The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-08-02
l)efalmstory and Malignant.
IN. D. DemOcrat.)

BY some denounced. as embOdyiig the
obnoxious hsresy Of reputation.
The Times derives great satisfaction
from articles IN Northern papers which
treat this ordinance In style indicative
Of bitter sectional hostility and Of that
spirit of PRODUCTION aud maliguity that
characterize their whole course toward
the Sonthem States Nothing could be
more false aud unjust than this imputa.
ton. Nothing could impose more strong.
~ the lack Of sympathy for aud Of jus
tice to our people. We cannot believe
hat they originate in ignorance Of our
condition aud circumstances. Nor can
these msignsss plead ignorsace Of the
terms Of adjustment offered 70 the pub
lie cre6t.,ls That these terms en-
body . recognition Of the face Of the
debt in Pite Of the strong conviction Of
y large portion Of our people Of the 10.
validity Of . considerable part Of it:
and reduction only Of the interest N ~
to bring it within tho capacity Of the
people to pay. without impoverishing
and depressing them to . degree which
would impair the security to the crsdi-
tors Of future payments. With what
truth v justice can such IN adjustment
be regarded or styled repudiationf Is it
not the improperly styled reputation to
which all indebted persons or communal
ties have been driven in times Of great
distress and reduced resources ! DO not
all just and prudent creditors gladly ex-
tend such respite to debtors in the situs-
tiOn Of this peOples And are not those
Justly denounced % Sbylocks who stand
upon thu letter Of their bond and would
depl,te their debtor VI biz life bloody
Tic ordinance submitted TO tho peo-
pie proposes q tax Of six mills, Of which
tbre mills are to be set aside 70 meet
the interest on the debt II necessary.
This il the full measure Of provision
for the debt urged upon the Convention
by those who claimed that the State
wa in honsr bound to ply to the ~.
teut of her ability. Il IL true that the
Convention offered 2, 3 and 4 per cent in.
tr2, instead Of 3 aud pr cent, ~ the
D.uocrat advocated, aud in this res
p>ct it failed to meet our expectations,
bit on the other hand every principle
fer which the Democrat contentled was
wnfirn,ed by the Convention when IL
ncosnized the face Of tho debt and fixed
h. limitation Of taxation ct six mills,
equirsd . levy Of three mills fOs inter.
at, and instructed tho Legislature tn
mfOrce the equalization Of assessments
throughout tho Ststs.
No State in the Union has snffersd u
great reduction in tho valuation Of her
taxable property during the lat ton
years ~ Louisiana, and yet there arc not
three States out Of the thirty.siA which
have imposed higher rate Of tsxa'i
than that proposed In the debt ordinance
This 10 nearly double the rate Of taxation
|impos~d before tho war when tho rssour.
Gee Of the State were three times larger
than they are nov.
Put yourselves aud your States in tho
sams place. 70 sectional trsduesrs Of our
state. aud answer il in like circumstxn.
css YOU would act with m"re libsrxlity
and sslf sacrifice toward your creditors,
and il you would resent with lsss vigor
and Just indignation the impatatiou Of
'.rspudiatioa
Would you consent to burden yoas
nsopls with . tax which would take rum
your farmers their eesd corn, their mileh
cows. expel then from their homes, and
DEPRIVE their children Of education,
which wonld discourage immiration,
capital and enterprise, and passlyss OIL
the agencies in the rscnpstss'on Of .
Site % greatly exhausted, ~ order to
meet ths demssds Of TIE holdess u =
debt incurred when The people wvrs
dOubly ~ rich aud prosperous ~ they
now sseY Was THE the policy Of thu
morality Of the honest and thrifty iasmsss
Of Psnnsylvania thirty ysaes ago, Whse