The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-27
THE BOTTOM FACTS OF THE CAL.
UASIEU CASE,

have found It almost inpossib 10 to obtain Tho
necessary Nata upon which to discuss tn.
matter intelligently, SO de nsely has 1t beer
obscured by contradictory assertions Of The
most violent kind, as We as by mysteries O
the most suspicious character At last how
ever, we think we soc u ght through the clout
of conflicting statements in which il
has been involved We find that The
case Is one thst will rest in the
main on facts, which it were useless fol
us to discuss in anticipation, since the
evidence upon. which they depend is docu-
mentary. and, therefore, of the most positive
and certain character. 1t is idle for us, fol
instance, toadopt the assertions Of either Mr.
Carter, the government agent or the parties
defendant, rs to the titles of certain lands.
We, therefore avoid this portion OF the
case and limit ourselves to the only Legitimate
| subjects Of discussion the law and the inter.
probation and execution it has received in this
case at the hands of the officials of the gov
eminent.
After most diligent aad thorough investi-
cation we are forced to the conclusion that
great blame attaches to the government in
this matter and to it's officers on account OF
the irregularity and arbitrariness Of their
acts
| All of this trouble has arisen out of the alb
surd policy of the government In the disposi-
ton of the public domain. Immediately after
the war all of these lands. which are without
any value save that derived from the timber
on them, were withdrawn from the market
with the object of reserving them solely for
,A,t, lie 4.
negroes would rapidly settle them, and thus
become o sturdy race of husbandmen and
farmers. The slightest knowledge Of the
negro character would have satisfied Con-
gress that this proposition was absolutely
impracticable; but that was day when
the negro question was the limitless utopia
OF every Northern sentimentalist, and the
practical experience of the Southern men
was but the guile of the serpent The
first fruits Of the homestead act Of 1866
was the entry upon the lands of the lumber
men. who complied with the first requirement
of 1t by making an actual settlement, but re-
manned on their entries only long enough to
cut the timber off and then abandoned them
for others In order to put stop to these
fraudulent entries the government made
certain regulations with reference to the
amount of timber that could be cut:
but, of course these regulations could
not be enforced. and finally it was deter
mined to withdraw the lands from the market
altogether. At the last session of Congress
the act of 1866 was repealed, and all of this
finely timbercd country will be Offered" at
public auction in the fall at 81 % per acre.
SO that, in any event. the lumber trade of Cal
casieu can suffer but temporary Interrupt
ton. But in the meanwhile is it necessary
that 1t should be entirely suspended and
is 1t not possible to relieve in some way the
large interests involved from the embargo
that rests upon them and at the same time,
put an end to the suffering it entails upon SO
many human beingsP We are decidedly Of
the opinion that all this can be done, and
If it is not done the government will be re-
sponsible for great injustice and much
greater inhumanity.
In the first place we think that the presence
of Judge Billings is absolutely necessary. and
we insist on his return to the city. All of the
vexed questions with regard to inventories
and bonds demand immediate settlement
and he is the only person vested with author
ity to pass upon them. This is not an ordi-
nary case, which can just as well lie over till
fall, but by reason of the human suffering
delay unavoidably involves, it should be
speedily determined, and this consideration
should bring the Judge back to his post at
once. Otherwise we see but one way In which
relief can be afforded, and that is by the gov
eminent accepting the inventories made by
the appraisers under an order Of court, which
we are disposed to believe, should be done.
and allowing the property to be bonded at
once.
The principles of law applicable to the case
are very few and simple. The intervenors in
this case have the right to demand the re-
lease of the property sequestered on proper
bonds, and to this end they have the right to
have the same inventoried and appraised as
speedily as possible. This, as we understand
it, is all that they have ever asked, and this
they have legal right to demand.
That there had been culpable delay on the
part of Marshal Pitkin in making the inven-
tories there can be no doubt. He gave vari-
Gus excuses of violent interference with his
deputies and SO on, none of which can be ac-
cepted. In consequence of his hardness the
intervenors applied for and obtained the ap-
pointment of appraisers, and an order Of
court authorizing and directing them to make
the inventory, which has no other object than
to serve as a basis for an appraisement and
for the Identification of the property seized
These parties went to work, and in COM
paratively short time completed the inven-
tories and made the appraisement, and now
the intervenors are here prepared to bond the
logs under seizure, on securities approved by
Commissioner Chamberlain, who was sent
down to take affidavits of bondsmen as to
their solvency and other qualifications.
But the District Attorney and Govern
ment Agent Carter decline to recog-
nize the appraisement and inventory made
by the appraisers, and insist upon the in
ventory being made by the Marshal, in ac-
,ordance with the law The Marshal also |
insists upon making the inventory with as
much earnestness as if he were, also, |