The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-09


erty Holders Union Of West Feliciana,
OF which the following II the concluding
paragraph:
eve can but assert that we have beer
governed since 1871 by criminals !:
that Senator Weber, Representative
Arinstead. ex-senator Sway5e. and q
few others, have been the prime cause
Of all our woes. H.. Il, Weber. In par
tictilaf, stands put In bold relief as the
most bitter foe TO our people and THEFT
i,ect ANY Information of hIs conduct TO.
wards a people whom he and Armstead
have go shnmefully misrepresentcd In
the Legislature OF Che State.' 68s
The report Ii signed by gentlemen Of
the highest character and Of unim'
pcachabla honor. Their afIlrinhtions,
therefore. are entitled TO consideration.
and carry with them 80 much WE ght
that. unless clearly disproved. they
must be accepted as true. The asser-
ton u such honorable representatives
Of large community than "wc hare
been uoress,cd since 1879 by criminals
must startle our fellowscitizens In other
states. who have never been subjected
to the rule Of governments composed OF
adRenturers and robbers. established
and dependent upon the Federal
authority. 10 our own people, the as
scrtion Ii simply a bold enumeration OF
a familiar fact. Indeed. government. not
only In West Fellciana, but In this State
generally, hNs long been nauglt else
than an organized system Of fraud. pill
lage and perjury. II has afforded no
protection 30 life. and its aim has been
TO prey upon property. The taxpayers
OF the State have never felt its hand.
except when thrust into their pockets ;
Il has been terror to honest men, and
n friend 10 rascals and every parish In
Louisiana, every village and town, can
truthfully echo the words Of the West
Feliciana Property Holders Union
"We have been governed since 1874 by
criminals" st.1ta
The Telicianians give us some very
striking examples OF the manner In
which they have been outraged and
plundered by the ring headed by II. L.
Weber, their State Senator. In 1879
this ring got a bill through the Lcgis-
lature Incorporating the town Of St,
Trancisville against the wishes and re-
mopstrances of h large majority Of the
people. 81. Francisvillc II small vii
lage OF a few hundred inhabitants: but
the new corporation. engineered by
Senator Weber. has front on the
Mississippi river Of thirteen miles.
II has twelve miles Of public
road. Il embraces twenty-five plan
tatjons. 10000 acres Of swamp land.
and In all about 25,0W superficial
acres Of land This brazen Job was, Of
course, put up and put through "to en-
able few Office holders TO peculatc
end plumber the already exhausted re-
sources Of ON impoverished people. y
The immense city. thus Incorporated
by an act of the Louisiana Legislature
aud approved by Kellogg. Is chiefly in-
habited by alligators, insects, turtles,
and Wild fowl. Ieg
This outrageous job provoked. very
naturally, an organization to resist the
payment Of taxes. whercupon the rob-
ber-ring promptly ordained that pen.
atty OF twenty-five per cent should be
levied on all tax resisters who refused
to pay their taxes. and when the oiti-
scns sought In legal manner 10 pro-
tect their property from this unjust
taxation. they were met by taunts.
abuse and threats. published In the off,
cial organ. managed by Senator Weber,
the following specimens Of which are
given In the report:
Brdto, Tar Rosisisrsl"
" Al nnisduces must be rea,ored from
The corporate limits. and there cannot be
n greater nuisance than tug rrsistdrs.n
"a fssisl What | h1,o,c about ld,cs
Hat Hai Ho,c ciu you Ike the incor-
porufion Of The tro to,cns2 fSt. Francis.
riite and Bayou Sdrd.) WILL MAKE You
SWALLOW BOTH. THOUGHT JVdit, ,co shall
sect"
"The administration" says the re.
port, ''of the Weber. Armstead, Swayze.
and their friends, while II has been to the
greatest degree insulting, harrassing
and oppressive. TO a too patient people.
has not been without benefit and gain
to themselves. and to Senator Weber in
particular. From about the middle OF
1873 until within a very few months ago.
he owned not one dollars worth Of pro-
perty; he now owns considerable
town property. we'll improved. the Fe-
liciana Ledger newspaper, and fully
5000 acres Of land
We have given only ono example OF
the manner In which the people of West
Feliciana have been outraged; the re-
port furnishes many others. And now
the reader outside OF Louisiana may
be astonished to learn that Mr.. Z.
l.. Weber, the author of this nefarious
job. and the participator in numerous
other swindles upon his constituency.
ls Sen stor in the Legislature Of Louis
ANA. The position of State Senator is
one which, in times past in Louisiana,
was held only by men Of integrity it
Is position which, in other States,
Is now held only by men OF at
east reasonable integrity. How then
IS 1t that, in Louisiana, it is
low occupied by man known to
De dishonest; known to have used his |
office to Cypress and rob his constitu-
sncy? Why Is it that Mr.. T.. L. Weber.