davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

Assembly have been arrayed shoulder
to shoulder with the vile minions of
Radicalism who have plundered Loui-
siana for a decade, in direct war against
the mass of her honest citizens. This
the people fully understand, and they
have judged the conservatives" by
that token.
There is no escaping the Verdict
Conservatism has vaulted high and
o'erleaped itself.
Born of the loins of demagoguery
it draws its blood from cowardly in
action, lives its brief life in utter con-
tempt of all steadfast convictions and
virtue, and after retarding the growth
of government and debasing public
morals, it dies detested by all men
of honor and principle. The "Con-
servative element has we'll nigh
reached an ignominious end in this
State-and if the people escape the
clutches of the Radical party, killed
on the field by the Democratic host
in 1876 and resuscitated in court by
the lick-spittle Conservatives in 1877,
it will be miracle.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
THREE LEADING MEASURES BEFORE
CONGRESS-.

washington Special to Cincinnati Gazette.l
The best judgment that can be formed
from the opinions expressed by those
connected with the committees having
to do with the tariff, the repeal of re-
sumption, and the silver bullion certi-
hcate bills is that no one of these
measures can be passed at the present
session. AS to the tariff bill, the House
committee will report at the last of
this week, and ask to commit. Next
week it will begin discussion by Sec
tions of the Internal Revenue bill pre-
pared by Burchard and Tucker. This
is fifty pages long, and before it is fin
ished it will involve discussion of the
income and tobacco tax. All this must
precede final action by the committee
on the tariff bill, and the combined
measure cannot, in any event, be forced
through the House. Even if passed at
all by the 1st of June, one month would
be very short time to allow the FL
nance Committee of the Senate for it's
consideration, when the Ways and
Means Committee have already con-
sumed four months. There are very
few who think the Senate can be kept
at work after the 1st of July on the
tariff bill. AS to the repeal OF the re-
sumption act, the indications are that
IL Will not even command majority
vote in the Senate, and in no event can
it secure the necessary two-thirds 10
carry it over the certain veto. It is be-
lieved that proposition to take out
the date clause and incorporate further
machinery to aid gradual resumption,
and such machinery as should at some
time insure a constant advance toward
resumption might have much strength
in the Senate. But the decided opinion
of several Senators, who have given
much attention to the subject, is that
no change will be made in the law as
it now stands. AS to any further silver
legislation looking to bullion certificates
and free coinage, there is a decided
opinion among those consulted that
such measures cannot pass, after the
attempt in the House of last Monday.
Even some of the strongest supporters
of these schemes have lost all hopes of
success. One of the members of the
Finance Committee, of the longest ex-
perience, said to-day that if he were a
business man he should act upon the
belief that the tariff bill would not be-
come a law this session that the re-
sumption act would not be repealed,
and that no silver bullion certificate
bill would pass.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
DEMOCRACY-A CONTRAST.

[Natchitoches Vindicator.l
Tho utter failure of the General
Assembly to not only relieve the peo
pie from the effect of Radical govern.
ment, but to hearken to their impera.
tive demands by calling a Constitu.
tional Convention, should not be, nol
must not be attributed to the Democ-
racy-nor to those of the mass who
were, and are the Democrats that de-
feated Radicalis1n.
The Democratic party is essentially
| a peoples party-a poor and rich
mans party-and it's legislation has
always been to protect the poor from
the rapacious eXactions of the rich.
That embraces the whole science of
human government. The ignorant and
the poor are the weak, and have
always been tyranized over by the
rich, because they are the powerful,
and it is to protect the weak from the
strong, that social governments are
organized.
In the General Assembly just ad-
journed, there were not fifty Demo-
Gratis, per Sc, all told while the State
officials of that party do not number
a half dozen. A vicious faction of our
people-trained in duplicity and trick
cry, has managed to ride into power
on the broad backs of the honest Demo-
cratice yoemanry of our common
wealth.
The people generally understand
this and have yet faith in the Demo-
cratic party and principles. Conser-
vatism was never popular with the
mass of mankind, because it is creed
in direct conflict with every day life.
Existence is one continued aggressive
battle, and to cease the struggle leaves
the wretch to starvation.
A party of individuals can never
raise higher than the individual, and
that party which exists but to temper
and trim to the vagaries Of the mob
to drift along seeking its ease only,
and claiming the virtue Of the phari-
see, is doomed to ignominious disas-
ter, and the people who submit to its
will achieve naught
but degradation and ruin.
Twelve months of "Conservative
rule" in Louisiana has convinced
thinking men, however much the
tongued sirens of that faction
may have luiied them for the moment,
Of the utter hopelessness of practical
being derived from other than
men of steadflst principles.
The conservatives in the General
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
THE ANDERSON CASE.
TCarroll Conservative

