The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-08
TREASURER DUBUOLET.

The petition of Judge Tissot signed by
that honest and able counsellor, Judge
T. Wharton Collens, sets forth with
great distinctness certain very serious
charges against the State Treasurer.
The charges have long been current in
official circles and among that clas, OF
brokers, spectators and others who
have operated in State securities. They
have never before, however, been brought
before the courts for investigation, and
by parties so responsible and respecta-
BILE as the estimable judge Of the Second
District Court, and the venerable coun-
sellor who has filled high judicial posi-
tions In this State for thirty years, with
universal confidence in his stern integ-
rity and fidelity to duty.
It has been charged against the
Treasurer that under a system OF fraud
and favoritism which has existed in his
office since the installation OF Radical
government in this State, he was in the
habit OF giving preference in the pay
ment of warrants on the treasury to
certain spectators and dealers In those
securities, 80 as to compel all the public
officials and first holders Of such war
rants, including judges. to remain out
in the cold and wait for the money or
sell their warrants to the said favorites
at heavy discount. The petition OF
Judge Tissot fully sets forth the modus
operandi and indicates the lucky person,
prominent Federal official, to whom
this profitable favoritism OF the Treas
urer Injured.
Pending judicial proceeding it would
not be proper in newspaper to ex-
press any opinion upon the facts and
allegations which we presume will be
put at issue in this case, But this we
may say with propriety, that If any
such charges as these against public
officials can be maintained, the parties
implicated, and those who have profited
from such criminal practices, should
be held to severe account.
There are scores Of former ofice-hold-
ers under the Radical government who
are now enjoying great wealth and
luxury derived from some such corrupt
practices, combinations and abuses OF
trust. There is little difficulty in trac-
ing their acquisitions to their source in
some gross malfeasance and diversion OF
the trust funds Of the State. The money
upon which they make their grand tours
through Europe and the North, and
which they parade before this impover-
ished people, has been embezzled from
the State or it's creditors. The amount
of this embezzlement and plumber Is
frightful to calculate. It would, IL ap-
piled, as it should have been, have paid
every dollar Of the debt Of the State. and
saved thousands Of our citizens from
poverty and bankruptcy.
The practical question arising upon
this melancholy statement is whether
an action cannot be maintained against
the persons who have been enriched by
these embellishments, to compel them
to make restitution, to disgorge their
ill-gotten wealth, and to account for
every dollar filched by them from the
public treasury. The accession to
power of the party of the people, OF
honesty, fidelity and reform. was
looked to with the hope that some such
course would be entered on, and doubt.
less, this hope will in due time be real
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