The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-25
An u0i,Y PIECE or WORK.

lana. The Radical party during It's
reign Of h,iuuity has imposed upon the
people OF this State an almost intolera-
BILE burden Of taxation. and to enforce
the collection Of its illegal exactions de-
yised fearful system OF penalties for
the intimidation of delinquent taxpayers.
When the property holder finds, year
hv wear. that the government IL absorb
ing his very substance. he might reason
ably be expected to resort to the courts OF
his country for redress. But Our carpet
bau task masters have taken care that
no such method " relief shall be IN
reach Of the taxpayers OF Louisiana. In
the first place, they organized the
judiciary against the property holders
and other honest classes Of the coIhinu-
nifty. and then they provided that such
an enormous percentage should be an
n,,ally added TO the principal Of the
taxes due and unpaid that the great
mass of taxpayers. rather than run the
almost certain risk Of having their taxes
doubled and final Judgment rendered
against them, for Il long time paid up.
I'm the last few years, however,
very many OF them have been
unable to do go. Under the
ruinous rule of lsadicalism their pro
perry has declined in value and In pro
ductiveness, and they have been forced
to become delinquents, and the penal
ties due on delinquent taxes may now be
reasonably estimated at one million OF
dollars. The weightiness OF these
penalties may be judged from the fact
that the penalties on the unpaid taxes
of 1871 amount TO 125 per cent OF the
original sum. A gentleman told us
Yesterday that he recently settled his
taxes for that year. The principal OF
his taxes amounted to one thousand
dollars, and he was forced TO pay two
thousand two hundreda fifty. Under
the iron rule established by the Radi-
cal legislatures, there can he no relief,
for all officials engaged In collecting the
taxes are pcremptorily forbidden to re-
NIT any portion Of the penalties.
In the present impoverished and dis
trcssed condition of the state II will
literally ruin many men and distress all
to pay the delinquent taxes and the mil
lion dollars Of penalties now due.
Recognizing the Importance OF afford
ing relief 10 the taxpayers Of the State
In this matter, the Democratic House OF
the last Legislature, at the recent SEES
sion, PASSED an act RENTING all penal
ties due on back taxes. The bill was
duly sent to the Senate for concurrence.
and there IL no doubt that II passed that
body without change or amendment.
There Ia ring Of rascals, forgers and
thieves In this State. however. who. un-
der the auspices OF Radicalsm. have got
position and political influence and who
for years have changed and altered the
acts Of the Legislature to suit their
rascally schemes. The power Of this
band Of scoundrels had no control in the
last House, but their influence was az
potent az ever In the Radical Senate.
The bill remitting the penalties on back
taxes did not suit this ring. There is a
large per centage for collecting tho
penalties. which is done by the
friends and henchmen Of the ring,
and large portion Of the penalties
20 into the Radical campaign
fund. This bill is a measure impera-
lively demanded by the impoverished
taxpayers of Louisiana; but II was GER
tain II II became a law to cut of large
field Of plumber from the Radical officials
and large source Of revenue from the
Radical campaign fund. And 80. in the
closing hours Of the Senate, after The
bin had passed, some rascally member
OF the ring got hold Of II and interpo-
lated an amendment; and unless the
fraud can DO proved, It kills the bill, rs
II was never returned to the House for
concurrence In the amendments.
We have underworld to ascertain all
the facts In this matter, and 80 far the
facts go to show that the bill passed the
Senate az Il came from the House, and
that the amendment Is a vile fraud.
The face Of the bill, In fact, shows 1t to
be fraud. An amendment to bill
must always be written out on u sep
aratc sheet OF paper and attached by the
clerk or Secretary to the original bill.
The so called amendment In this case is
an interlineation. The journal Of the Sen
ate, indeed. reads all right. but Louisi-
ians know how readily Legislative jour
nails are doctored to suit just such cases
as this Yesterday a reporter Of the
DEMOCRAT interviewed the Secretary Of
the Senate In relation to this matter.
and he (thc secretary wrote with his
own hand this statement:
Scnatc-on third reading Mr.. Chadhurn obtained
unanim GUS consent and offered the following
amendments Insert before the enacting clause
provided. that ut the same time said delinquent
tax payers pay their current taxes. which
amendment was adopted"
He then said. II handed the bill to
the Clerk OF the House myself, and he
said nothing. l received the bill too
late for the amendment to be concurred
in 10y the House." He also said he re-
turned the bill to the House anyhow.
Now this latter declaration is contra
dictcd by the statement OF Mr.. =. J.
Trczevant, the Clerk OF the House, and
the statement made to the reporter Of
the DEMOCRAT by the Secretary Of the
Senate in no respect corresponds with
tho Stata,nout mn 10 NV TINT In d;viI,,,I