St. Landry democrat., 1886-09-04
A Reconnaissance of the LegiS-
latIlrC.
Picayune.

| Picayune.
| A correspondent of the Shreveport
Times, whom the editor of that paper
declares to be one of the most prOml-
nent men in Louisiana, has written
from this city, under date of Aug. 20, a
communication in which it is plainly
charged that the country members OF
| the legislature and not the people OF
| New Orleans are responsible for the
corruption and inetficiency that have
for some time past characterized the
New Orleans delegation in the State
Legislature. He says:
All that is necessary to establish the truth of
this charge OF the cOuntry's responsibility for
this unhappy and disgraceful condition of
affairs as affecting this parish, is reference to
the facts brought to tho attention OF the Gene
raj Assembly, as to the fraud, forgery, false
statements OF returns. etc, in regard to the
election in this city and parish i'll 1854, when
the Assembly met for organization; facts to
which the country members shut their eyes,
under special pleadinSs OF expectancy, techni-
calties of law, and what not else, and deliber-
atcly seated as members OF the Legislature, to
pass laws i'll the interest of corrupt rings icits
and StateD and the baliot-boX suffers and
their tools (the officers of city and State,l
twenty odd misrepresentation of the people
of Orleans and three-tifths the property value
of the State.
The Shreveport Times, defending the
country members from the charges of
its correspondent, declares that the
people OF New Orleans alone are res
ponslble for the sort of delegates they
elect to the Legislature. This would
be true enough II 1t were not for the
fact that the election machinery in this
city was in the hands of ring backed
by all the power of the State, which
was welded without scruple to force
the election, so-called, of its tools and
minions. 1t was the helplessness of the
people of this city against such pow
erful oligarchy that caused the organi-
cation OF some of the best citizens to
make war upon this election monopoly,
with what result let the political bis
tory OF the past year testify. The
Shreveport Times, however, has this to
say in regard to the country members:
But they could very well give New Orleans
relief by passing au anti-Dallot box stuffing
law, and thus prevent the election of corrupt
men. For their tnIlure to give this relief the
country members deserve condemnation. But
even here the condemnation would not be
wholly deserved, as the city delegation with
the negro contingent can readily defeat the
passage of relief laws by the aid of very
few country representatives.; and this number,
obtain.
We are not disposed to lay any blame
in the premises on the country MEM
bers OF the Legislature. They might
have voted for certain measures of re-
lief asked for by citizens of New Or
leans, but then they might have done
worse and assisted in carrying through
jobs that would have worked infinite
injury to this city and State.
So much for the past. In future it is
to be hoped the people of this city will
he able to take care of themselves. The
Inroads that have been made upon the
power of the State ring warrant the
belief that it's strength and influence
will be wholly broken by the time of
the next State election and the people
be left free to choose their own repre-
We will labor for 1t.