St. Landry democrat., 1883-06-09
What Next.
u. O. Pieayune.

The resignation OF j. U. richardson,
Register of the State Land Office, was
doubtless designed as a concession to
public sentiment, now so pronounced
throughout the State, on the question.
of the McEnery land contract. 1t is, OF
course, no longer denied that the
abuses of the Office by Gov. McEnery,s
appointee We're outrageous and shame
less. That the laws have been set at
defiance and the treasury plundered is
certainly good reason for the resigna-
tion.
But what next? Is it to be supposed
that the ends of justice are attained by
this step alone9 Are the public inter
ests fully protected by this simple pro-
ceeding? Does the administration
consider that it's duty has been per-
formed by SO tardy and so Insignificant
move? The wrongs that have been
inflicted upon the State through this
land.contract and the scandalous and in
iduitOus manner in which it has been
executed are not remedied simply by
the retirement of the Register. In so
far as that official himself is concerned
there is yet much to be done in the
cause Of good government. Is he to go
fourth UNPUBLISHED, and no effort to be
made to even obtain restitution of the
moneys which have been diverted from
the treasury The laws of the State
have been violated, and if speculation
in high places is to go without even an
Investigation before the criminal
courts, the State has indeed reached a
be ignored and not even civil proceed
the treasury, it is about time to bid
eternal farewell to all honesty in pub
lie affairs. IF Mr.. Richardson has been
the res and only guilty party in the
croOkedness Of the Land Office, then
the Administration cannot shirk its res
possibility to the people of the State in
the matter of prosecution before the
courts. lie the losses to the treasury are
traceable solely to Mr.. Richardson, and
he had none to share with him, then
surely his bondsmen cannot evade res
possibility to the State.
The Picayune is doing what it can to
ascertain the full extent of the misman-
agement and short comings Of the office,
and its information will in due course Of
time be laid before the public. 1t is be-
yOnd question that many thousands Of
dollars have been diverted from the
treasury, and that tie administration of
the Office was one of the most shameless
In the annals OF the State.
But even after such steps as these are
taken, what next? There remains in
operation contract thata large major
ity Of the people of Louisiana believe to
be in violation of the law, and under its
workings many thousands of dollars
more are likely to be taken from the
State. That contract if valid and just
can fear nothing from a Judicial inter
probation. lie it is fair and legal the
courts of the State will sustain it. No in
Jury can come to any body, if John Nc
Emery has legal claim, when the high.
est court of the Commonwealth shall
have an opportunity to pass upon it
Nor could any fair minded man consent
to the further execution OF contract
which has been SO widely questioned
The people will certainly hold the Gov
ernor responsible for not performing a
duty to the public in checking any fur.
Their locations of this scrip. The State
has already parted with $4,000 acres OF
land, worth $4,000, to the contractor
and is worse off than if she had let the
lands recovered remain in the posses
sion Of the Federal Government.