The late decision of the Supreme
Court reversing the verdict of the jnry
in the Anderson case, and virtually
acquiting the remaining members OF
the late Returning Board, has elected
any number OF opinions as to it's 1ner-
its and demerits, and provoked any
amount of debate. The case being one
of great public notoriety, and involving
questions in which every citizen of
our State is deeply interested, we deem
it necessary to have our little say about
the matter, and then dismiss it to the
sHatIy precincts which it must naturally
seek in the future.
The decision of the highest court of
our State in this case has turned, as
we are informed, entirely upon the
law points, as it properly should, and
not upon any facts which were ELECTED
upon the Superior Criminal Court at
New Orleans. If we had had an op-
portunity of reading the opinion de-
livered by the court on Monday morn
ing last, we could write more directly
and intelligently upon the merits Of
the decision but the people generally
care but little about the law points
of the matter. 1t is the facts-thc
damning facts, that interest them, as
we'll as the probable effect of the dccis-
ion upon the future of our State.
Now rs to the facts, they remain
intact as they wero testified to before
the jury-Gen. Il. G. Anderson super
vised and assisted in the fraudulent
alteration of the condensed returns of
the election sent in from Vernon parish,
which alteration was forgery. The
District Attorney, when making out
tho indictment, set up that the paper
containing the said returns fraudulent
~ altered, was II sspublic document -
an exception is taken by the prisoners |
attorney. upon the ground that the
said paper was not n public document.
No denial of the fraud, no attempt
made to show that he, Anderson, and
the Others did not alter the figures to
SUIT thelr own views and calculations /;
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
A REMARKABLE STORY,

An almost incredible story is related
of Marshal Canrobert, who was sent to
Rome to represent France at the fune-
raj of Victor Emanuel and the acces-
sion to the throne of Humbert. For
the expense of himself and suite he
was given thirty thousand francs, of
which he spent only thirteen thousand.
On his return home he went to the
foreign Office and handed to the minis
ter of that department the balance,
amounting to seventeen thousand
francs. The minister refused to take
the money, saying that there was no
precedent for such thing; that the
outlay was made and accounted for,
and that was the end of it. The Mar
shall answered that if it was absolutely
necessary that somebody should steal
this money, he would rather somebody
else should do it, and asked for re-
ceipt. Such is the story, and as Canro-
bert was born in 1909, before defraud-
ing the government was considered no
robbery, it is possible it may be true
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
INTEREST.

Usury, legalised usury, is bankrupt
ing the people of this State. A fair re-
turn for the use Of money is founded in
common sense. Five per cent is legal
and eight per cent conventional inter-
est, bat as amended If tho interest be
included in the face of the note there is
no limit. It is self.evident that any
rate beyond legitimate profit is NOR
ally and civilly wrong; as it imposes
upon the borrower the necessity of
fsways that are dark" in order to save
himself.
Rents pay about five per cent on
value, and they are the only stable and
safe guides in business. When the
country is prosperous they are high,
and vice versa. They are reliable
basis for contracts and no interest can
morally be required beyond it. The
debtor class is too large to overlook the
exaction or tolerate the wrong much
longer.
If United States and State securities
can find a ready market at four and q
half and fiN Q per cent, where would be
the hardship of limiting the interest to
five per cent on private contracts secur-
ed by mortgage on the best farming
lands in christendom ? The security
is infinitely superior. There is no
comparison between .taith and reality.
The last Legislature Of Kentucky
has taken the initiative ON this subject
and fixed the rate of interest in that
State at six per cent, under penalty
of forfeiture of all in excess of that
amount. 1t is good law and we hope
to see some of our legislation next
year devoted to the same subject and
in the same direction. Usury must be
prohibited and money lenders brought
within the pale of legitimate transac-
tiOnS
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

