Le Louisianais. [volume] (Convent, La.) 1865-1883, 1876-04-29

during winch thc most shaine'tss irregularities were
Initiating the example Of the too notorious Ne
Donald, one of thu conyicis Of the Whiskey-Rins,
who declared, OH leaving for the Fenitentia,y, that
Mr.. Dris,ow was a villain and a thief, HE Editor Of
The Sentinel. tries 10 l,url defiance at the Reform
Committee, whom he attacks by the scnrrilous char.
ge that they are u ',SEl.P-STYiED' Reform Com
mit,c., while he knows that the assertion was as
false as his own lr,tentions to dcce,cy and respect
ability.
Like Mcdonald and all other gentlemen he
snurts under the hand that exposes Ills guilty
conscience, and raves at the honest instrument
which rroclaims his true character.
But we are happy to see aul ferl that in public
opinion, the character vi men like Ferchaud, Dana.
rs. RGmy and Dugas, o. the Finance COMMITTEE, are
not likely to suffer more from the foul a~spersio,s OF
a George Il, Iovee, a name associated with all that
is treucllerous in politics, and dubious in official deal.
Jugs. than the nnhi',ni>t,ed reputation of Bristow,
is TO be tainted by the wild rayiugs Of tho convict
Mcdonald. This serves 10 illustrate the well known
character Of all great criminals, who always claim
10 he the innocent victims Of sclening but lucky
bad men.
In his defense the Sentinel man omits an attempt
to Justify the most emo, nous charges Of corruption
OF his administration contained in the committees
report. He passes in silence over the cx,lavagan.
charges allowed TO the Sentinel, carried on in the
name Of his man Friday. NJ. 7 Jackson, over The
$500 paid TO himself for li,Aographing parish bills
issued III violation Of law, over the items paid for the
erection ofa small pox hospital which was never
built, and other charg $ of the same gravity; but he
hangs Ills whole defense in trying to exculpa,e him.
sell from the least onrrous chargr, that which touch.
es the illegal conversion of the Naclerie Road fund
into "Connt House fund" But, even then, with Ills
characteristic londness for truth. lie attempts to
disiort the facts He says that, of the sum Of $500
collected by L~eg"ndm and Poel6 of Q. i. 1lnnsa-
ker. $50 were paid in parish scrip. Now the books
and receipts of the Parish Treasurer slow that the
whole snm was paidin Currency. in two instruments;
one OF Sl00O-anl the other of$S1o-hoth of which
were paid into the hands of L. Z. PochG Esq. and
turned over by him to the Parish Treasurer, without
even retaining his fees, wllicl, were subsequently,
paid bya warrant signed by G.. L.. Hovee himself
! The books further show that the SUN Of S5C0-pail
TO J.R WINCHESTER by o + l~tunsaker III parish
sclip, was on account Of another and distinct trans.
action, i'll no way connected with the Nacheric Road
innd-so much for little Georges tru,liulness Oh
that point.
His att mpt to Justify the action of ,hc Police
!, jury, IN converting this sum into Court House fund
! by insinuating that this course was advised by FL
Poeht, is as lame rs it is trearllrrous and unjust to
! that gentleman, 1t is known that Nj. Pocl.6 was not
, and never was the Paris! Attorney, and was not tn
legal adviser of the Police jury. by whom he never
'*'s consn',"1-ana it might be as well understood,
that while this gentleman. enjoys the fullest contia.
ence of The people Of this Parish, aud that while his
J legal opinions and advice TO his clients are always
/. known TO be honest, the of repeated attempts of sus.
picio,'s public officials to shield themselves under
the protection of his name, are of no avail whatever.
The people of this Parish fully appreciate the res
possibility Of their officers. aud will not allow these
, officers to seek protection in ,he opinion and advise
, of this or that at,olaey-Puhlic officers are prcsu,n.
cd to know their duty and the law governing the
= same, and their ignorance cannot mitigate their slor,
comings, OF reduce their responsibility rs agents Of
: the people.
In another article in the same number of his paper,
the Sentinel man attempts to WELD ano,he, weapon
I against the finance committee by trying to cast ridi.
