The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-09-30
THE PLATFORM.

Inc NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. paIVy VI
a., parish Of NatchitOcher. in COnven-
zion assembled. pronounce the following
to I've the issues In this campaign. to the
falfllmcnt Of which We pledge our people
il called to power.
lot. The election t., and qualification
In office, OF capable. competent and hon
eat citizens, thoroughly hlentiiied with
The material interests of our parish.
I'll. 4 reduction III the expenses ut the
parish ~ less than Onr-l,alf "f it, present
parish taxes: and tothat end we demand
IN, reduction ~ fees and salaries oi Of
kcers t. tn. standard al u fair rcmunera
ton.
III. 4 maintainanre and fostering "f
rigorous PUBLIC SCHOOL system for
the benefit and education es all the chill
alren Of the parish. both Write and black.
itl,. The fall recognition Of the rights
NJ all men. without regard to race, color
Or previous condition. before the law.
9Th The enactment and enforcement
ri d wise code If laws, I" protect all IT.
boring men in their rights, and at the
samc time to protect and encourage the
capital invested in our parish.
9Th. We pledge ourselves that not one
dollar Of taxes shall le levied to pay
past obligations Of our parish. for the
reason that the law requires that provis-
sion tn pay, and appropriation for ex-
pe,,yes, shall 80 hand in hand.
Such cgal and inst claims IA are due
by the parish, shall be paid from the col
lection Of taxes that are already levied
in accordance with law, and due and
collectible.
All monies iss,,ed in excess Of appro
priatiOns, and for fraudulent purposes,
We condemn IA null and v0id, aud We
demand " our elected officials their re-
pudiation in toto; and We further pledge
ourselves, that legal steps shall l~ taken
70 recover 10 the parish Treasury all
fraudulent claims Of whatsoever charac-
Ter, which have been paid by Radical or
other officials to any person Or persons
whatsoever.
We arraign tho Radical Republican
leaders Of this parish, and in,iict them
at the bar Of public opinion III the fol.
lowin. counts:
LIT. For the election AMI elevation to
Official position in our parish, in almost
every instance. Of men totally tlisluali-
tied. hy reason Of their ignorance, Or
known corruption.
III. W. charge them with having dis
graced the bench Of our Judicial District.
by the elevation thereto Of man who
was, and IL . Spectator in the funds Of
the State and parisll--the mover and in.
stigator Of jobbsry and rings, for the
plumber Of the Treasury, AMI the inpov
erishMent III the people, az witness the
''map contract; !" the "bri'lge contract y
The 'Pauper list ring aud the ''im,niyra-
ton bureau scheme"
We charge them with degrading our
parish Judicial bench by toisting upon
ihe people Parish Judges ignorant If
law, devoid of personal character, venal
and corrupt; one Of whom public opin.
ion and an outraged community forced
from the bench for inco,nwtency. and
his known utilization and connection
With rings and jObbe-s, ami another
stands indicted before the Courts by "a
competent Grand Jury, for embezzle
nent.
We charge them with appointing and
confirming to position, y Tax Collector
who. with venal, incompetent and vii
lainons Police Jury, also OF their party,
plundered the people and the Treasury
Of untold acknowledgement hins u
in che settlement OF his aceOunts--heap-
ed upon IN taxation at the rate Of eight
per cent, and left us q debt to pay equal
In amount to one-Miath Of tho total val
40 Of property in the parish.
We charge them with the plunderiny
ef the School Treasury, through, their
Judge, Senator, and representatives, Of
thousands Of doll RS. thereby deriving
onr children and those Vi our colorr,l
fellow-citizens Ut the henetit of e,luca
ton, crime that an outraged cOmmnni.
~ cannot too severely condemn or pun
ish.
We denouncc them for having given MS
Magistrates whose duty it was tn pro-
tect the citizen, suppress crime and win
dictate the law, but who have been in
dicted or convincted for murder, theft, or
purjury.
The Republican party Of the parish Of
Natchitoches, composed OF the most ig-
norant, tlebased and corrupt body Of men
known to our State or the South, have.
BY . systematic plun.lering rule, reduced
tue valuation Of real and personal pro-
perty IN nime years-four million and
thirteen th0,,sanA dollars levied and
collected from neopie impoverished by
var aud overflow, three hundred ami
tweuty.thr@ thousand two hundred and
ninety-thrse dollars and six cents, or one
third Of the entire present valuation Of
property, both real and personal, in ;;axes
since 1S67-have h aped upon us in that
time debt Ut over one hundred thou.
sand dollars have arraye,l the colored
yace against the whites--have plunged
troops into our midst, arrested and con.
Al,sa innocent citizens without warrant
ef Law.
We charge the Republican party As
being responsible for all tho crime cou,-
nAittsd in our parish, by reason Of the
insufliciency. incompetency AMI vena'ity
Of their officials, and we den"nnce their
government Of the parish and State as
eOrlMpt and infamous, and not ,lcserv-
Ing the support and confidence Of SIN
gle virtnous man in our community.
We discOuntenance all disturbances Of
the peace II tho parish, and lcnounce
oil instigators thereof.
We demand, and will enforce Registra-
Zion, fair election and u fair count-and
10 that end will hold ~ rsOnally rpspon.
sible to the people Of our parish, those
who control the election and r.istra.
tiOn machinery.
Our object is reform, retrcnchmcnt and
relief; that BY honesty and economy, We
may reduce iaxation-and tighten the
burdens Of the people, aud u that c,sl
We call upon all patriotic sons II N ,tchi-
tochee, without regard to race, color. or
previous condition, to join M.
We ask hut q trial Of committing the
State and parish To our keeping, anil if
good Government, security, protection.
end prosperity do not dawn on M over
taxed, ,lSspoiled AMI d:sh-artencd peo
pie, then drive us from power with sec m
and Indignation.
Upon the paramount issues herein
Aascn:.AnA nupx1:,,H,. s,rv:&, <H.n M