St. Landry democrat., 1879-07-19
The EscpssssEaeIEsS Press.
New Orleans Democrat. |

new orleans iC1nOCIut.
Some OF our country exchanges evl-
IDENTIFY have not read the maj lOrlty report
or the evidence produced before the
Convention concerning the subject OF
the debt.
They approve the majority report, and
say that it declares twO-thirds OF the
debt fraudulent, and that the committee
pointed out the fraudulent bonds to the
Convention. On the contrary, the conf
mittee admitted their inability to idcn-
tify any portion Of the new consols as
the fraudulent ones, and under their
report no holder OF n new consol would
have received Il dollar, hence the report
was virtual reputation of all the new
cOnsOls..
Strange to say, then, we find these
journals approving tie majority report,
which effected total reputation, and
aging that nothing less than its adop-
ton will satisfy the people, and yet
advocating II scaling Of the debt - per
cent and the payment of per cent in
terest on the balance. Why acllnowl-
edge nine millions, if the minority re-
port is true? ? According to these model
ilOralsts, the delegates who are will
ing to pay 1 per cent interest upon nine
millions of the debt, which is denounced
as fraudulent, are patriots, and the
delegates who seek to save the honor Of
the State by keeping the pledges Of the
Democratic party, and adjusting the
debt with the creditors, paying 3 per
cent on twelve millions Tor fifteen years,
are iOrsOoth, traitors, sold to the bond
holders.
Out upon such twaddle; it has the
merit neither of truth nor consistency
the outcry is based upon the plea OF re-
iieving the people, whereas the most
yer(iant SchOolboy could demonstrate
! that the people would pay precisely
| $4,000 per year for fifteen years il
! either proposition be carried into effect.
| Again, the relief secured by the Con
! vention is denounced as dUgateilc in the
| face of the fact that a limitation of
| taxation to six mills will prove a saving
| to the people Of SSS5,O00 per year in
| direct taxation alone. The saving in
interest in the first fifteen years under
! the present adjustment amounts to seven
million two hundred thousand dollars.
But, say our virtuons friends, care we
to recognize the binding effect of an act
passed by the usurping Kellogg Legis-
iature ?" Softly, friends; you are bound,
ut least, so far as you acquicsced in
these acts. Did you approve the Baton
| Rouge platform OF 1876 and 1878? Your
files and the proceedings OF your parish
meetings, copies OF which are now be-
fore us, say that you did, and these
same files and parish meetings record
your indorsement of the Nichols ad-
i m;nistration. The first Nichols Legis-
| lature re- enacted the funding act. This
act No. 50 OF 1877 is signed by Francis
| T, Nichols, Governor:
! Anact to enforce ef'ectnaly the constitutional
| amendments proposed Jaunary, "a, 1874, rati,
| fed at the general election held on the second
| of November, 1884, relative to the state debt
and the funding thereof.
Did any Democratic newspaper in the
State protest against the passage OF this
| act2
Again, we are told tl.at the platforms
of the Democratic conventions rec0g-
nized only the legal debt. The Nichols
! Supreme Court have finally decided
| about nine millions of the various issues
Of bonds and warrants as legaj and
fund0ble in the following cases:
/ No. 696-Levce bonds Of 1867 and 1870.
! No 6873-Baton Rouge, Crosse Iete and Ope'
| lousas, Of 1858.
| Nos. 1860, 1913 ana sos Consolidated Associa
| ton OF Planters, of 1925
| No. 70T3-seminary bonds Of 1857.
| Nos. 1892 and 7198-NeW Orleans, JACKSON anQ
Great Northern Railroad, OF 1858.
| No. TI40-WarIantS OF 1872.
| No. 72l2-Warrants OF 1s7i-73
! No. 7309WarrantS OF 1870 and 1873.
| AS to the adoption Of the amendment
| enbraced in act No. 3 of 1874 the Nj
cholls Supreme Court decided that
! This amendment has become a part of ths
| constitution by its subsequent ratification by
| the voters at the polls. y a. 583; Is A. SILL IS
A. 865; 80 A 98l.
| The Supreme Court of the United
| States decided the amendment adopted
See October term 1879, Otto 53l. All
these things were Of public notoriety
The funding was going on for over two
| wears under Nichols Funding Board
and the Democratic Governor of thi:
| State allowed to sign millions of new
bonds, and hundreds of our citizens al
| lowed to purchase them, and the Demo,
cratic press of this State did not tf
its rOice against the debt, as their files
will show on the contrary. assured the
| business community time and agair
that the debt was not to be disturbed.
No, gentlemen, it will not do to claim
that YOU have been consistent. Ii yot
repudiate, you go back upon the pledges
of the Democratic party, and cOnVlc
yourselves of insincerity.
Nor will you serve any good purpose
by charging gentlemen who differ will
YOU with having been bought by ths
bondholders. Remember that thest
men whom you seek to hold up to public
execration Dave battled for good gov
ernment in every campaisn that ha'
contributed to our redemption have
offered their lives and given their tim'
and means without stint to party ser
vice. They are not made OF nettle tt
be blackguagded or broW-beaten int
the advocacy of doctrines which the.
regard as dishonorahle and disastrou
to the party and the State.
The Democrat has made the fight 0
the people against the bondholders, ant
has aided in forcing the latter to abat
their high pretensions, and it will .wag
as fierce warfare against any set OF mel
Of the press or Of the Convention VIII
| seek to bring upon the State and tn
party the disgrace of reputation.
TO REVIVE YOUNG TREEs.-Whe1
young trees have been out OF the groun'
few days, either in transit from til
| nursey or ntharwisp and not DrODeTi