The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-24
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD TAX.
How the Bill Passed the Senate-A Wore
or Two About Lynch.

| pertinent manifeetOeD In bshaif Of the New Or
T. Impertinent b0CAuBe there Il not ono word tf
argument in beh6ls Of the cause In which 1t is
written. but mere declsmatory assertion. and
are attached to the petition gentlemen. will
say. who stand as high for purity Of motive per-
those who compose the directory Of this road
who are apparently-by it's advocates assumed
to be actuated by no motive but disinterested
Although abuse pro, okes counter abuse 1t IS
not my purpose to say one word IN disparage
Of the eninSnty M tS psgc raad
and sat nS1 al ifs
them & NJ nor in the stockhoders Of the road Whilst
tSi Orleans op opine @ thsy ore not altogether ohy
to believe that they bear some analogy to the fox
| in the fable who had lost his tail In 9 trap and
who recommended to his fellow foxes The fashion
men have got into a bad speculation, and are
trying under coler Of law, to compel the people
come forward and help % out a o he scraps
| throwing mud at all who disagreed with them.
they should have considered whether the direc-
tory or representatives. OF the road are alto
| gether exempt from public criticism themselves.
| Abuse Of those who oppose the imposito OF the
| tax will OF necessity provoke comparison be-
| tween them and those who represent the road
| II was at first proclaimed by the directory that
| no Legislative aid would be invoked to con
struct the road That 1t would pc built E; entirely
aection upon these gentlemen that they have
changed their tactics in consequence OF their ~.
ability to carry out their original views. but IT
| there was no breach Of faith In the transaction.
| there is an unpleasant odor OF impropriety
| about it. because It is currently reported ti1at
many gentlemen subscribed to the road with the
| understanding that no tax would be levied on
| their property to aid in its construction. !
think tnft hn on ths essn hety
have been given to the fact instead OF which, the
public only learned it after the bill to tax the
people on behalf of the road had passed from
But it is no doubt the intention Of the honor
| able gentlemen who compose the board OF direc-
to those gentlemen who may have subscribed
with the understanding that no tax would be
imn,oeed on their property II such Y, Is their IN
tention criticism Is dSarmed OF its force.
| The writer of the article referred to believes
that the tax bill was passed through the Demo-
cratic Houee unanimously The better phrase
would have been that it was smuggled through
without opposition, as it is generally reported
that the greater part OF the members had no
knowledge that such bill had passed until they
saw it advertised next day. As soon rs they be
came aware of its passage they endeavored to
reclaim it from the Senate, by a vote Of 81 to a.
il remember correctly thus showing conolu-
sively that a large majority of the House was
opposed to the bill. In the nate it was op-
posed by every Democratic member believe
but one SO much for this act, as having been
approved by the Democratic and Conservative
party in the General Assembly. In the face Of
these facts it Is astonishing that any one should
have the effrontery to attempt to obtain weight
for this odious tax bill. because 1t had been ap-
proved by a Democratic House Of Representa-
tives But rdiculs bluster, 6rayado, threats n.s
the stock in trade employed by the advocales OF
the road, the reproach Of which must inhere
to tho directory Let their characters be- hat
they may, the odium must in great part rest on
them for this reckless advocacy. Let me tell
them, as one who-although opposed to the i'm
position of a tax to build q road-would be
greatly pleased to see it finished that this course
has alenated many friends, and greatly dam
aged the Prospect OF lis completion,
Oneworo more In regard to the directory. !
think | am not saying too much, know ng the.
reputation of these gentlemen. that with few or
sion of the property of the people to popular
vote, and more especially since the voting lsprI
lation has been so greatly increasedby an acces
sion OF a class, barharouely ignorant. unintel-
ligent and entirely destitute Of property.
For this. violation Of sound principle so
fraught with danger. these gentlemen must be
held responsible by their fellow citizens
But If in this enterprise these gentlemen have
lost the sympathy Of their conservative fellow
ctizens.,itis is said that Kellogg Go. are entire
tax bill was before the Senate, 0ld had actually
been voted down. Kellogg seut for some of his
political adherents who had opposed the bill
and compell-d d them under threat Of political
oetrecism to vote for it rs party measure. 1t
i to be hoped that the usurpers yea! in behalf of
this tax bill was not due in any degree to the
persistent efforts OF the worthy President OF this
road to obtain the signatures Of number Of
gentlemen to- memorial address to the House
dem ecating the impeachment Of his EXceen- |
cy. But people will talk. and il this tax s ever
submitted to the people. point will be made Of
the President and the zeal q the usurper. Il Is
amusing to observe how the writer in the Bulletin
and PicaWne beslobbers Barney. Lynch all over
fiuence the judgment Of the honorable gentle
man, but it looks good deal that way.
:, Let ls Gull out few the phrases applied BY
and with bis accustomed perspicuity."' He with |
. Judge Lynch has with enlightenment and with |
All this is very thin. especially when 1t is con-
sidered that this man lynch IL notorious in this
s 81 syps. wssp
elected to the position he holds. but is creature
a % pHsS n"d sdes
him, in the ease Of said Hawkins ys. the
case. he not only failed to recuse himself. but |
grossly outraged every legal principle BY his ex-
traordinary rulings, and finally refused to grant
that members Of the jury had been bribed.
But the worst bart Of this mans record was
as * .s bsy decisions n In lod dam
On the proprietor Of coffeehouse for refusing
g sell their respective commodities to negroes.
endeavorng to force social equality on this peo-
pie was even more outrageous than the amount
Df the damages inflicted by him.
Now, will in friendly way say to the honor
able directors OF the road that if their cause is
expected to be strengthened by the friendship of
Kellogg and by soft-soaping Barney Lynch,
heir case is a desperate one.
But the article which has drawn out this CON-
nunication WIS written to Atmidate the gen.
lemen who have with selfsacritlcng public
spirit opposed the imposition Of this odious
AKA tax in regard to which it is not too much
o, say will render property insecure. expel capi-
al. ard etfectually repel its introduction here.
md will inflict evils in magnitude immeasurably
greater than all the benefits than can accrue
rom this road were 1t 10 have the influence
claimed for it by its most JEALOUS advocates
es. the article is piece Of blnstering ntinlida-
ion VIII ch l hope the gentlemen who have
brown themselves in the way and across the
path Of oppression will entirely disregard |
nope they will be actuated by the spirit OF a
sreat man OF another age, who said. and who
tcted In accordance with his words:
He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small.
Who dares not r ut it to the touch,
To gain or lose it all. S.S.
P. Sl-N. B.-Desirous OF doing justice to oil. 1t
. proper to state tina; when the tallees fox, re-
erred to In this communication, failed to con-
,ince his fellows OF the advantages of being cur