had really been
returned for their opponents. They have
not pretended TO furnish the public with
any statement of the basis on which they
proceeded or the theory on which they
acted Their whole conduct is without any
kind IF reasonable explanation.
POPULAR GOVERNMENT REFUSED.
We submit 10 the people OF the United
states that such proceedings reach a point
at which the whole theory OF popular gov
eminent is reversed and oyerthrown. The
means BY which such results have been
reached are enough to startle the public
mind, but the results themselves are not
less appalling. Aside from the general
officers of the State, we find the Legislature
of the State delivered over iuto the hands
OF men who were not elected and who are
utterly unfit for positions OF such response
biiity in that body as originally composed.
At its organization 1t comprised sixty ght
persons of color, most OF them totally I'M
educated. witha very small minority of
whites. Since that time they have expelled
member whose seats were uncOnCeSted.
They have unssated members returned cleo
ted by their own Board and seated their
defeated opponents, on the simple ground
that the former had not appeared to claim
their seats. The result is that, originally
bad as the Legislature was, it makes itself
worse day by day, and the prospect is that
soon the conservative element of the State
will have no representative Whatever. To
those who fiatter themselves with the hope
that Mr. Kellogg would not willingly abet
any scheme of outrageous misgovernment,
it is now apparent that, even supposing this
to be true, the power of restraining has
passed entirely beyond his control, and that
should he attempt TO thwart the schemes of
this Legislature his own impeachment
would be probable event of the future.
Boots and Shoes, at prime cost, at G. j.
Beck's.