Sugar planter. [volume], March 29, 1856, Image 1

About Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925

Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA

                
VOL. 1. NEW SERIES. WEST BATON ROUGE, SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1856. NO. 13.
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TilE SUGAR PLANTEI, "
PUBLISHED EVERY SATt'RDAY MORNING
UENRY J. 11 M.S. sl
Editor & Proprietor. ill
- ---~ - -- ~ ---
O.ee near the Court Hlo use, ii
I. ST BATO R O UG E.
TERIS of the SCGAR PLANTER: Ii
Ibseriptloion.-$3 year, due insariabtly a' :tie
time of uaberibnmg: if not thenl paid. or ithin three i
months t:ererafter. five dollars will be ch.rged: no tn
subswripti:t wdl be taken for a It-v4 ter:tl than slix
inonth: no paper discontinued until nrrrarages are o
paid. 1I
Advertising.-l Alvertiemints not re.,eding tena
hines, $1 for the first. and 5) eeu~t for ,..et: subtr- s
oret inscrtion:thot.t of gretter ltn thl in pr,';porto: t.
. liberal didcount to those who adverttse by the b
year.
Termas to Clubs.-Where a Club of not lens titan
ten names iS Srut. wtth the casil. the paptr ill hr
f lrtliohed at $2 50 etach tubhritr:'. aO :I n adtition
al copy to the person turnishing the list.
Wheze a Club of not les than twenty is furnilhei. F
with the cash. the paper will be forwarded at $2 25
each saubscriber, and two additional copies for the
agent.
Job Printinog.
Such as PAi'LnIn, BLANKS, CARti. Peters. FFTTReAL
and other Novices, executel i:th meaetners and e- t
@patch. In all canes, cash on delivery.
AYER'S
PILLS.'
FOR ALL TEE PURPOSES OF A
FAMILY PHYSIC.!
TanUs has long existed a public demand for an
effective purgative pill which could be relied "on .s t
sure and perfectly safe in its operation. This has t
been 1prepared to meet that demand, and an exten
sive trial of its virtues has conclusively shown with
what success it acconmplishes the purpose designed.
It is easy to make a physical p;ll. but not easy to
make the best of all pills-one ; hicit should have
tone of the objections, but all the advantages, of
every other. This has been attempted here, andt
with what success we would respectfully submit to
the public decision. It has been unfortunate for
the patient hitherto that almost every purgative
medicine is acrimonious and irritating to the bow
els. This is not. Many of them produce so nmuch
griping pain and revulsion in the system as to more
than counterbalance the good to be derived from
them. These pdls produce no irritation or pain,
unless it arise from a previously existing obstruc
tion or derangement in the bowels. Being purely
vegetable, no harm can arise from their use in any
qtiantity; but it is better that any medicine should
be taken judiciously. Minute directiors for their
use in the several disPeaes to which they are ap
plicablle are given on the box. Among the com
plaints which have been speedily cuired by thenm, we
may mention Liver Complaint, in its various fitrms
of Jaundice, Indigestion, Languar and Loss of Ap- !
petite, Listlessness, Irritability, Bilious Headache,
ilious Fever, Fever and Ague, Pain in the Side I
and Loins; for, in truth, all these are but the con
sequence of diseased action in tie liver. As an
aperient they afford prompt and sure relief in Cos
tiveness, Piles. Colic. Dvsenterv. Hul ors, Scrofula I
and Scurvy, Colds witl soreness of the body, lecers
and impurity of the blood, Irregularities ; in short,
any and every case where a purgative is required.
They have also prtoduced some singularly sue
ressful cures in Rheumatism, Gout, Dropsy, Gravel,
Ervsipelas., Palpitation of the Ileart. Pains in the
Back, Stomach. and Side. They should he freely
taken in the spring of the year, to purify the blood
and prepare the system for the change of seasonls.
