The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-06-13
A SPECIAL DEFENSE.

The Timer Democrat and The States
of one day last week both contained
three column editorial anicles in de.
tense Of the Governor in connection
with the land conteact of John Nc
Emery, in which the subject is treat.
ed 80 nearly alike as to warrant the
suspicion that they were inspired by
the same person, though written by
different editors. The defense made
is just such an one as hired advo-
cate would make ia a bad cause be-
fore court of justice, and as plea
at the bar of public opinion it is
weak, specious and wholly unsound.
1t is first attempted to show that
because Mr.. Mahoney and others
when the bill was before the House,
fled protest stating that under its
terms the Governor might give away
the whole of the lands to be recover.
ed as compensation, ergo, the House
was aware of its terms aud if its
members did not intend that the
whole of it should be given away,
they were criminally negligent in not
changing the terms Of the Act so as
to protect the State. The names CT
the members Of the House and SEN
ate who voted for the bill are there
given and their character is held up
as a guarantee that nothing wrong
was then intended. We remember to
have read something like this bosh
in the special defense published by
the Governor himself.
The falIacy of the argument con.
sists in the attempt to throw the
blame entirely on the Legislature.--
That body has not itself been free
from very severe criticism about
other matters, but il surely was not
to be blamed if it trusted to the Gov
ernor OF the State, the head of oae of
the CO ordinate departments of th
State, to see that contract which it
authorized should be so made and
executed as to protect the State and
subserve its best interests. They
were doubtless at fault 10 their con-
fidence, since that very trust of theirs
is now brought forward to shield the
Executive Department from the
blame Of admitted abuses under the
contract. If it is to be said that the
Executive is not to be trusted and
that the Legislature Is TO shoulder
the entire responsibility for oil such
contracts unless it in authorizing
them 80 word the Act as to deprive
the Governor Of all discretion, then
there might be something in the ar.
gument.
The fact is that The Legislature
did trust the execution of the con
tract to the Executive department,
and it cannot be denied That the
abuses of which complaint is so gen.
orally made, grew out of the execu.
ton of the contract and originated
10 a change Of its terms, which was
not authorized by the Legislature nor
contemplated by it. The compensa.
ton provided for in the Act was
portion Of the identical lands to be
recovered from the United States
Government. This was changed so
that scrip was issued based on sea
marsh lands worth bit an acre and
this scrip was located subsequently,
on some of the best public lands own.
ed by the State, which had not been
recovered by John McEuery and with
which be had nothing to do. The
Pic:yane publishes q table showing
that he had recovered about $65. 900
worth of land and had been paid in
scrip about $4,000. Ifthis is a true
statement of facts it shows a worse
job Of speculation, spoilation and
robbery than was ever contaminated
under Radical rule in this State.
It will do but little good TO the
present administration to say that it
vas not aware of the operations of
- IS contract. II the Governor did
cot know of it, be ought to have
known and it was bis bounden duty
10 know OF it and to protect the State
by appealing to the Courts If neces-
sary. Nor does it serve him to saw
hat he found the contract made
when by accident he found himself
vt the head of the Executive depart
nent. Governor was 10 office but a |
ew months and during the greater
part OF that time the present Cover
aor was acting in bis stead. II he !
'ound the State being SO materially |
Injured by the operations of con. |
'ract made by his predecessor it was |
ais duty to have either notified the !
legislature of the fact. or il they
we're not in session, to have resorteti
% the Courts.
Instead Of doing either Of these
Kings he maintained a rigid silence. |
he was silent also when tile Register |
II the Land Office was exchanging {
The cash that came into his hands
or lands with a broker FOR this very
'ame McEnery scrip and dividing
he difference with the broker. He