Guile OIL theft report, This is the sar1onic smile OF the
devils imp When he is cangl, stealing In that arli-
/ Gle lie lersuuitirs the burglar who rnstcs out Of the
: house following srar rmEF! lie very b!andly
says tIlatrmlczzIing did no, begin with his admins
ration. who found prcce1euts in,ilat line, and emit
Iating examples to follow; he uven charges that the
committees discovery Of official plunde,ing is ra,he1
late and that he has known Of such acts for tel
- years.
Many other guilty ones can use exactly The SAINT
language, and will. eana! trnthfulness.
Surely, the astounding revelations whicl, are now
being made known by several Congressional COIN
nlittcrs are not the less true and pertinent aud OF any
less interest to the public because forsoo,h the act,
thus revealed were fully and intimately known tm
eight yeats and upwards to Bel.nap, Babcoc!:, Ro-
llesnn ana 0 hers Of that iik.
With the philosophy and principles oftlc S"n'ine
man, plnndering ceases to b- a crime in St James
because sit is not at all new" OF in other words be-
cause it has the sanction Of custom. We are all ava
re that it is fashionable in the society to which he
belongs, aud We are told that it is fast becoming
political capital in the Republican Party Of the South
But we are turning a new leaf in orr political his
tory. even in the Southern States and in the wake
Of the Amcs and the Davis of Mississippi, the Pack
ards aud the Bovres OF Louisiana will soon be taught
the new page of history, and will have to seek othe,
Chimes and adopt other pursuits III order 10 utilize
their well earned capital.
Indeed We may rejoice with the Bristows, the
Hays and other honest republicans, with the honest
! vas,D jlS,p,. pVa., nj L., NT~,.l,- nS ,.,,1. to,aA -s
nhlcans all over the Union, that the eyes of The nation
have at last been opened in onr Centennial year,
and that precedents will cease to justify public
plundering.
This conviction, and these principles Of eternal
Justice, actuated our finance ommitte in their re-
searches. and prompted their conclusions as express
sed in their report.
But the Sentinel man ever eager for company in
his misery, complains that no special charges Of cor
rurtion and dishonesty are brought against Hunsa-
ker and other former presidents ofthe Police jury,
ana predecessors Of the immaculate Bovee. This
complaint had been anticipated by the Committee,
and fully answered by their statement as 10 the
disappearance Of the Treasurer's books, and Of the
singular custom Of burning vouchers Of settlements,
whicl, prevailed III those days.
And while, as men they strongly suspected that
things had not been done in all righteousness, still,
/ as citizens OIL an important committee, performing a
duty entrusted to them without their knowledge and
consent. and much to their annoyance, by the peo-
r PIE III assembled. they abstalned from
accusing those whom they had not the ready proof
to convict before a Court Of justice.
For that reason, and for the additional reason that
the official conduct of r. s. ThGriot was under iudi-
cial investigation before The District Court Of this
Parish. in a suit entitled 1.-THE State of Louisiana VS..
RI Th6riot' which has been pending before that
t Tribunal since the year 1871; they made no allusion
TO the bro;l,er-in-law Of the Editor of this paper.
q Far from their minds was the thought ofshield-
ing that Ex-Tax Collector for any Of his short.con,.
ings and misdeeds-They ask and we join them in
the request that full and impartial justice he melted
out to that indiyidual-with the same hand, that
shall do justice to his successors.
., While the committee may depfore that Th6riot
was unfortunately Tax collector in the days that the
Q Golfers Of the Parish were needed and drained to
meet the wants of Dovee. Underwood and Witt.
genstein. and that the funds under his control, mate.
|, rally contributed to the promotion ofthat noble trio.
from their miserable match factory to the high and
lucrative Offices Of State Senator, Secretary Of State,
and Parish Judge, still they ask for no mercy in his
behalf, aud seek not to palliate such offences as may
be proved against him.
But the committee, like ourselves, or our readers
will fail to perceive in Mr.. Bovee's mode Of attack
against Mr.. Theriot, who is absent and because he
isour brother-in, law, any thing that resembles manly
4 --n-- Ns - 81