An occasional dose stimulates the stomach and
bowels into healthy action, and restores the appe
tite and vigor. They purify the blood, and, by their
stimulant action on the circulatory system, reno
vate the strength of the body. antd restore the
wasted or diseased energies of the whole organism. I
Hence an occasional dose is advantageous, even
though no soritus deransencnt exists; but lui
necessary dosing should nexer he carried too far,
as every purgative medicine reduces the strength,
when taken to excess. The thousand cases in which
a physic is required cannot be entunerated here, but
they suggest themselucs to the . ;as. n of every
body; and it is confidently believed this pill will I
answer a better purpose than any thing which has
hitherto been available to mankind. When their
virtues are once known, the public will no longer
doubt what remedy to employ when in need of a
cathartic medicine. Being sugar-wraplped, they are
pleasant to take, and being purely vegetable, no
Larm can arise from their use in any quantity.
For minute directions, see wrapper on the Box.
FREPARED BY
DR. JAMES C. AYER,
Practical and Analytical Chemnist,
LOWtLL, MASS.
PFrle 23 Cents per Box. Five Boxes for $L
-- --- --- -- i
. AYER'S
CHERRY PECTORAL,
For the rapld Cure of
COUGHS, COL DS, HQARSENESS,
BRONCHITIS, WHOOPING-COUGIl
CROUP, ASTHMA, IND
CONSUMPTION.
Tmis remedy has won for itself such notoriety
eron its cures of every variety of pulmonary disease,
that it is entirely unnecessary to recount the evi
dences of its virtues in any community where it
has been employed. So wide is the field of its use
fuhness, and so numerous the cases of its cures,
that almost every section of the country abounds
in persons publicly known, who have been restored
from alarming and even desperate diseases of the
lungs by its use. When once tried its superiority
over every other medicine of its kind is too appa
rent to escape observation, and where its virtues are
known, the public no longer hesitate what antidote
to employ for the distressmg and dangerous affec
tions of the pulmonary organs which a-e incident
to our climate. Not only in formidable attacks
upon the lungs, but for the milder varieties of
CoLDe, CovUoe, HOARSEzNEss, &c.; and for CHIn
Daxt t is the pleasantest and safest medicine that
anbe obtained.
As it has long been in constant use throughout
this section, re need not do more than assure the
people its quality is kept up to the be.st that it ever
hs bn, sand that the genuine article is sold by -
H. T. WADDIDL,
WIllIAM BOGEL
. Rage. Feb.2 J. L. VIALLT.
_ 1. B. pong. eb, 33 1856
Platform of the National American
Party.
1st. Au humble acknowledgement of the
Supreme being who rules the universe, for
His protecting care vonchsafed to our fathers i
in their suecessftul revolutionary struggle. and
hitherto manifested to us, their descendants. t
in the perservation of the liberties, the inde
Ipendence and the union of these States.
2d. The Iperpetuation of the Federal Union,
as the palladium ot our civil and religious
liberties. and the only sure bulwark of Amer
ican in d lendence.
3d. Amnericans must rule America: and
to this end native born citizens should be se
lected for all State. federal and municipal
oltices or government employment, in pre
ference t t naturalized citizens : nevertheless,
.f4th. Persons born of A nerican parents re
siding temporarily abroad should be entitled
to all the rights of a native born citizen
but,
5th. No person should be se'ected for po
litical station (whether of native or forei;n
birth) wiho recognizes any a iegiance or obli
gation of a 7 description to any foreign prince,
potentate or power. or who refuses to recog
n Iize the Federal and State Constitutions
(each within its sphere) as paramount to all
other laws, as rules of political laction.
13th. The urqualified recognition and main
tairsance of the reserved rights of the several
States, and the cultivationof harmony and fra
ternal good will between the citizens of the
several States and to this end. nol-interference
by Congress with questiolis appartaining solely
to the individual States, and nul-ilntenveitiont
I Iv each State with the afahirs of any other
State
7th. The recognition of the right of nr'.
ralized and native-born citizens of the ['rited(
States. permanently residing in any Territory
thereof, to frame their constitution and law,.
iand to regulate their domrestic and social at
fairs in their own mode. subject only to the
provisions of the Federal Coins:ittion. with
the right of admission into the UIiron w\htel
ever they have the requisite population for one
SRepresenitative ii Conlress. provide, always,
that none but those whoare citizens of iithe U i
a ted States, taider the constitution and laws
thereot. and who have a fixed residence in aillr
h such Territory. ought to participate in the tlio
niation of the constitution. or in the enact
menrt of laws for said Territory or State.