no disapproval of the fearful crime by
them committed; on the contrary, q
stubborn chuckling over their own au-
dacity in setting aside the will of the
people as expressed at the ballot box,
and defiant dependence upon the
question. Was the consolidated returns
from Vernon parish a public document?
The Supreme Court of our State said
it was not! And Anderson is free.
But what sort of freedom will he, or
can he enjoy? He has escaped the
penalty of his crime by mere techni-
cality. He will carry around with
him the moral guilt of his atrocious
deeds, from which he can never escape.
The brand of a convicted and con-
demned felon will lasten itself upon him
and cause him to be loathed by his
fellows. A technicality has saved him
from the interior of the penitentiary
but it did not and cannot save him
from the damning proof that caused
an impartial jury to pronounce him
guilty. Surely his punishment is as
much as he can bear, and we are COM
paratively satisfied, and willing to let
him drag out the balance of his days,
an escaped convict, a pitiful object, and
a warning to all others who may in the
future attempt to tamper with the will
of the voters, as expressed at the ballot
box.
AS to what will be the immediate
and future effect of the acquittaI upon
the people and general interests of our
State, it is somewhat difficult to con-
lecture. Hayes in the White House,
and Anderson in the penitentiary,
would have been such a contradictory
cartoon, that it would have been spread
broad cast over tho country. Hayes
11,o
would have been such a revival of the
by question as would have shaken
the continent from its center to its cir
cumference, and the experience of late
years has shown that whenever gen.
eral shaking up takes place the South
has always come out undermost, and
now she needs peace. No one will
doubt the integrity and legal rectitude
of the august body that rendered the
decision.
| Anderson is not the first criminal
| who has escaped on a technicality, and
since all the forms of law have been
complied with and vindicated, we can
not see that any OWL can possibly en-
sue. On the contrary the (anticipated)
storm, thunder and tightening that
devoted State this fall from the Radi-
cal Republican headquarters, on ac-
count of what was termed "the perse-
cution of tho returning board," must
now be turned in some other direction,
or be dissipated by the reviving rays
cmanating from the peaceful solution
of what was fast becoming question
of more than ordinary national impor-
tance. "Exact and equal justice to all
men," however desirable, is not aways
attainable, and though the guilty in
this case have escaped the direct pen
atty of their crimes, their wings have
been sufficiently clipped to prevent
their doing any further harm to our
people, and Louisiana, we have good
reason to hope, will in tho future have
peace and prosperity.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
A REPLY TO SLEMINS.
Editor O,tucAitt1 Telegraph:

Editor Ouuc/titn Telegraph:
Your correspondent Sol Slemins, in
your last issue, asks you several ques-
tions, and knowing as do that your
time is taken up with other things,
u word to Mr.. Slemins.
Now, Sol, you are an honest fellow
and mean well, but you must remem-
Der that we arc living in fast age.
Everything now is done with lever
and that lever is made OF money; with
out money nothing can be done. If
there is source to get money, we go
to it and get it. The Custom House
has money. You see money is needed
for many things that you country peo-
pic don't understand. It is best that
you don't understand, because there
would not be enough for us all, and
that would create confusion. OF course
after the Legislature adjourns we will
have an investigation and arrange to
our satisfaction it's no business of you
country Jakes. The government of the
United States is not jealous she stands
proudly at the head of the list and bids
defiance to the balance of the world.
You country people want a conven-
ton; want new constitution; and If
we would listen to you, you would get
bold enough to want an honest govern
ment; you want too much in fact,
you don't know what you do want. /
am truly, Sol, ashamed of you.
Our friend Anderson is in trouble
now, and all for nothing, and do hope
that Nickles will pardon him we miss |
Tom. We will get up very, very |
long petition signed by everybody and |
his wife, and I think that he will par
don Tom it will be as easy for him to |
40 that as 1t was to sign the railroad
bill. ~
In regard to the railroad, Sol, will
try to explain. You sec the company's
credit that is trying to build the road
IS somewhere between so and 100 per
cent less than nothing. Now it is
hoped and confidently believed that the
money that they will get from the
State will enable them to borrow money
ny giving good security. That satisfies
you, don't it, Sol?
Sol, want to give YOU a little ad.
vice: You are now wallowing in
privileges you can go to the polls and
vo.e Just the same as we do; you can
gee drunk ON mean whisky, fight, and
aa.,. W nave money enough to play
cent ante poker. We do the same
only we get drunk on champarne an,'
play poker at $50 ante. The only DIFF
teIeee t,. rs IN our positions, and if YOU
don't mind we will take from vo,, sS,,,a
OF the many privileges that Won now,
enjoy; you are getting obdurate NV
member that forbearance may cease to
be a virtue; we are disposed tn ho
lenient towards you, but you must not
get to be too inquisitive; knowletl.e
can be OF no earthly use to you, so drv
up. You made a big fuss about a Dem.
ocratic government; you have got II
yet you are not satisfied. am dis
gusted with you. MILAN
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

