The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-31
THE COMMITTEE AND THE WOKA
BEFORE IT.

made. There are ample materials here, which
will require no effort to collect. If this is
the first visit Of these honorable members OF
Congress, they may be disappointed and sur
prised at the general want Of appearance OF
thrift and industry and business activity
The natural advantages of the location OF the
CITY, which should make it one Of the great
centers Of the marts of commerce, are evident,
for the great river, with its numerous tributa-
RES, flows by it, bearing the productions OF the
soil, which should float down the wonderful
river and its continents, to be distributed to
other centers Of trade. The climate, and other
well known characteristics which give to it
reputation which should make it one OF the
grandest, as well as the most pleasant Of all
cities-all these and more are before them,
and we might ask them why all these most
favorable circumstances have not been i'm
proved. A little investigation will show that
nature is not at fault, and an investigation
little further may prove that the fault is in
man, in the rulers, in the laws and in the
Government.
It is too late now and it would be a useless
waste of time to rail at the reconstruction acts
of Congress. They were passed as political
measure and as supposed necessity to pro-
tect all in civil and political rights. But if
they will consider how these laws were first
nut in execution and what kind of men turned
up and were made governors, legislators and
judges If they will examine into some Of the
II hat o6
If they ascertain how one session of the
General Assembly could possibly, to pay its
own expenses, appropriate s1,O0O,OOO,
and make the people pay it :
if they will consider how offices and officers
were created and appointed for the special
benefit of the new men and for che impover-
ishment Of the people-if they will see how
taxes were increased, and how the debts of
the State and city were swelled to prodigious
sums without the slightest benefit, or appear
ance of benefit to the people-if they will
carefully study the laws promulgated and
raised and enforced, to take away all political
rights from the many and confer them on the
few, they mnst conclude that man, with bad
laws. has produced what must be apparent.
| Without review of the events Of the past
few wears the committee might view the peo-
pie of this State in an unnatural light We
claim to be in our characteristics the same as
those who reside beyond our limits-and un-
der the same state of facts, we do say that no
people in any other State would have borne in
patience the wrongs we have suffered.
The facts of the election Of 1872 are before
Congress, in previous reports but the present
com mittee know that out Of that election the
present condition of affairs called them here
We did have an election on the I'd of No
vember, and under election laws unknown
before in the history of any State Of the Union.
These laws were passed long before November
2. 1874, and were passed in the interest Of the
present rulers and the officers to hold the
elections and make the returns are the ap-
pointees of the government now at the head of
affairs.
The returns have been made by Return
ing Board, after labor Of over six weeks, for
only in this week was announced the election
of Treasurer and the adoption Of sundry
amendments. The daily proceedings Of this
Returning Board are all preserved, and the
correctness Of the returns can be verified, or
disproved
All that we, in the name Of the people, ask
is full and fair investigation. We respect
fully claim that all parties interested shall
have patient hearing. and we especially ask
the committee not only to look into the facts
as presented in fair light, but to look, es.
pecially, into the character of the men who
will testify to the truth Of the evidence
offered. And upon this last suggestion, i
received in kindness, we must rely. The Su'
preme Court Of the United States out Of ten
derness to the sensibility of the Chief Justice
Of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, an ap
pointee of the Governor, whom the recon
struction acts elevated into Office, erased OF
changed, in its opinion, judicial fraud to gross
fraud and another Judge, who, indi
vidually, will be lost sight, of, but
whose celebrated midnight order was thu
| direct, but not remote cause, of the presence
Z of this honorable committee, and of othel
judicial incumbents, appointed and SOM
r elected by the people, by the grace Of q Re
I turning Board-it is really sickening to allud'
: to these mentor what position should be NOR
: respected for purity Of character and learning
. than the judiciary; if, as We said, the commit
tee will weigh well the characters Of the wit
nesses brought before them, and in referring
to the judiciary, We thought we could refer t
no better evidence of worth and integrity
: then, we say, that the people Of this Statewill
e as good citizens acquiesce in the conclusion
: of the report which will be made, and W
+ further say that the people Of every Stat
+ will do the same. We ask for fairness, tho
o roughness, in the investigations to be made
L and if thi. committee is, as represented fai
e and impartial, we predict report will b
!, made which will bring JOY to all good citizen
e and which will place in office those whom