The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-10-07
THE PLATFOHM.

"
filsl!men, of which we pledge our people
ii called to power.
ls.. The election to, anal qualification
in oili,e, Of capable. competent and HON
est citizens, Thoroughly identified with
The material interests of our parish.
ri. \ reduction of the expenses Ut the
,.aY, to les; ;h:,n n,ie-!,tlf "f its present
p,r,sh taxes; and to that end we demAn,l
The reduction of tees ard salaries Of ~
fccrs to the standard of u fair rsmun,r.-
tion.
3d. 4 m,intanance all fostering If IL
rigorous PUBLIC SCtIOUi. system for
She benefit and education OF oil the chill
&ren of the parish, both white and black.
4,!. The full recognition o. the rights
Of all men. without Regard to race. color
Or previous condition, before the law.
9Th The enactment and enforcement
Of d wise cotc of laws. to protect all Ia
boring men in their rights, and ut the
same time ta protect and encourage The
capita! invested in our parish
9th. We pledge ourselves that not one
dollar of taxes shall be levied TO pay
past obligations of our parish, fOr the
reason that the law requires that provis-
sion to pay. and appropriation fur ex-
penses, shall 81 hand in hand.
Such legal and just claims N are due
by the parish. shall be paid from the col
lection Of taxes that are already levied
in accordance with Law, and due snd
cOllectible.
All monies is.ned in excess 81 appro
pria:ions, and for fraudulent purposes,
We condemn u. null and void, and W.
demand Of onr elected officials their r.
pndiation in toto; and W. further pledge
ourselves, that legal steps shall br taken
to Recover I" the parish Treasury all
fraudulent claims of whats ~vtr charac-
Ter, which have been paid by Radical or
other officials ~ any person or persons
whatsoever.
We ariaign tho Radical Republican
leaders of this parish, and inict them
at the bar Of public opinion on the fol.
lowin. counts:
lat. For the election and elevation 4"
official position in our parish. in almost
every instance, Of men totally di~iuAli-
fed. by reason Of their ignorance, or
known corruption.
~. We charge them with having dis
graccd the bench Of our Judicial District.
Nv the elevation thereto Of q man who
was, and is specntatof in the funds of
the State and parish-ths mover and in
alligator If jobhtry and rings, f"r the
plumber Of the Treasury, anil the impov
erishment IT tho people. ~ witness the
'map contract" the "bri,lge contracts"
the "pauper list ring aud tue ''i,n,uisra-
ton bureau scheme"
We change them with degrading our
parish Judicial bench by foisting upon
ihc people Parish Judges ign"rsns II
law, devoid Of personal character. venAl
and corrupt 0i,e ii whom public Opin-
ION and an outraged community forced
from the bench for incompeteney. AMI
his known utilization anl connection
with rings AMI jobbers, ana another
stands indicted bctNSc the Courts by y
competent Grand Jury, for embezzle
nIent.
We charge then, with appointing and
confirming to position, Tax Collector
who, with venal, incompetent and viii
lannon's Police Jury. also Of their party,
plnn,lered the people AMI the Treasury
Of untold acknowledgement himself
in the settlement OF his accoUnts-heal'-
ell upon US taxation ut the rate Of eight
per cent, and left rs debt to pay equal
in amount to One-ninth Of the total val
~ Il property in the parish.
" charge them with the plnndering
If tie School Treasury, through their
Judge, Senator, and Representatives, Of
thousands Of tloll,rs. thereby depriving
our children and those Of our cOlOretl
fellow .citizcns VI the benefit Of educa-
ton, u cvime that an outraged commune
ty cannot too severely condemn Or pun
ish
We denouncc them for having given us
Magistrates whose duty it was to pro-
tect the citizen, suppress crime and vim
dictate the law. hut who have been in
dicted or cOnvinctel for murder, theft, or
purinry.
The Republican party Of the parish Of
Natchituches, composed of the most ig.
noraMt, dehaseh and corrupt body Of men
known IN our State or the South, have,
BY o systematic plunderiug rule, reduced
tho valuation of real and personal pre-
wrty in nine years-fnur million and
thirteen thousand dollars levied and
collected from a neople impoverished hy
war and overflow, three hundred AMI
twenty three thousand two hundred and
ninety-threc dollars and six Cents, or one
third 1T the entire present valuation Of
property, botl, real and personal, it, taxes
since lSG7-have htaped npon us in that
time debt Of over one hundred thOs'
Sand dollars have arraycd the cOlOrc,l
race against the whites-have plunged
troops into our midst, arrested and con.
kf,.:! innocent citizens without warran,
of law.
We charge TIE Republican party a.
being responsible for all the crime com.
n,itted in our parish, by reason Of tn.
insutliciency, incOnpetcncy aud yela'ity
of their officials, AMI we 'lenounce thei,
government Of the parish and State as
corrupt and infamous, and not tleserv'
ing the support and confidence OF sin
RI, virtnons man in Onr community.
W. tiscountenance all disturbances Of
the peace Of the parish, AMI denOulic,
all hlstigators thereof.
W. demand, and will enforce Registra
ton, q fair election aud Il fair e0unt--aM
~ that end will hold personally respon
sible to tho people Of our parish, those
who control the election and registra
sion machinery.
Onr object is reform, sctrenchment and
relief; that by honesty and economy, ",
may reduce taxation--and tighten tn
burdens Of the people, and ~ that e,,
We call upon all patriotic SONS Of n .tchi
toches, without regard 10 race, color, OF
previous condition, IL join MS.
We AK hut y trial Of committing tn.
State and parish TO our keeping, and i
g.ANl Government, security, protection
aud prosperity do not dawn on an over
taxed, des,siled and disheartened peo
pie, then drive Us from power with sec n
aud Indignation.
Upon tho paramount issues hcrei'
enunciated, We cordially invite the co
operation VI every DcM.ocrat and Repa',.
E.nn WIN Ia anrnpst ANIL witfinV in this