New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-18
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the Louisiana Legislature. " SbeHeve with
you that great duty rests upon them for
the approaching session. l feel that some
thing special must be done for the State
and the people, or the Republican party
must justly go down, and, as a natural con
sequence, the State and the people go to
utter ruin. Taxation is too high, and must
Reputation in general and sweeping
sense. We can get along without
any unjust reputation. All that is just
ly and equitably due of the State debt
can be paid, and at the same tine. the
rate Of taxation be reduced very nearly
and manner indicated in your article of this
morning. Let a just and equitable compro-
mise be made between the "discontented
taxpayers and the anxious holders OF State
securities" Let this be done amicably if
possible, but let it be done For these
State securities in the main never cost the
holders over fifty cents on the dollar, and
in MANY instances scarcely cent. And It
is useless to talk about paying them in fall,
for it can not be done and the people escape
starvation and ruin, and it would really be
dishonest in the State to do so, even if she
were able, for hundreds and thousands of
them are fraudulent in toto and most OF
them are tainted with fraud. Some claims
against the State ought to be paid in full
in all cases where persons have performed
adequate services at stipulated price.
| myself have several thousand dol
lars of this character against the State
which l feel should in justice have long
since been paid; but | am perfectly willing
TO make any reasonable cOmprOmse-any
compromise that will assist in reducing the
rate of taxation and enable me to live
and trust and believe almost every other
creditor of the State will exhibit a like
spirit Some arrangement of this sort must
be entered into and consummated, or the
State is totally ruined and the energies Of
the people totally paralyzed.
And for the future all extravaganza ana
reckless legislation must cease. Sanctimo-
NOUS, people-loving Bourbon lobbyists must
cease to fatten on the credulity of IN
sophisticated Republicans. Liveried thieves
must take back seats for a time-all the
better if in the Penitentiary-an seedy,
incompetent loafers must cease begging
for "an office" and go to work.
Many white women, and even little girls
in my section, work in the fields and hoe
cotton in the burning sun. while men here
in New Orleans and elsewhere, without
brains or principle, and stout enough to
butt bull off the bridge" are holding fat
offices. This is an evil under the sun which
must be looked after--it is nuisance which
must be abated.
Indeed, as we go along, we shall ind that
there are many practical and diversified
evils which need attentiOn-evils of per-
haps comparatively small magnitude, hut
of burning and CALLING character never
theless, and which, think, judi cious legis
lation might somewhat palliate. if not to-
tally remedy. Something special should, in
my opinion, be done in the way Of legisla-
tive protection to the poorer class of pro-
ducers throughout the country-I mean
those especially who are dependant upon
their labor on the farm for support, from
year to year and from day 10 day, including
the honest and faithful laboring classes
generally.
The homestead or exemption law now on
the statute books should be either repealed
or materially changed. The change W ich
is most needed, IN my opinion, is the means
to enforce it. The law itself is ample as 1t
now stands-ample in what it allows fr'e
from execution; but it stands as dead let
ter on the books, because either it can not
be enforced at all, or the courts and attor-
neys, as a general rule. are so partial to
power and oppression, and so averse to the
demands of the weak and needy as to
rneanIy and Of willfUl choice fail in the en-
forcement. At any rate, the poor iaborer
who tolls faithfully and raises a crop is il
ninety-nine cases in = hundred stripped and
left with nothing in the world but renewed
daily labor" for support-meagre and
scant support-and often turned off with
out that.
Now, l believe the exemption law passed
at the last session of the Legislature would
greatly remedy this evil. | am not alto
yether partial to it, in its prerent form, and
am not, as is generally supposed, its author.
The Judiciary Committee remodeled Inv
bill. and put it in the shape in which il now
lies before the Governor, which IS not u
very lucid or comprehensive shape: but
think it would prove much more effective
than the present Law, and certainly could
not make it any worse Or more Ineffective,
and generally unsatisfactory.
Of course l am not more interested in
this matter more than any other citizen
should feel himself who wishes TO soc JUS
tice done honest toll. But 1 can tell our
narty friends and all who pretend TO desire
TO see the poor unprotected freedman have
mis- rights-hs equal rights before the law,
practically enforced-I can tell them that
less talk and more action should be brought
to bear in his behalf; and this must be, or
his rights" in every desirable and redeem
ing sense, are but q myth-at least in the
agricultural districts.
Ii something practical is not done IN this
behalf. both by the Legislature and the
courts before another crop season sets In,
there will not be much crop to gather at
harvest time; and then it will be seen IN
what condition the country will be found.
TAe past caring injustice to the poor fam
ishing negro-and the poor furnishing white
man as weil-will then be most clearly man
iiest. And it might as we'll he unerstood,
first as last, that few scores Of patriotic.
fat office holders. black or white, with loud.
but null and void" promises, can not save
the country-can not redeem the land. We
want protection and equal justice to the Pc
ducing class, anu this we must have. Tie
poor Ia borer wants living-a suppOrt-and
this he must have; and he must have 1t out
side of the Peritentiary.
Aud this suggests another great evil and
most outrageous wrong which should be
looked after and throttled 1t is part and
no nnI IF the starving r,rnrrarnuia. Ii men