Fth. An enforcement of tie principle that
it no State or Territory can admit others than
0 native ,orn citizens to the right of siffiirage. or
of holhliln political office, unless such person 1
shall have been naturalized according to the
h la5ws of the United State..
Sth. A. change in the laws of naturalization
SiLmaking a continuied residence of twvent.-on:e
, years. of all not heretotore proidled for. an
- indispensit,le requisite for citizenship ihe leat
y ter,'iand excludi :g allo paupers and persons I
ei onvicted of crime. from landing upon our
ir shores; but no interference with .ihe vented
rights of fireigners.
10th. Opposition to any union between
e Churci and State: no iitertf rence with reli
is t iuis taith. or worship. andi io test iiat fs or
- otiie except those indicated in the 5thl sec
ption of this platform.
c l lth. Free andl thorough investigatkin into
Sany and all alleged abuses of public function- I
aries. and a strict economy in public expend- I
Si aure..
I Iture. o
S12lh. The maintenance and enforcement of i,
all laws until said laws shall be repealed, or b
shall be declared null and void by competent r
judicial authority. h
13th Opposition t thhe reckless and! unwise s
ponhly of tie present Administration in the b
1 general nianagement of our national affairs. r
andl more especially as shown in remorving
Amer.cans (Iy desination) and conservatives t
in prir.'iple. from office, and placin.g torigners
r and ultraists in their places: as shown irn a
truckling subserviency to the stronger, and t
,in insolent and cowardly bravado towards a
the weaker powers: as shown in re-opening
sectional agitation, by the repeal of the 51 is
souri Compromise: as shown in granting to a
uninaturalized flreigners the right to suffrage a
in Kansas and Nebraska; as shown in the
vascilating course on the Kansas and Nebras- i
I ka question; as shown in the removal of t
Judge Bronson from the Collectorship of New r
SYork upon false and untenable grounds; as t
shown in the corruptions which pervade some l
of the departments of the Government; as I
shown in disgracing meritorious naval officers t
thiough prejudice or caprice; and as shown
in the blundering mismanagement of our fer- t
cign relations.
.14th. Therefore. to remedy existing evils,
and prevent the disastrous consequences oth
erwise we would build up the "American
party" upon the principles hereinbefore sta
ted, eschewing all sectional questions, andi
uniting upon those purely national, and admit
ting into said party all American citizens.
(referred to in the 3d 4th and 5th sections.)
who openly avow the principles and opinions
heretofore expressed, and who will subscribe
their names to this platform. Provided, nev
ertheless that a riajority of those members
present at any meeting of a local council
where an applicant applies for membership
in the American party may for any reason
by them deemed sufficient, deny admission to
such applicant.
15th. A free and open discussion of all po
y litical principles embraced in our platform.
07- We find a paragraph in circulation in
t wlhch it is estimated that the clergy cost
ci - United States six million dollars per year;
'hlie criminals twelve millions; and the law
d yers thirty-five millions.
e =
y A CAPITAL PARADox.-During the late
- "run upon Banks,:' our friend, William Pitt
e Palmer, made the following "capital paradox"
e for us in one minute by the watch, with one
hard tied behind him:
' Two hundred and twenty congressional tongues,
f Than Stentor's each one scarcely weaker,
All wagging away, at the top of their lungs,
For two months, yet never a speaker."
[Knickerbocker.
it
.e WANTS TO G) HoME.-A'ifugitive slave'
r now in Canada, has written to his former
master in Bowling Green, Ky., in most des
ponding terms. He winds up by begging him
to send some little means by which he can
be kept from starving or freezing to death.
ADDRESS
TO THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA.
