New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-02
INTERIOR LOUISIANA.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS ADMINISTERED BY
NEGROES.


NEGROES
CONSERVATIVE MAJoRiTIEs DIsREGARDED - IGNO-
RANT CoLORED MEN PUT IN OFFICE BY KELLOGG
THE TAXPAYERS RULED By MUNICIPALITIES
NEGROES ON THE BENCH AND IN THE JURY
BOX-sOME LUDrCROUs JUDICIAL DECIsIoNs-THE
BLACKS MUCH LESS LENIENT WITH MEN OF THEIR
OWN COLOR THAN THE WHITES.
[FROM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE
BELLS STORE, WEBB's PLANTATION, ASSUMPTION
PARISH, La, Oct 24.-1he Bayou La Fourche is q
natural canal, having its mouth at Donaldsonville
on the Mississippi River, running thence in south
eastery direction through The Parishes OF Ascension
Assumption, and La Fourche. and finding All outlet
near Timbaer Bay on the Gulf Of Mexico. With
its present depth of three feet the levees on either
side of the stream seem an unnecessary provision
against devastation by overflow. 1t has hardly
enough water to float flatboat. But when the
Mississippi rises, the Bayou rises too, and large
steamboats, ply regularly from ore terminus to the
other, heavily laden with produce from the planta-
tons, supplies from the New-Orleans mar
ket Before the war the La FOurche country
was by many considered an earthly paradise. Every
plantation was kept garden; the planters were
rich and increasing in wealth. the small farmers
were receiving bountifll returns upon their small
investment Of capital and labor; the negroes. we'll
housed, well-clothed, and with plenty to eat and
drink, were as contented and happy is consistent
with a state of slavery. Here parish offices were
filled by gentlemen who accepted them from sense
of duty. and administered them in the same spirit.
Malfeasance, bribery, corruption, defalcation and
ballotbox stufing were terms whose meaning was
known indeed, but not by observation OF experience.
doubt if ever there was a country better governed
more prosperous, or whose inhabitants were more
perfectly satisfied with their lot
THE EFFECTS OF THE WAR;
Four years of war and nine years of peace in
name if not in fact have wrought a sad change in
the aspect of tue country, and in the fortunes of
the people. The years of war brought suffering and
poverty, and the years of peace brought corruption
and vice. Labor has been demOralized, and while
property has deprecated in value the taxes have
been increased Still the country has not yet lost
It's fertility all Its beauty. What is needed to
make it prosperous again is simply good govern
ment. OF that, however there seems to be no hope
rs long as the offices are awarded to the ignorant
and vicious and the imposition, collection, and dis
bursement of taxes is intrusted to people who pay
none, and whose revenue is derived from the money
that sticks to their fingers in the handling
SUBMISSION TO THE WRONG.
OF the three parishes on the La Fourche,
Assumption is probably the most fortunate
and its present condition compares favor
ably with that of almost any IN the lower
part of the State. Nevertheless its citizens
tolerate wrongs that would drive nearly any North
ern community into open revolt. The population is
nearly evenly divided and at the last election of
parish officers the Taxpayers succeeded In eectlng
their candidates, but only part of them were al
lowed to take their seats. The Police jury was
lawfully composed of some of the best citizens of
the parish-men of means. intelligence and honesty,
enjoying the confidence of both parties. But their
politics did not suit Kellogg, and he turned
them out to make room for four negroes,
neither one of whom can either read or
write and plantation oyerseer whose attainments
would not more than qualify him for the place OF
constable. Only one of these ignorant men holds
dollars worth of property; the whole jury do not
pay taxes to the amount of hundred dollars and
vet they are in fact the Legislature of the parish
levy taxes almost at wiil-for constitutional restrc-
tions do not amount to much in this State-and APP
propriate the peoples money according to their own
ideas of expediency. The white man, who is the
President and one negro who is a little Shrewder
! than the other three, and who is also the leader OF
the Republican party in the parish, are Ill fact the
iurv PLAYING into each others hands and doing
pretty much they pleas. subject only to an occa-
sonal investigation and calling to account by tie
Taxpayers when some act Of more than ordinary
rascality is perpetrated or contemplated.
PATTERN STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
Two GOOD men were elected to the lower branch
of the Legislature in 1872, but the party In power
declined to admit them and two ignorant negro
laborers having supplied their places the parish
has had no other representation in that body. One
of these legislators by the grace OF Kellogg IS
known as Pat. Bowman. few years ago
he was charged with stealing and proved
guilty escaping punishment only because the court
was without jurisdiction in the case. Within a
month past he distinguished himself by utter!GS
counterfeit money in the parish seat, Napoeonyle.
The constable j.. this ward is "a negro who cannot
read 2 :; ord Of the wris he serves and the Others
in the parish are of tine same color and are about as
competent for their positions. The Recorder is
Garnet dagger who was elected in spirit of comprO
mise by the Conservatives, but betrayed the party
rs soon as he got his office aud is at the bottom
of nearly all the mischief that is done III
the parish. The retiring Senator is princi-
pally noted for his profitable system of farm
ing ont the patronage of the district, and the
Republican candidate in the approaching election is
n carpet-baqger who edits paper printed at an
other mans Office and with another mans material
does not reside in the parish has not dimes worth
of interest in it. and holds an Office in New-Orleans
under Kellogg The Judge Clerk, and Sheriff OF the
Parish Court are Conservatives and are intelligent
honest, and in all respects efnclent oihcers. Inc
registration which closed yesterday LETT the negroes
with majority of little over 100 IN the PARISH put
the taxpayers have nominated good tcRet' are
working hard, and hope to carry the next eiectloh
nv a fair majority 1t will be a bright day for AS
sumption when her present worthless ofice-holders
are turned ont and the intelligence and property of
the parish have the administration of its govern
meut.
Nr1IoGG,s OPPRESSION OF IA FoURCHE PARISH.