New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-29
Fhe Baseu Rsuge Oserases'

Fhe Be,su Rsage OseraGes'
The Governor yesterday issued > we'l-
tamnared letter to tho attorney OF tno
Fifth Judicial District, touching tae on'
-.--.r+aa and criminal action OF tho men
calling themselves "the people" OF bstoa
Rouse. taken to vaeate the ofhces OF pss'sn
;udre and tax collector. There has beeu
= f.ouisisu. something too much OF this
overriding the Law, and If allowed to con-
Time there will be NO safety in the future
for officials Of whatever political faith they
NAV be. Every man in Office, doing his
duty or not doing it, 10 liable to make
enemies, and 10 liable to err to such IN
extent - to make change desirable. The
law will protect An officer. the mob VIII
run him out of tow Now 1.-THE people OF
Baton Rouge have . right to bring charges
against tax collector, but they have
no right to seize his books ana
"refuse to recognize him." or fofcio'y
e;ect him from his office without trial on
proper charges in any case. and certainly
not for no better reason than that the
collector 10 colored man and Republican.
The case of the parish judge is much more
serious. He had been repeatedly elected 70
his Office by an undisputed majority. Tho
people who plotted to drive the Judge from
his court without giving him . chance to
defend himself before the proper tribunals,
can have little regard for the law. The
proposition of the Governor 10 to punish
the offenders in the regular way. An election
for city officers 10 to be held in Baton kouge
on the hrst Monday of April, and this
stampedins of leading Republicans may
have been only . little bit OF campaign
pleasantly ON the part Of the Democrats;
but the entire proceedings have bad and
lswless look, and tho offenders should be
met with . speedy rebuke at the hands OF
tho officers of tho law. The letter OF the
0>o0A'''O STATE OF LOUISIANA,
Executive Department. }
New Ofleans, March 20, 1876.
Hon. Aly,n Z. Feed, District Attorney. Fifth judi
ciAl District:
Grr-Oficisl information has reached me
that in the parish of East Baton Rouge Ger
fain lswlees persons have combined TO-
eether for tho purpose of displacing BY
force or otherwise the civil authorities Of
II an definitely informed that George P.
n.v;s ' nsrish Judge. and B. +. Besureeard,
Gtste and parish tax collector of East
Baton Rouge have been driven from the
parish in open violation of law.
Tho parish judge 10 constitutional ON
Ger, elected by large and undisputed ma
iorttv. Up to this time NO charges have
been substantiated against him which would
| affect his right to exercise his office. 1t he
has been guilty of any such charge. it 10
your duty TO institute proceedings sg Ainst
| in East Baton Rouge.
Tho tax collector Of the parish was ep-
pointed BY mo some three years since. He
IL . colored man, who, before I appointed
| him. had served, l believe, creditably "a
| United States collector of internal revenue.
| If he 10 . defaulter, or has been derelict IN
| his duty, it 10 also your province to proceed
against him before the grand jury now in
session in East Baton Rouge.
| officer, elected by . large majority, va.
some time since driven away and compelled
| to resign, no ofFense being alleged against
| him that am aware Of except that he wss
| q colored man. appointed in his place
| white man, . native of the parish, and
| perceive that q committee chosen At the
meeting recently held at Baton Rouge
| "while expressing dissatisfaction with him
| ON account of his political ase0ciations," re-
| present, thus disclosing the animus OF those
| who have taken the law into their OWL
| hands to be directed against these appoint
| ees, because they are Republicans; this
! too, in . parish admitted to be very largely
Republican.
| If proper precautions are instituted % %
| to give me jurisdiction will act promptly
in the case Of any sppointee proved guilty
of misconduct, but the forcing OF ofhcaele oJ
10 not only in violation Of law, but oalcu
lated to bring discredit on tho parish and
State. go.
The occurrence of such state Of thing
| in Baton Rouge while the district court u
in session, without any effort being made
20 far - am informed, to check thest
evils, prompts me to call your attention
thus specifically to them. do not intend
to permit q resort to mob violence in Eas'
Baron Rouge, or elsewhere in this State.
To the end, therefore, that may exhaus
al civil remedies, request you TO imme
diately institute prosecutions before thl
district court against al persons known K
have been concerned in the recent unlawfu
disturbances in the city of Baton Rouge
and not only against these persons, ou
against any officers of tho parish who may
have been derelict in the discharge OF theil
| duties.
Should the sheriff be called upon to ex
ecute any process of the court, yOu vii
cause him tn be instructed to summon ,
posse eomitat,.s Of good citizens to execut.
this process, NO matter BY whom resisted
and. II met with force, you will cause M
to be informed immediately of tho fact.
Irequest you, further, to call the specia
attention Of the district judge to thes
points, and to move in open court for in
structions to the grand Jury touching rhes
matters. Very respectfully,
Appoiaeunenes.
Governor Kellogg has made tho follow
ing appointments:
R. West Hatch, justice of the peace
sixth ward, vice Gilly, resigned; G. Z
Casket, justice Of tho peace, fourth ward
for the parish of Richland.
Thomas Lee, road master, for Orlesn
and Plaauemines parishes, under act No. 5
Of 1876.
II. Mcknight, parish judge of Grant
vice Register, deceased.
Personal.