Whenever in the opinion of the minority
of those who have been called to participate t
in the legislative action of the State, the t
Constitution has been abused or violated by i
the majority, and ýrecedents dangerous to the I
rights of the people, and contrary to the spirit i
ol American Government, have been estab
lished, it becrmes their duty as faithful guar
dians of the public interest, to expose the un- I
constitutional, illegal, anti-American andi
aiti-Democratic action of the dominant par
ty-Therefore
The undersigned i merican members of
the General Assembly, being a minority in
both branches of that hbody, believe that the
action of the majority (the Democratic Party)
iin ejecting members from their seats and
I substituting others in their places, and the
removal of the Sheriff'of Orleans from office,
was a 'surpation of power, offensive to the
Constilution-a despotic exercise of party
tyranny, revolting to the American heart,
and subversive of the fulndamental principles
- of a representative government.
That our fellow-citizens may understand
the facts. and see the dangers of the enormous
s vronus that have been done, we do respect
Stully inform them. that so soon as the Legis
latiire assembled, a resolution was iproduced
by the ,donminant party to remove from their
seats. Messrs. Burke. Michel and Burthe. the
i American Senrators who were retulrnled as
e elected from Orleans. and to award the same
e to Messrs. Hyamn. St. Paul and Withers
V that every honorable and legal efftrt wa
iimade by the A merican Senators to obtain for
r the sitting members a fair and impartial hear
ing. but they were prevented. and coantrary
to all rule. to all precedent, and in the absence
Si any testimony taken rontralirctordi with
v tie coute-tee<. the Democratic majority not
only sacated but awarded their seats to the
I contestant-. and in such disconrteous haste as
i not even to allow the minority aii opportunity
i to make a counter report.
By this act sixteen Senators (less than a
majoritv of the whole) substituted their will
in the place of the ballot box, for it is an un
Idlsputed fact that uon the most favorable
Id exa .erated count of the ballots that had
Seen deposited in the broken boxes, for Sen
S ators . the number was insufficient to elect
I ach of the contestants ; they. to accomplish
I their pu rpose, had therefore to go outside of
the ballot box. and take into the count votes
it that had never been deposited. refiusing the
" contestees an opportunity of doing the same
r thu u,-e-tablishing thereby a ,oneside prece
i deut. dangerous to popu!ar rights and vio!a
e tive of the Constitution. wb4vh recognizes
the ballot box alone as the great palladiium of
. ,,rira hicprtoy, and the only channel through
e w\hip h the popular voice can be heard.
n The righ' of the people of Orleans had to
1- elect their Senators has been taken from them
is by h ixteen of the dominant party,. a 1rCidslicc
or I ,usurption most da::gerous to the public safe
J i tv. and "most revolting to the public sensi
b. l t v."
\W wish it understood that the American *
Senators only desired to refer the election t
back to the people; they were unwilling L
that the voice of the people shold be hush- Il
ed. or stitled. ether by the lawless acts of
inliviluals who would break ballot boxes. or
by the dominant party who were bold enough a
to substitute their sixteen voices in the place
of the whole people of Orleans. The Anrer
ican party condemni in unmeasured terms the &
breaking of ballot boxes and all simiar out
rages on the elective franchise, and never
hesitated to declare the seats vacant and to!
submit to the same people to repair to the c
ballot box and again to exercise their sacred f'
rights of choosing their own Senators.
