The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-11

i proceedings Of the Senate on that day
the following:
Mr.. Weber rose to question Of priv
ilege, In answer to an article In the New
Orleans DEMOCRAT, published yesterday
headed "A Smitten PARISH referring
H to West Fcliciana. OF which district
Weber denounced the article as untrue
as regarded himself "a mass OF mali.
ciolls ffilsehoods. taken from the minutes
or the Property Holders Union.
He called upon the Property Holders
Union. or the editors OF tho DEMocRAT,
to bring forth charges and proofs oil
criminality to verify the statement that
Senator Weber and other leading Re.
publicans Of the parish had outraged
and plundered the people,
This assertion was made simply. be-
cause he Senator Weber, and other
Office holders In the parish were Rep,ib-
4 licans. The article was then handed to
! the secretary and read Mr.. Weber re-
tylied to the article In It's assertions
| throughout, and closed his remarks by
asking TINT the Senate would take up
the matter. and asked that some Sena-
tor make motion that committee OF
three be appointed to investigate the
charges. N
Mr.. Massicot did not see the necessi-
ty OF the appointment of the committee
to investigate charges made simply In q
newspaper.
Mr.. Weber differed with the Senator,
and called for the appointment Of a
committee to investigate the charges,
rs they reflected on every member OF the
Republican party.
Mr.. u. L. Weber Is as FESTIVE under
the scorching the West Feliciana
Property Holders Union and tho New
Orleans DEMOCRAT have given him, as
was the crab which refused to lie still
on the gridiron whilo he was being
broiled. He makes q sweeping charge
Of untruthfulness against the Property
Holders Union which has SO clearly
and mercilcssly EXPOSED his nefarious
career in West Felciana, and demands
that his conduct shall be investigated
by n committee Of the Senate. The
Property Holders report which contains
the charges against this man, Is signed
byJ. w. Dederick, Vim. G. Connell, 9.
j.. Fisher aud 'Thos. Butler, citizens of
the parish gentlemen Of the highest
standing in the community. against
who's honor and integrity no breath OF
suspicion has ever boon broathed; and
the brazen effrontery of Weber In seek
ing to shelter himself behind the decla-
ration that their report Is "a mass Of
malicious falsehoods," Is q piece Of au-
dacity scarcely even TO have been an
tlcipated from him.
In our article headed "A Smitten Par
ish y we mentioned only few charges
of the Property Holders Union against
this man; the report has many others,
charging numerous schemes OF pecttla-
ton by Weber, Armstead, Swayze and
the balance Of the leaders Of the West
Feliciana sans culoftes againstt the prop
erty holders. We arc firmly convinced
In our own mind that every word Of the
report Is absolutely true. and the docu-
ment will carry positive conviction to
the mind of every honest man who
reads It, and who knows the character
and standing Of the gentlemen whose
signatures are attached to II.
Heretofore, with Radical majorities
In both branches of the State aud Fede-
raj governments, it has been u cheap,
pompous and brasen method of re-
plying TO charges Of rascality, resorted
to by Radicals who have won legisla-
lative and Congressional places by
criminality, TO angrily demand com
mittee Of investigation. The duty OF
these committees has Of course been.
In every instance, to whitcwash the be-
smeared character Of their political con-
fedcrates declare him a pure and in |
noceDt patriot and his accuscrs calum-
niators. And most faithfully have they
fulfilled their duty. It has been. indeed,
as easy for asRadical defaulter, or brtbe-
taker, or public robber to obtain a
whitewashed reputation from a Con-
gressional or legislative committee, as
for secretary and patron of an Indian
swindling ring to obtain letter of
and commentator
from the President.
Mr.. Il. l.. Weber, a State Senator, has
been charged by u large aud respecta-
BILE portion Of his constituency with
peculation and oppression, and
uS uoW IcsoltS w Vic ldNOIlLe SUI
terfuge Of his kind, and demands
Senate committee Of In vestigation The
presiding officer OF the Senate is
Radical negro who does not pos
sess the confidence Of the class
Of Weber's constituency making
the charges; the majority of the
Senate are OF Mr. Weber's party, many
Of whom 1t is generally believed have
been guilty of Us many evil deeds as
and Of these a majority Of the
will be composed. However,
we concede that the demand for com
nittee OF investigation should be CON-
piled with nay, In behalf of the prop
srty holders Of the State and OF all hon
sst men interested in Its honor and good
government, we demand the committee.
II is just to Mr.. Weber, and it is just to
his constituency and to the people OF
The whole State that the committee !
should be appointed. But let II be
reasonably fair committee. BY
such one the pro-
iding officer OF the Senate may
10 the State service and his party
ome credit. He should appoint on it
hose men among the Radicals who are
'est thought OF, and he should appoint