The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-16
See Supplement.
WIPE IT OUT.

ably on Mr.. Arnauld's bill to repeal the char
Der Of the Louisiana State Lottery Company,
A body which SO recently, by an Overwhelm-
ing majority, passed bill calling a constitu-
tional convention for the purpose Of wiping
out OF existence the bayonet edict of 1865 and
afYording the impoverished property and in
dustrial interests OF the State relief we as
sumo, will not hesitate to vote for q bill
which proposes to sweep out Of existence the
weightiest evil under which we labor, and
which was instituted and has been continued
by the most shameful and Ubiquitous legisia-
hon which ever disgraced a civilized State.
The circumstances Of brazen corruption
nnder which the charter of the Lottery
Company was enacted in 1868 have been. dur
ing the past two years, narrated and de-
nounced In these columns. The fact that the
Company has violated even the conditions Of
that charter and forfeited any rights 1t might
have had, has been exposed by the DEMO
GRAF. And finally, time and again we have
denounced acts Nos. and 10 OF 1874, which
the Lottery Company bribed a corrupt Legis-
lature to enact and corrupt Executive to APP
prove, and under the arbitrary and pernicious
provisions OF which the personal liberty Of
citizens Of Louisiana has been most shame
fully outraged.
SO vigorously and persistently did the
DEMOCRAT expose and denounce the iniQuit-
Gus character of the Lottery and It's per-
nicious influences that, notwithstanding it's
anomalous association with our government
In the winter and spring OF 1877, q very pow
erful party was organized In the session of
the Legislature Of 1878 for the repeal OF Its
charter. The repeal was defeated only by the
qualification OF the bogus Radical vote. which
had been admitted into the Legislature
through the compromises which the Lottery
had been, In a measure, instrumental in con-
summating. Nearly every Democratic and
Conservative representative favored the re-
peal. But the Radical vote, sustained by q
few mistaken Democrats, was solid for the
Lottery.
Under the very nose OF the Legislature, cit
liens were arrested and thrown into prison
under act No. 8 on the testimony or affidavits
Of spies and informers OF the worst character.
But the solid phalanx the Lottery had organ
lied In the House and Senate could not be
broken the personal liberty Of the citizen was
Is naught weighed In the balance against the
vested rights Of gambling monopoly.
In the eyes OF the Radical Representatives
who supported the Lottery there was no wrong
In the Incarceration and degradation OF free
Americans under an unconstitutional and
arbitrary law; but it was crime OF the
highest magnitude to touch the rights OF q
vast gambling monopoly which obtained
It's charter by bribery; which had time and
again violated that charter thus corruptly
obtained; which had bribed legislators, owned
Judges, influenced grand juries. sustained
the rotten governments OF WarmOth and
Kellogg, and demoralized the politics OF a
great State. Hence the repeal Of this char |
ter was defeated in the Legislature Of 1873.
But the whole State was aroused. The |
large majority Of the Democrats and Con- |
oervatives In the Legislature were organized |
against this Ubiquitous institution: the press |
Or the State, exclusive Of the Times and Plea |
ssmc Of this CITY, lifted up Its voice for the ex
tinction Of the Lottery; from one extremity |
Of the State to the other came the declaration |
Of the people that the next Legislature should |
repeal charter obtained by bribery and |
which had been used In time past to control |
the executive, legislative and judicial depart |
ments Of the most corrupt administration |
which ever disgraced civilization.
The present Legislature, fresh from the |
people, understands the public sentiment Of
the State on this question, ard will not be |
deferred from acting upon 1t. An effort will |
be made to defeat Mr.. Arnaulds bill on the |
ground that the Lottery Company has vested |
rights which cannot be impaired. That Is
question which the Legislature should turn |
over to the courts. Let the charter. which is |
conceded to be injurious to the |
State and detrimental to public morals. be |
and then IL the company have any |
rights which are impaired by the act OF re- |
peal they can claim them In the same tri- |
bunals before which they have dragged our |
citizens, and through which they are now |
seeking to stile the free voice of the press.
The simple duty Of the Legislature Is to
protect the State, the public morals and the
purity Of elections. On the question Of vested
rights the prima facie case Is In favor Of the
State and against the Lottery Company, and
1t Is the solemn and imperative duty of the /
Legislature to act on that case. The repre-
sentatives of the people must bear in mind
these facts: First, that the charter Of the Lot
terry Company was obtained by bribery and
fraud, and is, therefore, indefensible. Second.
that, granting the charter was not obtained
by fraud, the company have forfeited their
rights under it by violating their obligations.
Third, that, granting that the charter was
honestly obtained and that the company have
fulfilled their obligations, the charter OF such
company cannot be anything more than a
ponce regulation, subject to repeal at any
TIME the public good may demand It.
Legislators In considering the question of
vested rights are bound to make the distinc-
non between charters granted to companies
20 carry on legitimate enterprises recognized
ana protected by the laws Of all civilized