The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-12-23
Our Time.

reached that point of torbearance where
forbearance ceases to be virtue, and
must now assert and sustain her civili-
cation or reconcile herself to the doom
Of Authorization.
For upwards Of six years carnival
Of plumber has been carried on in this
State under "the constituted authori-
ties" such as has seldom, if ever, been
witnessed before. The legislation of
the General Assembly, the policy of the
Executive and the interpretation of the
laws by the judiciary, have been con-
nected and systematic series of misde-
meanors, based upon an equally sys-
tematic system of maxims and princi-
piles invented to justify them. Indeed,
the legislation Of Louisiana and the adj
ministration of its government in all
departments during the period referred
to, constitute the history of the ruin of
a great State, the impoverishment Of an
opulent people and the subyersion of
republican institutions.
Bad, infamous. ruinous as was the
government Of the State from 1868 to
1873, its government during the last two
years has been still more Infamous and
destructive. Before the installation of
hellogg's usurpation by Federal bayo-
nets the people retained some hope OF
redress at the ballot-box. and the right
of the people to an appeal to that tribu-
nal for relief from mis-government in
some measure restrained the rapacity of
the men who were in authority. But
when the President, disregarding the
expression of the popular will at the
ballot-box, dared to set aside the Off
cials elected by the people and to install
with the army those who had been de-
feated; wheu he refused to listen to the
appeals of the people or to investigate
the facts, and settled the government of
Louisiana according to his own arbi-
trary will and wish, hope literally aban-
doned the people, and the petted and
favored thieves whom he had made
governors. legislators and judges threw
off all restrainst. The property of the
State deprecated in less than two years
over one hundred and eighty millions
of dollars; a spirit of lawlessness over
spread the land; the people had no re-
spect for the power Of the usurping au-
thorities, and the usurping authorities,
with but few exceptions, bent on plum
der and fearing the people, made JADE
qnate exertion to apprehend malefactors
or preserve tile peace; and as if to fos-
ter and encourage murder, arson, bur-
glary and rape, Kellogg opened the
doors OF the penetentiary and turned
loose the worst class of convicts by
dozens. With the depreciation of the
property of the State to almost a nomi-
nal value, taxation has increased two
thousand per cent, and the collection
of taxes literally involves the contisca-
ton of property; a vast debt hangs over
the State for which there is literally
nothing to show; neither railroads,
levees nor public buildings, while on
every hand we witness ruin, poverty
and desolation the most fertile lands in
the world are Abandoned; magnificent
estates have fallen into decay, and with
iii Our borders, VIII re Il mendicant was
scarcely ever seen, and where God has
been so bountiful of His blessings that
suffering from want was never before
known, thousands of people-m n,
women and children, are to-day abso-
lutely destitute, suffering for food to eat
and clothing to give them warmth. In
Louisiana the malignancy of carpet-bag
rule has actually Jlighted the gifts Of
heaven. Under the pernicous infiu-
ence of the usurpation. all the vile and
creeping things that live in the slime
and darkness of social debasement have
crept out to bask and wall0w in the
glitter of the Federal bayonets and in
the light of the stars of that banner
which once was, and ough, still 70 be,
the sign and emblem of all that is no.
bic, generous, brave and free. Rogues,
perjurers, tricksters, even murderers,
who followed the army into Louisiana,
clothed in rags, aud with no capital but
their bad characters, their rapactty and
rascality have been set over our people
and now drive their splendid teams,
live i'll the finest hotels, own our prop
critics and stalk in stolen purple, while
those whom they have robbed scarcely
know where to obtain bread for their
children and are turning sadly, almost
hopelessly, to other States for new
homes, where they can at leSst escape
the outrages of Federal power, if not
entirely the poverty to whHh carpet
baggery has reduced them.
Dark as this picture is, it is strictly
truthful one of the situation of Louisiana
to-day, and we defy any man to point to a
feature that is untrue or that is too highly
colored
Realizing these facts in all their hide
BUSINESS, at the opening of the recent cam
paign, the white people of the State saw
that they had either to defeat the radical
party or leave their property and homes,
and they resolved upon one last, vigorous
and desperate effort to save themselves !;
and they carried the election. They elect
ed their candidate for Treasurer, a MAORI
ty of their candidates for Congress, a large
majority of the members of the House Of
Representatives, and in most of the Par
ishes their Sheriffs and Police Jurors
They accomplished all this, too, with all
the machinery of the election in the hands
of their foes, and under registration and
election laws framed by the usurpatory
government for the express purpose of de-
priving them of any chance of success, and
50 vilely infamous that the Presidents
cheeks should tingle with shame when. he
reflects that they were devised and enact
ed by the government so arbitrarily Gre
ated. Tho result of the election thrilled
the State with hope; the people felt they
were in the dawn of a new era; but their
hearts were not more full of gladness than
of generosity and good feeling; in the first
moments of their victory they instantly
forgave the injuries they had suffered for
six years, and from every Parish there
went forth pledges Of peace, security to
carpet-baggers, and guarantees of protec-
tion in all their rights to the negroes
The feeling of our people was for peace
for the enforcement of law, the reform of
abuses in the government, the pacitication
of all political animosities and united
and common effort for the revival Of the
commerce and agriculture OF the State.
1t soon became evident, however, that
Kellogg and his candidates throughout the
State did not intend to accept defeat; that
the election was farce they did not in
tend to abide by, and that the candidates
defeated in 1874 were to be put in office