The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-02
WEST FELIcIANA.
,.,d;t;on OF The PariSh--Law-
W. lessness s--The Webers.

...rss,ondence Of the N. O. Democrat
sp''l" sr FRANCrsvILLE, Jan. 30, 1876.
r,,,, q tho Democrat, :,
S,ss, -. = mass meeting held In this parish
Ine n am inst. TO consider the condi-
% VI, Affairs, and the proceedings OF
pr9 O ,a,, have before this received by
sbcn .vs yas the largest held here in
pail, vars var Notwithstanding the fact
psny yor,,ous y,u efforts were made by the
ny iaa.lers TO keep the negroes from
IsalcSs,,, III by telling them It was Ku-
sltena.%snet 10 assemble them in town and
XIV s VIZ Them. hundreds OF the better
buscn' oooroes were present, listened
els* e. Y nI interest to all the proceedings
Win as.Ed WI in full accord with the whites.
sd sst tsst white men in the parish, in
lrs lls,ae m planters, merchants, profes,,
esa,ilsm men and mechanics, composed
e1's 'syoer part OF the immense assem-
md the country may rely upon
b s she resolutions adopted were the
tlDss, voice Of the people Of West Fe-
AIls' lss irrespective Of race, color or
sSul sss,o,s condition. ~
Wing W. the interests-indeed, the
nVolnsSaiiion--of society, which can
iocether such an assemblage OF
hlN hlN.onIe as that which took place on
ae s,h inst in the court house yard OF
l%r raiiciana. There Is a deep-rooted
Nsn Nssnsa,rvihle wrong working in this COM
w. naSaiy. M depressing the rich and the
n@psI| asr @rpsIikc, and blighting the prosperity
,be country. The shortcomings OF
VIZ that man, or set OF men, who
'alsy s nave been on the police jury, or In
NY w. collcctor's Office, or In any other
ihe .,on %a do not mitigate the evil or ex-
pssit ss ~ origin. The people, In their
ps%p psspu.ions. do notdeny that there have
Nsv'%rs sa errors committed, extravagances
ma es,aed 10. and frauds compounded, by
49, WV a their own fellow citizens, who
s@ss sars n office prior to 1872. But they
w olsm that these errors, extrava-
~ .ss .'s md compounding Of frauds were
Es, =. some Of the fruits Of vicious sys-
tam ~, i ior which they are not responsible,
'spass 'sSe a. roots have stuck deep into their
rr r"o,rnmunity, and whose upas-like
sD,I sg"de noisons and blights every honest
I" ,n%ustry II their midst. There has
hasu ,"e"I, really no Democratic or Conserva-
,ve 'veI government In the parish since 1858.
a'r ! number OF citizens, identified with
,ha nronerty interests, were appointed
~ iSe police jury and TO other posi-
AM by Gov. Warmoth. But those ac-
@aInted mali with the political history OF
}ouisiana during the past eight years,
nav that the Conservatives and Demo
srsts s appointed by Gov. Warmoth dur
w me latter part OF his administration
hM necessarily, to yield much to the
mOacate spirit which, under the scan
njous Influences Of the first three years
Sihst administration, had acquired too
MOrous life TO be destroyed, and that,
~nseuuently, the acts Of these officials
M moi correctly represent the views
Mintegrity ofthe better classes OF the
prsh.
Il was not, however, to open a war OF
uimination and recrimination, nor to
Institute persecution OF any individual
eIndividuals, that the West Felicianians
s,sembled In mass meeting; but to seek
ID temperate counsel a remedy for the
evil which has brought their parish to
be verge OF ruin. The chief cause OF
lie troubles In this portion OF the State,
ia people very reasonably believe TO
| b the evil influence OF two men by the
mmc Of Weber; one Il. l.. Weber, the
snator from this district, and ID. A.
Weber. the tax collector OF this parish.
Ihs waves 81 civil strife, as they were
nbsiding. washed these men upon the
Aore Of West Fclicinna, and 1t Is safe
bay that they and the men, white and
| back who have surrounded them and
unsituted their ring, have wrought
uSrs SO damage than aid the merciiess
sI Of civil war. They have arrayed
Ae negroes against the whites; they
ave encouraged the blacks and thcil
White coadjutors In the nefarious seed
ectton business; they acquired infiu
snce WITH the Radical State administra
tons ana sold the parish Offices, re-
gardless u the integrity or capacity q
The purchasers, TO the highest bid.
ders; they have melted riots, and
published and circulated far and wide
the most atrceious ISLANDERS upon the
white people OF the parish, and II Is gen
enlly believed throughout the commu
nifty that the hands OF u. u. Weber ar
stained with the blood OF a citizen, who
Eas some years ago assasslnated IN tn1
most cowardly manner. The innuenc'
dthese men and their ring has been tn
costroling one in West Fcliciana Tor
number Of years, and IL is to the charac
tens Of these men and their power tina
mmpst direct our attention IL we woult
comprehend the troubles here, and II Il
heir power which must be broken, II !
a bAnr,ai N, ulrief fh.N trOuble
Not the origin of the Eouble in th1'
parish, for th,et was coeval with the be-
paning Of tho era Of reconstruction
sutthe origin on the outbreaks OF yio
tnA the burning OF seed cotton stores
snd the burning by the negroes, OF gin
le'ses In retaliation, Is dNe to the mag
NUDE 70 which the nei.erious thievinl
nuc IN seed cotton attaiued last sea
Na This villainous business ha
Mn practioed to q greater or less
a1ent for the last eight or nlns
aS, and many efforts nave
ssn made by the planters to represc ~
Sltln vain. And year after year 1t con
,as n0ed 70 Increase. Early in September
M, We police jury Of the parish passeec
an omh,ance prohibiting the traffic II
~d cotton between the hours OF sunset
sad sunrise, But it had not the slight
y eject. Z. Z. Weber. then editor o.
ae Mnn Leader, the negro organ, anc
Saoldate for the State Senate, made 9
Ientopposition to the action OF the po
sSpry and melted the negroes to con
~ %~ their lawless trade With the thiev
stores, which were then beginning
s%nspling up all over the parish. Al tha,
ss ss tnere was a fierce and bitter feuo
G'seen =, L. Weber and his brother
I.,n; Weber, who was editor OF the
\ Selana Republican, and the latter, il
lns nssslcle in his paper Of September IL
M, mas fully explained the motives
n.y.. prompted his brother. the present
sssor, T. l.. Weber, to side with the
yee and the thieving stores againsi
M ,Manters and honest tradesmen. Or
ss.9aay aay the Feliciana Republican con
gsSu the following in relation to +. l.
'etI, the editor ~ tho D,frO TcHIpr