The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-28
POLITICAL OHIOANERY AND A WAN
TON ABUSE OF POWER.

Probably the most profoundly ridiculous
aspect in which the government of this great
Republic presents itself to the contemplation
of its forty million citizens is when it sends
its civil or military agents into remote
locality to gather up q few unsuspecting in
habitants to march them off to q distance, to
arraign them before court Of justice, there
to answer some frivolous complaint original
ing in CAPRICE spite, malice or revenge.
Such an exhibition We have recently had in
the arrest Of some of the most respectable
Inhabitants of the parish of East Baton Rouge,
who arrived here on Sunday in charge Of
deputy marshal The arrest was made under
indictment of the Federal Grand Jury on
charges preferred by person who was acting
as clerk for deputy collector Of internal rev.
enqe In the city of Baton Rouge. where also.
until gecently, he had been filling the Office
81 Parish Judge. In the latter position he
had shown himself to be entirely incompe-
tent, utterly ignorant Of law and jurispru-
dence, unworthy of the respect Of jurors, liti-
giants, citizens or the bar, and altogether OBJ
noxious to the community. The people be-
came disguised and indignant They became
weary of Mr.. George p. Davis, and they SO
expressed themselves from time to time, and
with always increasing emphasis.
They gave him to understand that they
would be very glad to have him resign. They
convinced him that his continued occupancy
of the bench Of the Parish Court was not de-
sirable. They used no threats in the matter,
nor did they raise any objection at al to his
remaining in the city. No allusion whatso-
ever was made to his clerkship as an en-
ployee Of deputy collector. On account Of
his moral, mental and educational defcien-
cies, they wanted him as Judge no longer.
They were in earnest in their wishes, and
the terms in which they expressed themselves
left upon the mind OF the Judge no trace OF q
doubt as to their meaning. He promised to
resign the iadgeship and he did pretend to re-
sign, at least his resignation was supposed,
and represented to have been forwarded to
Gov. Kellogg some weeks ago. He pretends
to have received no answer to his letter to
Kellogg, no formal notice of the acceptance
of his resignation, therefore he claims the
right to hold over until his successor shall be
elected or appointed and duly qualified. Thus
the matter hung in suspense for some time,
until trickery and double dealing became
palpable. Then the good people of Baton
Rouge again expressed their wishes in tones
of renewed earnestness, but still without the
menace of an alternative
The Judge thought proper at last to aban-
don the field of his judicial labors, protesting
to be afraid to remain in Baton Rouge
Thereupon he remembers that he has all
along been holding ministerial position, if
The clerk of deputy can be said to hold such
position under the United States Government,
and charges that the citizens of Baton Rouge
did intimidate him and conspire to prevent |
him by threats from holding his place of
confidence under the United States and from
the duties thereof.
1t is on this charge, whose empti-
ness and frivolity ought to have
been apparent to the Grand Jury
md all concerned. that ten respectable,
pacific and law-loving citizens of Baton
Rouge are dragged from their homes under
he grave accusation of violating statute Of
he United States.
The Withholding of the acceptance of the
esignation Of Davis, coupled with the extra
ordinary procedure, based upon the single
fidavit Of an er parte witness, give us good
eason to believe that the whole arrest and
are acts Of mere political chicsnery,
nd the renewal for political purposes Of the
oint military and judicial prosecutions insti-
u.ed for electioneering purposes.