The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-11-03
iCo'nn'":'s"si d
MANY, SABINE PARISH. Ia, !
Vet IL IS-7 {

Oct. -, III. (
Editor l'iMdcat0r
In continuation of my letter of prryi.
Gus issue. | will. in rs few word, as pos
>ihlc rndraN"r to sliow how o,lr Trasll-
rrr and Legal Adviser has inlllr,l the
Police jury to reject, (not rry>t"r as
yon had it in my last> the claim Of Peter
Mn~on, Supervisor Of Registration, by
telling them that ut was prescribed in
consequence of its not having ''hecn
registered within sixty days after ap-
prevail, by the proper aut|soritieS.''
The claims OF the Clerks Of Registrar
ton, he te|l them, could not be collect
c'l, as the Parish Court had no juriSdic-
ti"u, and that suits against the ,,ariSl,
could not be instituted before a NIayis-
tratc. Now, an ted to believe that he,
as 4 'awyrr(?> must have known better.
as the decisions of the Courts have pro-
ven conclu>ive}y, that he was wrong in
boil, instances. Then what corld have
be II his motive, other than to secure Il
ice9
Acting under the advice Of Mr.. Pres
ley, the Police Jury, in April Instructed
the Tax Collector to col|rct the revenues
Of lr1G, instead Of 1877. Up to their
meeting in Oct"bcr (tlais month"; the
Collector had taken up about $1,000 or
slloo of tn" le76 paper, leaving about
$500 yet to he collected. The officers of
the parish pttiti"nrd the Police Jury to
revoke their former ordinances, and
make it the duty Of the Collector to
collect the revenues Of 1877, according
to statute IdW.
Here Me-. Presley again came to the
front and tells them that such Il demand
is contrary to law, &C., and According to
the advise of this legal gentleman, they
refused to entertain the proposition for |,
moment, whrrrnpon o'r Assessor Mr..
Caldwell, instituted suit to cnioin the
Collector from collecting paper Of 1876.
Here again Mr.. rTpsley's talent and lc-
gal ability was made manifest, lie fought
this suit with all the energy and ability
that he possessed, but in this, as in all
of his other suits, he made a signal
future.
have heard Of ring or clique hay
ing its origin and existence in Many, but
have heard nothing Of their having run
the parish to any expense by advising the
Police Jury contrary to law and Justice,
and involving til. parish in unnecessary
or of their rendering srrvi-
crs for stipulated sum, and then re-
ccivinS in payment double that amount.
The Police Jnries heretofore, have
transacted their business upon their
own Judgment principally, but the pres
ent Jury with tn" exception of r. NJ
Armstrong anal Wade Anderson, who
fortunately, for poor Sabine, have heads
of their owiO are dictated to by Mr.
Prcsley-aml unfortunately they con-
stitutc the working members and COM
posed the ''rum"" Jury that transacted
business on October LIST. Mr. Armstrong
and Mr. Anderson being sick.
They have been led by this legal gen
tlcman, and he, like the fatal IGN STA
tus, has heguilcd them into the slough.
ont of which it will he difficult for them
ever to cstricate themselves.
Never in the annals Of orr parochial
history has any man had such complete
and unlimited control over body of
men as this man, never did man use it
more to the perfection of his own ends,
and to the detrment of the parish than
does our lrgal adriser, they have be- :
towcd all the cmouments and pcrquisits
Of office upon him. and yet he denies
having influenced them in any way.
The office of Parish Attorney has not
been filled in this parish, within the
of the writer, not even in
tho good old days ante bcIfnm-as the
services Of all Of the legal gentlemen
have ever been at the. disposal of the
Police Jury, and there having never been
any business for one to ate to. The |
rump' met in October, and found that
they could bcstow this, one more Office
upon Mr.. p. which he eagerly accepted,
1T a salary OF 5000 and the pay Of his
license rs Attorney. so. Soon after
this, the Collector demanded the money
for his licenses, he exultingly replied,
hat the Police Jury had allowed him
his license in compensation of services.
md still refused, until tho Parish Judge
refused to let him practice without them.
If he had been elected Attorney before
he lost all Of those snits, it woulA have
been better on the taxpayers. Let us
see now how many positions this legal
oct occupies; besides being Preacher
ind a Lawyer(O he is Parish Treasurer,
Parish Attorney. Secretary of the School
Board, and Treasurer Of the school
ilnds; can yon beat that for monopoly
lftimc and space permitted, | would
show to the horny.llandcd sons of SIT
zine, how much all this advice cost them
This I may do in the future, bnt for the
present allow me to subscribe myself
heir friend, and your we'll wishcr,
PRO RO\O pf'Rf 100