Tlhe first prominently illegal and unconsti
tulionial act of the dopiilant party in the
Hloue of Representatives is the rejection oif
A. F. C. Moglan, Representative elect from C
the ninth repiesentative District of the city v
ot New Orleans. to give place to Charles 1
Seuzeneau. Soon after this act, " in hIot e
Sha.te.: followed the expulsion of Lumsden
and l)evall. to make place for Messrs. Gordon
aid Deblanc. r
Ex-pnrte testimony was alone appealed to. t
in each case, for the purpose of justifying
these proceedings; we call it cx-parte testi- I
mony. because it was only on one side, and
taken without the authority of any existig t
law. The testimony in these cases was taken
in conformity with the act of 1814. which is
the only act in our Statute books that points
out and prescribes the mode to be pursued in
taking testimony. But we maintain that the c
law of 1814 is absolutely repealed by that of c
1855, in the 54th see tion of said act, express- 1
ed in the following words: "That all laws i
contrary to the provisions of this act, and all t
laws on the same subject matter, are repeal- t
ed." Now. the only question to be deter- t
mined is, whether or not this repealing clause t
reaches the act of 1814 ; if it does not em- 1
brace the act of 1814, then the remark of c
Talleyrand with reference to the object of
language is fairly illustrated. If the design 1
of language is "to conceal the thought," as
the above remarkable man said, then the in
tention of the law makers has been fully ac- I
complished. But the majority report in the
case of Seuzeneau vs. Morgan, says that " it 1
is evident that this law (1814) merely pre- 1
scribes the mode of proceeding and the man- I
mer of taking testimony to be used in a con
tested election before the Legislature. The I
authors of this report surely could not have
read with attention the act of 1814. (See
title of the act and sections 1, 2, 2. 9 and 10.)
Do not these positions relate to something
else than the mere mode of proceedings and
the manner of taking testimony to be used in
a contested election before the Legislature?
Do they not treat of the same subject matter
as the act of 1855 ? is not all of it repealed
by the 54th section of the latter act? The
undersignea do not for a moment entertain
the opinion that the act of 1855 is perect, or
that it even embraces what it should em
brace, but we hold that it is not within the
power of either branch of the General As
sembly as it suits its immediate convenience
or purpose to supply deficiencies in existing
laws, by a latitudinous construction in part or
P in whole. But the majority report further
r more says-"the Constitution, it is perceived,
- draws the desideratum between the power to
a decide an election of a member and the man
n ner of determining contested elections. The
power to decide is vested exclusively in the
House, but the manner in which the contest A
is to be cinducted may be prescribed by law." ui
This is a glar ng sophistry; it is an utter per- cc
vertion of the 20th Article of the Constitu- in
tion. which prescribes that "each House of ti
the General Assembly shall judge of the qual
ification, election and returnwof its members; t3
but a c.Ltested election shall be determined ti
in such manner as shall be directed by law." ir
It will be recollected that the Constitution te
was ordlained in 1S52. and we ask, could its to
framers have had in view the act of 1814 ?- u
Mark the wording of the latter clause of. the tl
above urticle : "'but a contested election shall ti
be detrmined in such manner as shall be di- ti
rected by law:-not in such manner as has p
been directed by law. But the act of 1855 o5
says "that in all contested elections for mem
bers of the General Assembly each house E
shall have the power to determine which of tl
the parties is entitled to the seat, i°ad award c
it accordingly." We would like to know if si
the power to dethmine is not the power to n
decide. If the House has the right to judge as
between contestant and contestee, has it not u
the right to order the procurement of testi- t]
mnony to enable it to decide fairly between c
the parties i The majority report declared ji
that the provision in the act of 1855.just (
quoted, is but a useless reiteration of the I
20th Article of the Constitution. Taking t,
the construction which the majority report S
places upon the last clause of this Article, t
we must dissent entirely from this opinion. t
I he act of 1te55 carries out this latter clause, v
by directing.the General Assembly to deter- p
fime which of the parties is entitled to av
seat in the <ase of a contested election. The t
majority concludes its argument upon this t
branch of the subject with this most illegiti- L
mate deduction: "if. therefore, the grant of
jurisdiction, or the delegation of power be a
Su.ject matter, distilnct and different from e
rules of precedures, it follows as a matter of
necessary consequence, that the law of 1814 t
still exists in lull vigor, in so tar as it pre- c
scribes the mode of taking testimony.":
Now we hold that the right to decide a
controversy, involves the right to order the i
taking of the testimony upon which the de
cisioln of the controversy is to be based; the i
House of IRepresentatives in these contested
election cases, had a right to send for persons t
and papers, to order testimony to be taken i
under commission. and that was the only le- I
gal and culn-titutional course that under the t
existing laws could have been pursued. t
But iu the case of Gordon nrid Deblane.