some months after Wadleigh's term
expires. In order to prevent a vacan-
cy, ought not the previous Legislature
to elect the Senator? Wadleigh, who
is candidate for reelection, will wait
until 1879. The eLegislaturejuste elected
seems disposed to assert its privileges
and elect a Senator this year. A very
pretty complication and contest might
be arranged if Bill Chandler were
elected this year and Wadleigh in 1879.
-NeaU Orleans Democrat.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

The Property Holders Union of
New Orleans have adopted the follow
ing:
Rrsoltra, That the late Legislature,
which has just adjourned, betrayed
the people and violated their most
solemn and sacred pledges.
Resolced, That we beg the people
throughout this State to vote down
their treacherous and deccitful amcnd-
ments.
Resolred, That inasmuch as a general
election will bcsnecessary. to elect a
State Treasurer and Representatives to
to tho next Legislature; that we sug-
sest the advisability of clcctins ut the
same time delegates to 4 constitutional
with the object of making
4 new constitution and of having the
same submitted to the people for
so soon as their labors shall
have been concluded in the premises.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
FOREIGN.

Osman Pasha has returned to Con-
stantinople.
The British naval training sloop,
IIurydice, with 400 officers, crews and
cadets on board, has capsized near the
Isle of Wight.
The ST. Petersburg Golos says that
aspirations of the Russian people
They wanted all Turkey, doubtless.
The Turks have now a large army in
and around Constantinople. The re-
ports that Russia has demanded the
Withdrawal of the British fleet from
the Sea Of Marmora are now stated to
have been premature.
Iseouf Pasha and General Ignatief
have returned from st. Petersburg to
Constantinople. Tho former went to
ask the Gar to modify the more strin-
gent features of the treaty. The Car
is reported to be willing to do so, on
condition that a Russo-TurAish alliance
be formed.
The Russian reply to the English
demand that all the features of the
treaty be placed before the Congress-, is
not considered satisfactory. Russia
deems that in making known the
treaty to each government, it is left
optional with them to take it up as a
whole or in parts. Until this point is
settled, the meeting of the Congress is
undetermined.
The Republicans have control of the
New Hampshire Legislature beyond
doubt by fair majority, but are still
a good deal troubled about the senatori-
al question. They entertained great
fears of Il defeat and of losing the Legis-
laturc in the election the other day,
and had made arrangements in the
event of this defeat not to lose the sena-
torship. These arrangements have
placed them in an awkward position,
from which they can only escape by a
change of front. New Hamp-
shire lately decided upon changing the
time for holding its State election from
March to November. AS q result of
this change it elects two Legislatures
this year, one of which has been lust |
elected 4 few days ago, while the other |
will be chosen in the fall. Tho term |
Of Senator Wadleigh expires in March,
1879. Which of these Legislatures |
elects his successor: Fearing that they
would not be successful in March, the
decided that the Novem-
Der Legislature was the body to elect
| Senator. Now that they have secur-
I'd the Mar.h Legislature, they want
hat body to make the choice. The
question is undoubtedly Il complicated
me. Wadlcigh's senatorial term On
'ires March, 1879. Ought not the
in existence ut that time
O elect the new Senator? On the other
,and, this Legislature, although elected
II November, does not meet until June,
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

Powerful emotion often kills the
body at single stroke. Chilo, Dia-
goras and Sophocles died of joy at the
Grecian games. The news of a defeat
killed Phillip ". The door-keeper of
Congress expired on hearing Of the
surrender of CORVALLIS, and Lagrave
died on hearing that the music prize,
for which he had contended, had been
awarded to another.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

