The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-10-02
Abolish Grant Parish.
Editor Chronicle !:

In an editorial OF September 18th,
beaded abolish Grant Parrish" YOU
appear to characterize the petition
as the Selfish ends of few interest
ed individuals" This, in its spirit
aud letter, stands antagonistic to
every principle upon which our gov
ernment is based. It is well known
to all that the parish Of Grant was
not created by the people, but was
forced upon them by MIR. Calhoun, in
opposition to the will of every prop
erty holder lof the Rapides portion
without a single exception; and, as
we understand it, the petition to the
police jury is for the purpose Of CIV
ing the people u chance. for the first
time, to say ut the ballot box whether
it shall stand or fall, and no man (un-
less his opinion is that the people
have no rights, however much he
may be in favor of the present fraud
upon our rights, could object to sign
lug such a petition. Aside from all
this. we have many good reasons for
putting our territory back as it stood
before MIR. Calhoun changed our
boundaries to suit himself, and not
one for submitting to this change.
Among the very serious objections
one is that our limited amount of
taxable property will always keep our
parish taxes very high, and our po-
lice jury will necessarily be compelled
to repndia,e often. Another very
serious objection is that We have but
one town or village within our limits
where court house aud Jail could
be protected from the lawIess, and
this place is considered too far from
central. We hear of several points
that are suggested as location for
the court house and jail Among
them are Raven Camp, Rock Island,
central point in the pine woods,
etc. 1t certainly would be the wild
est stretch Of the Imagination to sup
pose that anything ever would be at
any of these places except the court
house and Jail. with the usual whisky
shop while court was in session.
Mr.. Editor, suppose yourself in
,:arceraied in that jail, the jailor
about the sole iuhabitant of the To-
cation, and that two or three drunk
en- rowdies should take fancy to
hang you. probably then you would
realized the situation and think it
was a great mistake that the court
house and jail we're not back in the
old town of Alexandria where they
belonged. Aside from the fact that
it may interfere with the political as
pirations of q few individuals, and
the Office hunting propensitiss OF
some others, We know of no reasons
why it would not be best for all to
abolish. Respectfully yours,
THos. X. SMITH.
Mr.. Smith misquotes our language
somewhat in saying we characterized
the petition as the "sel6sh ends of a
few interested individuals" as our
nearest approach to II was the ques-
ton, "Why permit the selfish ends Of
single community to upset an or.
ganized government?" This was 10
reference to the fact that the eighty
names we saw were Those of persons
living in and around Montgomery,
while upon speaking to as many from
other portions of the parish We dis
covered they were opposed to it. II
was the simple expression of convic-
ton that a majority of her citizens
do not want Grant parish abolished
to which we have as good a right Al
those who hold contrary. Whenever
a vote shall decide the question, it II
Of small Importance to US what tht