and Devall anid Lumsden, the law of 1814 was t
e not complied with, the only law invoked was (
Sn the case of Seuzeneau vs. Morgan. Devall I
and Lumsden received no notice that their
seats would be conltested, no notice that tes
" timony would be taken for the purpose of l
i unseating themtn Here we hale belore us aI
imost palpable, glaring anld infamous incon- I
~ stency. unworthy of honest alid honorable
men, such as the most thorough uliscrupu
loanness could have alone promptled. When I
Sthe attelntion of the majority ut those who
c composed this committee was invited to this
contradiction of their pres iously assumed po- I
sition, those of the minority were coolly ins i
Siirred that the Central Conmmittee of the I
Democratic party had decided in New Or
leans upon the course to be pursued in all
,f these cases.
f tthese canCs.
Nr otwithstanding the majority committee tl
assumdl as their basis of action, the law of u
e 14. to de ide upon the contested seats of (
M\essrs. A. T. C. Morgan, Devall and Lums- u
e elle we find this committee in the cases of S
Leggett and Harrison vs. Labarre and Whaun, o
Slinmbard vs ackay, recommended the Leg- b
o islature to send for persoi.s and papers, and to s
e collect eviderce belire a comnmosioiner, be- p
d fore they decide upon the claims of the con- iI
tletaits, thereby acknowledging a principle I
which they denied to some of the conltestees
e -a principle which we hold as thel only con- a
Ssttutiital and legal cou!se the Legislature a
n could adopt, and one which the mlrn: ty corn- v
v iittee invariabl:y advocated. Here we wit- h
s ness a second and liut less palpable iitconsiet
,t eiicy.
In Ithe case of Hatch, contesting the seat of
n Strickland, the majority committee recom- t
mended to send back to the people ain election t
when all the evidence adduced is in favor of d
g the contestee, notwithstantding he obtained a
large majority over the contestant, because f
d the sheriff of the parish in which the elec- t
tion was held neglected to send an election e
box to one of the precincts, and the votes
is were teceived in a temporary receptacle un- t
s til a box could be mane. Notwithstanding 1
n the evidence is conclusive that all the pre- t
e cautions were used, that the votes were se- I
)f cure in the receptacle used, that no frauds i
5 were perpetrated on account of this informal- r
s ity, the election was ordered to be sent back t
ii to the people. Here we would observe that t
I- the result was as we anticipated; the con- I
r- testee wan re-elected by a larger inaiority
;e than before. These facts are only referred
r. to, to show another iluconsister.cy. In the t
of case of Legget and Harrison vs. Labarre and I
)t Whann, notwithstanding the evidence shows c
n that one of the Democratic candidates parti- i
is cipated in the counting of the votes, the ma- (
j- Jonty refused to send the election back to the I
people. The minority of the Legislature was
te willing in every case of contested election i
it to subomit the decision to the people; this
e, proposition was invariably repulsed by the
n- majority. When these inconsistencies were I
,. pointed out by the minority., they were cooly I
te informed that the Central Committee of the i
re Democratic Party had decided in New Or- i
ee leans upon the course to be pursued.
) Citizens of Louisiana, are you American I
ig Freemen Will not the above declaration be
id received with a burst of indignation through
in out the State ? We read in Ancient history
that the little son of Themistocles ruled
er Greece; that is, he ruled his mother; his
ed mother ruled Themistocles, Themistocles
ae Athen, and Athens Greece. He:re we have
in a parallel case: the Grand Central Comnmit
or tee rules the Democratic Party, and the
i- Democratic Party the State of Louisiana,
he ergo, the Central Committee governs the
s- State. Thus we are under a rule of, iron as
e that of the Autocracy of Russia.
