The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1874-06-20
Taxation and Conhscation q NatcE
toches Parish. ~

In our reply to an article of the Re-
publican, we had not space to explain
what appeared strange to the Repnbli
can, namely: That we should NEEDLE
with, the affairs of Natchitoches. in
stead Of attending to our own. OF
ours, We have nothing to COM
plain beyond the usual ignor-
ance and imbecility which
represents negro government. If III
addition to their ignorance, our Police
Jury had organized a ring and COM
menced issuing Parish paper for and
placing it in judgments for the purpose
Of public plumber, we wonld have writ
ten no article, nor had any public
meeting about it, but quietly hung up
the scalaway and carpet-baggers and
ring masters engaged in it to lamp
post as We would other highwaymen.
Our meddling with the affair of
Natchitoches, was purely Incidental.
We were looking around 70 striking
illustration of negro and carpet bag
government, anil we conld find none
SO striking as that of Natchitoches.
We know, that there, skillful hands
hands had for years, been busy in
dressing in the garb of legislation, and
judicial proceedings, robbery worse
than that of the highwayman. We
know that those who manipulated
robberies, go clothed in purple and
linen and fare sumptuously every day,
while the tOiliRg thousands struggle in
vain to preserve their homes from con-
hu hn fov
know that when Police Jurors were to
he appointed, there was no ignorance
and incompetency too gross, provided
it was black, and no villain too mon
strons, provided it's owner was car
pet bagger or scallawag), to be en-
titled to the favorable consideration of
the Governor. We know that in the
midst of a community, in which there
were intelligent and successful mer-
chants, Doctors, Lawyers and Planters,
whose high honor and moral wortle
would entit|e them to rank with oul(
people, the Governor for members of
the Police Jury, had sought out poor
besoted negroes, whose Ignorance was
rs fatl'omless sas niglt-who did not
know that theft and bribery were a
d'shonor, nor perjury siD-who
thought their highest duty was to
obey the dictates Of the villains who
led them. @
That in the midst Of honor and in
tegrity and moral worth, the Governor
had hunted out men who had trampled
under foot the laws of society and been
converted to Republicanism and smiled
and fawned upon the lap of the negro
for the hope Of some petty office. The
only qualification required, was will he
he obedient to the ring T? Will he aid
in confscatioh I if SO he is loyal, and
. fit juror. ale is all this for the ring
has sent in his name" We thought
such a state of affairs, must on it's add
m'ristration afford an illustration of
"unswerving Republicanism,' that
ought to he given to the world. But
with all this we never dreamed of the
fathomIess depths Of it's iniGtSty.
Without single imp3ovem. mt or Sny
other cause of extra ext ense, the people
of Natchitoclles have bken taxed, for
Parish taxes alone 20 m,lfs>n4.-fLe dol
lar for 1870, 30 mills for 1871, as mills
for 1872 and 64b for 1887 1895 600 has
been paid in grcenbacks aud about $55
goo in parish paper and greenbacks-
still a debt of about $50 600 to pay
We wish that the tax notices which the
collector has distributed through Nat
clitoches were sent to every paper in
the North for publication. The New
York Times says the Governor Of
South Carolina is thief, and the legis-
lature den Of thieves. What would
it say Of the Police Juries of Natcllito-
chcs and the Governor, who appointed
them and the ring who manipulated
them, if it were to see some of these
tax notices We marvel at the peo-
pie of Natchitochcs 10 per@ittiny them
selves to be thus plnrdered by taxa
ton which has not the shadow of law
for it's support, and plundered by
whom? By few ignorant negroes and
carpet baggers and scalawags yho
withesat truth, without honor, without
integrity; the very dregs of society
laughing to scorn its morals, anle it's
integrity and reveling upon its plum
3ered wealth. We wish tho world
could witness the scene and read it's
IessOn. Are the people OF NatchItO-
ches or of Louisiana to longer submit
to this degrading oppression I Some
of our ancestors left their property to
be burned and their homes to be made
tlesolato by Tarlton, and lived with
Marion on potatoes and hon,iny in the
swamps of Carolina, for the sake of
that American independence which ro-
fnscd tO nav tho Rritish tov m too
We are brought face to face, with
tyrant thousand times more oppres-
sive, and whose rule is a degradation
unspeaAable.
The BART ABLE.-Our prompt
and elegant Packet the Bart Able,
reached lis at early hraal. "a st timn