The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-06-03
Worth Noticing.

a Washington letter to the Cincinna ii
Commercial. dated May 10Th, 1876.
Without my knowledge of the truth
of the article, we publish it as pos
siblc explanation Of the cause which
led to the shooting Of Senator Twit-
chell. II true it will serve to rob the
affair of that political significance
which the Radical journals have so
persistently entleavorcd to attach to
it, and will place an entirely new
phase upon the matter:
Twitchell has long been u Jealous
member Of the interruptions Packard.
Durell-Kellogg ring, who have ruled
te Sts S@n viii si. aex" "dIts tyr"p% ~ mn
tne Coashatta massacre II, "raer w.
secure his own re. election. The mas
sacre came off as lie had arranged (hc
was conveniently leagues away at the
time), but miscarried in q few nm
important details, and his brother
was killed on account Of the miscar-
riage. But he was rc.electcd-as the
riot which he had instigatcd demon
stratcd the necessity of sending U.
5. soldiers into the parish to intimi
date the white voters. His circum-
stances were similar to those If Gov.
Ames, Of Mississippi. when that ster-
ling patriot was led to remark that
it would be necessary "to have a few
niggers killed" in order to carry tie
State for his party.
Twitchell, like all the ring to which
he belonged, was extremely Jealous
in his own personal behalf in all res
pects-and particularly careful to
lose no opportunity to enrich himself
at the expense Of the people, over
whom he was tyrannical ruler-as a
sample incident will show. While in
the Legislature, some years ago, at a
time when his crowd had complete
control of affairs, he secured the pas
sage of bill regulating the sale Of
real property in default for taxes.
BY the terms Of the law real estate
could he sold, after advertisement.
for taxes, and the purchaser would
be given a fee simple title by, the
State.
The provision regulating the ad.
vcrtising was very loose, so that
Twitchcl was enabled to carry out
his little plan for which alone the
law was devised. You are aware
that the taxes in Louisiana have been
excessively high. In Natclitoche:
parish, for instance, when the tax on
real property-plantations we'll as
town property-was reduced to eight
per cent. the people felt that they
had special cause for thankfnlness
Iu New Orleans the assessors WHIT
appraised property were paid q pei
centage on their appraisemcnt, and
consequently property showed up ex
ceedingly valuable on their tax lists
and the taxpayers had to pay on fic
titious valuations.
Whether tins was the case or not il
the country l don't know, bnt d.
know that If taxes ever got so high i,
Obi" the people of that conservative
old State will incontinently rebel, au|
serve them right, too. Twitchell ha'
long had his eye Of desire upon fin
plantation in his neighborhood, bu
was unable to secure the coveted
prize until his wit suggested the Ia,
mentioned. The plantation in dc
fault on account of State taxes. H
secured the order for its sale, had til
advertisement placed in a most Oh
scure corner Of a more obscure countr,
newspaper, where lie was sure
wonld never meet the eye Of the own
er Of the plantation !; tho day OF sal
came, and the proprietor was dumt
founded when tue property passe'
iuto the hands of Twitchell, with
guarantee title from tie State fl
simply the amount Of the arrearagt
of taxes.
This is only a sample of the man
acts Of high.handed outrages tha
have characterized the rule Of the Ri,
that has prevailed for SO many yea
. in Louisiana. The recital Of them a
would occupy days and pages, b
the list would be only Of cumulati,
, evidence.