ag We now approach that most extraordinary
or proceeding, which, probably, above all other
*r- measures of the dominant party during the
td, present session, was the most flagrant viola
to tion of law and justice, and most dangerous
.n- in its tendency. We refer to the removal of
he the Sheriff of the Parish of Orleans by the
he resolution of both Houses of the General
Assembly. This proceeding we consider as e
unprecedented in the political history of the ti
country, nor has it, in our opinion, a parallel b
in any well organized Government of modern v
times. s
In vain did members of the American par- S
ty protest against this measure; we argued a
that it was a violation of the spirit and mean- I
ing of the Constitution, that it was in the ii
teeth of the law, unjust in itself and calcula- i
ted to work out a most pernicious influence a
upon the future legislation of the State, when n
the madness of party spirit should seize upon a
the minds of those who may hereafter have a
the control of the Legislature when similar t
proceedings may be instituted against some I1
officer obnoxious to that party. t
We pointed to the record in the Bell and t
Hufty contested election case, and contended
that the election of the latter had been de
clared legal by the jury empanelled to try the
suit; and as the act of 155. allowed neither
new trial nor appeal, the question was finally
settled by the verdict and judgment rendered
upon the pleadings, and prools submitted by f
the parties to that controversy, that it was in- t
competent for the Legislature to reverse that t
judgmi nt, because neither the law nor the t
Constitution has anywhere empowered that t
Department to take cognizance of suits de- 1
termined by the judicial tribunals of the
State; that no matter what might have been
the irregularities or frauds attanding the elec
tion, the court and jury under the act of 1855
were the only powers who had authority to
pass upon those frauds and irregularities, and
when, after due consideration. they had come t
to the conclusion that Hufty was elected,
there was an end of the matter so far as the
legality of his election was concerned forever.
If this position be not correct, then we
are all in a most strange and dangerous state i
of confusion, civil and political. If the rul
ing party have properly interpreted their au- t
thority in this matter, then there is no other
check upon the legislative departmentthan
what may be found within the limits of its
own arbitrary will, which] whenever it I
may be directed by an unscrupulous party.
will be bounded alone by the wants and exi
gencies of that party.
I Having as we think, clearly shown thai
s the Legislature possesses no power to take
i into consideration the legality of the election
of Hufty, we shall next inquire into its au
! thority to remove him for causes antecedent
to his election-and this raises the question
whether it can assume jurisdiction over Hut
ty under the, provisions of article 97 of the
s Constitution before his election, and before
I he became an officer of this government.
r The article just referred to says, "all civil
- officers except the Governor and Judges of
f the Sipreme and Inlerior Courts shall be re
f movable by an address of a majority of both
- Houses."
It should be here noticed that Hufty was
not as an officer who had failed to discharge
I his duties, or had committed acts of malfeas
· quisitorial proceeding was instituted against
- him as a man or citizen who had participated
in the riots and frauds alleged in the pream
ble to have taken place in the city of New
Orleans on the day of the last November
I election.
eiection.
It seems to us too clear for argument that
the Legislature ecting as a judicial tribunal
under the provisions of said article of the
Constitution was not seized of jurisdiction
until Mr. Hufty became an officer of the
State. The Constitution says that certain
officers may be removed by the addressof
both Houses of the Legislature, a provision
so plain in its meaning that one would sup
pose that a schpolboy could not misinterpret
it, yet we see the sapient leaders of the
Democratic party assert with the most fla
gitious boldness that, by the teims of that
article they can re.,ch beyond the date of
a Sheriffs commission, and strike down their
victim now for what they accuse him of
having done whilst lie was as yet but a pri
vate citizen of the State.
