Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-07-24

stool that we are in no way responsible
Tor the views, criticisms, plans, &c. which
appear in this column.-Ep. GUAIspIAN.
Mr.. EpIroR:-With no object in view
Int desire, as | conceive, To promote the
ends of Justice, | shall attempt through
yonr columns to say something IN regard
10 the present agitation of the question of
the Tax Collectorship in our parish
II is truth, l must confess, that am
an nnsophisticatcd coUHtrymdH, aud never
have supposed myself competent to the
task of giving advice through the medium
of newspaper; but seeing your kindness
To publish articles supposed to be on the
pro bono pubiico" order. 1 heg you To bear
with me, and a generous public To hear me,
for my cause
To begin, | cannot believe that our pco-
pie have properly reflected and canyasscd
tins subject i'll their own minds The wri-
ter of this paper cnnfcsses to have been
one of those who, ut the first introduction
Of thi, question to the public-having his
head brimfull of Democratic ideas-inag-
inrd il wnnll BE- quite in place TO have this
office canyasScd for, rs the other parochal
offices are, thinking that our Governor and
Legislators would only lie too glad to dis
pose Of it in this way, and certainly not
dreaming Of croachmcnt, nor of any other
difficulties took for granted that Gov.
Nichols would advise the appointment Of
the person selected by the voters Of our
parish, regardless of qualifications, race,
color, or previous condition. appointed
because vouchcd for 10y our ballots; or, i'll
short. that what suited us, ~ indicated by
this vote, would certainly satisfy him rs
we'll a. orr senator aud representatives,
because they could not be accused OF favor
iti.m, or any other embarrassing ideas Oh
the subject.
Now, my fellow citizens, let us weigh
well this matter before We get out Of port.
Let US see il the facts will bear us ont i'll
the assumption a. 10 right, cxpcdicnay,
precedent, or otherwise. In the first place,
we are not to regard this Office as elcctire
bcfort the peoplc. For some reason or other
our lawmakers Of tile past thought proper
to make this Office apPointive, and we hope
to show for very just and nnanswerablc
reasons. These lawmakers aS honest men,
evidently thought that the people, in their
sovereign capacity of clecting their law
makers. could, or should, certainly trust
them TO select the best material from a
| large constituency. Aud momcntary
| thought on this MANNER of selecting officers
should convince the most skepical, that if
we have discharged our duty, rs honest
voters, in the selection of our public adj
ministrators, that it is certainly much safer
to trust them with this appointment than
to force the question into heated political
campaigns, where perhaps the real tar
truth Of the matter il, that re, as well a.
all other parishes, have very many who
don't care a straw whO shall BE- our tar gath
,rer; it disturbs them not-thcy pay no tar's.
But with Multiplicity of candidates ia
the field, with rings aud combinations, they
will select for yoH my fellow citizens, per
haps - scab on the body polite Our
Legislators with a thimblc-full of brains,
would d0, not (if they desircd) outrage lis
| by advising the appointment Of nondcc,pt-
adj, men for this most responsible position.
Aud now, fnilow-taxpayers, what shall
we say of the precedent if once estab-
li-hcd' We will he forced to admit that
what, sducc for the goose is sauce for the
gander;' If Claiborne sets the example, all
our rich allHvial parishes will ask for the
sane thing, aud every democratic officer
that We can seat in such parishes, outside
of their honest d'aiInJ- with the State, is
worth much To pcrpctuatc democratic as-
ccndancy III the State, which we very much
need.
In conclusion, by this contemplated de
parturc do We not grussiy reflect OF our
trusty, gcntlcmanly Senator, III whom VIC
should take large pridef as wrll as ON
Governor and other adviscrs' ! think vi
do. The system IA now works well, (as
Gen Yonng stated that there had not been
a single dJduitr in Gov. Nichols appoint
ments to this position 10 dafe.) For your
honor's sake, stop, think, deliberate
Wipe ont hi' one thoughtlcss blot,
Ere it STRIKE some vital spot.
Very trnly yours,
INDICATOR.