The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-25
Secret History of the Com
mittee on Contingent
Expenses.
A Young African Puts Money
in his Purse.
Levying Black Mail.

~ tHo ucS'uHiuS VI Tie SeS5lOn OF the hel
lOgg Legislature, one hundred and thirty
thousand dollars was appropriated to pay
the mileage, per diem. employees and gen
eral expenses of this sO-called Legislative
body. Mr.. Chas. w. Lowell, the Speaker
whose position at that time was rather pre-
carieus, owing to the controversy between
himself and SOuer, knew that his only chance
to retain his seat was TO secure the majority
Of the colored element in the House, and to
obtain this he began by promising the most
prominent leaders lucrative positions,
As Chairmen Of Committees.
This proved a successful stroke of poit-
cal stratagem on the part of our defaulting
ex-Postmaster.
How industriously these "honest" repre-
sentatives labored (for their own interest
we demonstrated a few days ago by exposing
the conduct Of Demas, Devices and Ma
honey, of the Committee on Outstanding
Warrants.
But the most barefaced and successful
black mailer appointed was the
s. Hon." David Young, of Concordia
Parish.
This distinguished individual was former
ly slave, bnt after few years of 'honest"
industry, contrived to open store in his
parish, and in 1868 was sent to the Consti-
tutional Convention, and afterwards to the
Legislature, which position he has occupied
ever since In 1o71 his wealth was esti-
mated at $4,000, in 1s74-after the adjourn
ment of the Legislature-$sO, 900. A great
many persons wondered and specialized how
the honorable statesman could have
been possessed OF such fortune so rapidly.
Perhaps we can throw
Little Light Upon the Affair.
Detaulter Lowell, with his superb knowl-
edge of political strategem, appointed this
desceL dant of Ham chairman of the Com
mittee on Contingent Expenses This COM
mittee has the entire control Of the fund.
Young, as soon as appointed, ignored his
legislative duties and attended exclusively
to his committee work. His first move was
to inform the members and employees that
he would not be dictated to by any one, and
that he intended to take his time in paying
members and employees. This caused
A Great Deal of Dissa tfsfac elton,
and the upshot was Young was forced to
pay the members the first month, leaving
the employees to look for themselves When
the employees waited upon his g Lordship,'
the only answer that could be obtained was,
the members must be paid first
q a
one of the employees aside and told him
that if certain sum of money was raised
he would
Issue Their Vouchers Imme lately
The money was raised, and the vouchers
issued for the first month. He also informed
certain members that if they wished to get
their mileage and per diem in advance, that
an
Orsie. on Tailors and Hatters
would be acceptable, and might induce the
Committee on Contingent Expenses to honor
their claims. IL is scarcely necessary to say
that Young was soon clothed in "purple and
line linen.' This darkey never asked the
opinion of any of the other members of the
committee, claiming that the law
Gave Him Perfect Right
to act as he pleased in the premises.
An appropriation was made to compensate
for seats in tn. Kellogg Legisla-
ture. The bill was legally passed and the |
applicants, of course, applied for their mile
age and per diem to Young. This ''honor-
able gentleman told them that he would |
not give the vouchers, unless they consented
To Give Sevent, Five Dollars Apiece.
This they did, and the vouchers now in the !
hands of the brokers will show such a reduc-
ton.
To show the hypocrisy of this mpudent ne
gro, a resolution was offered to remunerate
the employees for the loss they sustained by
the depreciation in the warrants of last SEES
sion. Hear him speak:
| make this motion, Mr.. Speaker. not to
ilscredit any officer or employee of this
House: but l make this motion because it
Toes not cover sufficient ground that the
member intended it should have: it does
not cover the ground of resolution of
his kind. The gentleman who drew up {
ms resolution was laboring under a great ,
mistake when he goes to work to allow the
EMPLOYEES OF this House an additional COM
,ensation for the loss sustained by them
turing the last session, while we, men,
'ers of this House, who are paid from the s
anne fund, are obliged to go on the market ?
md sell our certificates at discount of
hirty or forty per cent. Now, Mr.. Speaker.
think that if we are allowed eight dollars {
day, | think we ought to get it, and not I
ose thirty or forty per cent. l will further .
tate that resolution Of this kind was
'assed last session for this very same pur-
'ose, and was set aside by the Supreme n
'ourt, but the resolution only entertained Q
N additional compensation for members d
My.
Now, You say we must retrench and re
orm. BY passing resolution of this kind
GU increase your incidental expenses to the
east figure $4,000, and then it might re- Il
uire probably more than that, for all l
now. Now, sir, not wishing to consume
lnch time npon this subject, but will say
hat there 4 w y