Louisiana has on the United States
pension list 679 names; Alabama, 7O5 !;
Arkansas, 664; Georgia, 7Os; Missis-
sippi, sol South Carolina, aoI Texas,
All. l
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

The general conference of the Metho-
dist Church South will be held in At
lanta the first Wednesday in May.
The general business of the conference
will embrace many interesting SUBJ
jects, prominent among which will be
First-The relations to each other of
the two great branches of American
Methodism. Second-The adjustment
of the presiding elder question. Third
Temperance and great moral SUBJ
jects, including, perhaps, the questions
involved in the discussion of the SUBJ
ject of dancing. The Louisiana con-
ference will be represented by Rev.
Linas Parker, D. D.. Rev. Charles w.
Carter, Rev. James +. Cobb, Rev. John
A. Miller, Edward J. Gay, w. II. N.
Magruder, B. O. L. Rayne, John L..
Scales.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29
A MEAGRE BILL OF FARE.
The Hard Lines of the People of
Vicksburg During the Siege.

[Edward S. Gregory in the Philadelphia |
Weekly Times.]
How these people subsisted was an
other wonder. The straits to which
in fact. "After the tenth day of the
siege," says the report of Gen. Stephen
d. Lee, the men lived on about half
rations, and less than that toward the
close." The ration has been described
to consist of one-quarter pound of bacon,
one-half pound of beef, five-eighths
quart of meal, besides an allowance OF
peas, rice, sugar and moiasses. OF this,
anon. The citizens must have had
less and where they got that from
was mystery. Business, of course,
was suspended. There were some
stores that had supplies, and at these
prices climbed steadily in a manner
suggestive of the prophecy of Jeru-
salem's undoing. A barrel of flour at
last came to sell for $1OO-an immense
figure then but worse than the figure
were the two later facts-that nobody
had the money, and then nobody had
the flour. Some people eked out their
supplies by cooking the tender sprouts
of the common cane, OF which there
was an immense ssbrake" just below
Vicksburg. I have reason to believe
that few applications, and those only
by the poorest people, were made to
the military powers for help through
out all this trial. Sympathy and
patriotism must have improvised
practical communism. The cruise and
barrel had little dust and JUNCTION to
the last.
How about the mule meat? every
body will inquire while rations are
being treated. Both horse and mule
ken co, ~ 1od Inn inc
the seige, though not in the way that
by many may be imagined. On ac-
count of the want of provender nearly
all the horses of the garrison were
turned out of the lines, and as the other
side could not safely take them unless
they strayed within reach, many of
them were killed by the cross-fre.
EARLY in the siege, when some of the
men cnplained of the scanty ration,
Gen. Smith, believe, who had seen
the thing done on the plains, issued a
circular to his brigades, recommending
that the experiment of horse meat to
be tried to piece it out. I was on hand
that evening when somebody, waiting
till dark, slid over the works and cut
a steak out of a horse that had been
shot that day beneath them. It was
cooked at Gen. Vaughn,s fire, and
was coarse and nobody hungered for
any more. Some of the soldiers did
like it and eat it not to speak of rats
and other small deer which the Lou
isianians, being Frenchmen, were said
to prepare in many elegant styles for
the table. When Pemberton was
thinking about cutting his way out
he had a half a dozen fellows, men
who looked like Mexicans or Indians,
cutting mule meat at the old depot of
the Southern Railroad and jerking it
over slow fires to make it handy and
lasting. One morning, for trial, I
bought pound of mule meat at this
market, and had it served at breakfast
for the mess. There was no need to
try again. On the day of the surrender,
and only then, a ration of mule meat
was actually issued but nobody need
cat it, as Gen. Grant issued abundant
supplies of the best that his army had.
The Ouachita telegraph., 1878-03-29

The fur trade of the Hudson's Bay
Company in Manitoba, according to a
correspondent, is most valuable in fine
martens, of which about 12O, 900 skins
are exported each year. These are the
sables of the stores, and are worth 50
to $3 each. The most valuable fur OBJ
tanned is that of the black and silver
foxes for which the Company pays $40
to $50 per skin.