We have thus far treated this matter upon
general principles of law and justice as
though there was no special statute directing
the Legislature how to proceed. when con
ducting a prosecution against an officer of the
State. either by an impeachment or address,
from which we have endeavored toexpose
the total want of respect, either for the one
or the other, exhibited by the dominant party
in the instance referred to. But what will
the intelligent and virtuous portion of our fel
how citizens think when we tell them that
this inquisition against Sheriff Hufty was
begun carried on, and determined in every
particular, in positive violation of a statute
made expressly to direct the Legis afure how
to proceed in all cases where an officer of
the State shall be prosecuted either by im
peachment or address; we allude to the Act
of 1855, pagp 390 No. 304. The first section
of said Act reads as follows, "That when
ever any person shall wish to accuse a pub
lic officer before the Legislature, he shall ad
dress the House of Representatives a memo
rial containing a brief exposition of the acts
of such public officer which are supposed to
be contrary to law; the memorial shall be
sworn to and signed by him who presents it
and shall contain a list of the individuals
who can give information relative to the.tacts
set forth, with a notice of the several char
ges which each individual included in the
list can substantiate by his testimony:" The
second section provides, that, the memorial
shall be referred to a committee which shall
cause the officer accused to be cited to appear
before them ata day to be fixed by the com
mittee, which day may be either during the
same session or any subsequent session, that
the witnesses both for the prosecution and
i defence shall also be summoned to appear at
the day fixed for the trial. The third section
reads tt.us: *"That at the appointed time the
committee shall proceed to swear the wit
n esses both for and against the accusec,
whose testimony shall be taken down in
writing, they shall then make their report to
the House of Representatives and shall de
clare in the conclusion whether they are of
the opinion that the charges are well founded ;
in which case the House itself, after having
obtained all necessary information, shall de
cido whether it be expedient to PROCEED BY
- EANS OF IMPEACHMENT OR BY ADDRESS.
In case the Committee shall make a re
f port in favor of the accused, the adoption of
e the report by the House shall be sufficient and
l the accused shall be discharged, and can newo
er after be brought before the Legislature for
the same acts with which he has already
been charged. For the information of those
who have not taken the pains to inform them
selves in relation to the manner in which
Sheriff Hufty was removed, we will here
state that, no memoriol was presented to the
House of Representatives complaining of the
illegal acts of said officer, no citation was
issued to him requiring him to appear and
answer charges brought against him, no wit
nesses werp summoned either for the State
or for said officer, all of which formalities
are prescribed by the first and second sec
tions of said Act. nor was there any the
least notice taken by the dominant party of
the provisions of the third section which we
have cited above in full.
Comment on conduct so grossly illegal, op
pressive and despotic would weaken the im
pression which the naked deformity of this
iact of unparalleled iniquity must inevitably
make upon che minds of all good citizens of
our State. We shall simply remark that the
tamous saying of one of the sages of antiqui
ty, which contains a maxim of unperishable
truth, could never be more forcibly applied
that it can now to the licentious conduct of
the Democratic party in the present Legis
lature. We are told by the historian that,
when one of the seven wise men of Greece
visited the court of Periander of Corinth, he
was asked: "What is the most popular gov
ernmnent !" He answered : "That in which
the law had no superior."
We cannot terminate this without referring
to some points of general legislation. Tne
people of Louisiana owe to the minority, by
amendments insisted upon b'y them, thees
tablishment of a registry law which it is to
be hoped will prove efficacious. The waste
ful expenditure of the public funds is another
important point to which we call the atten
tion of the people of Louisiana. Notwith
standing the wasteful expenditure of the pub
lic lunds, notwithstanding the enormous ap
propriations heretefore made, this Legislature
has in the face of these enormities reiterated
other appropriations-during the present ses
sion co an incredible amount. The majority
have opermitted the Legislature to adjourn
without establishing a constitutional board of
Swamp Lan! Commissioners. the minority
has invariably insisted upon the withdrawal
of the swamp lal:ds from market, until the
lands were redeemed, when they should be
advertised and sold to the highest bidder
the profits accruing from the sale of the lands
thus improved would then return to the State
and not to private speculators. We submit
this fact to the impartial judgment of the peo
ple, satisfied that they alone are the proper
judges, of the acts of their representatives.
Senator.
T. J. BUFFING'TON, W. M, KIDD.
ST. M. BERAULT, JULES LAVERGNE,"
P. CHEW, W. S. SCOTT,
F" GARDERE, W, R. TAYLOR,
H. J. HEARD, J. W. WALKER.
Representatives.
P. ALEXANDER, EMILE LOCOUL,
SAM. ANDr.RSON, THOS. G MACKEY,
L. L. BERNARD, J. W. McDONALDs
A. G. BRICE, JAS. H. MEH1AFFI,,
J. H. BROWN, E. B. OLIVIER,
AD DORIOCOURT, S. B. OSWALT,
ALF. DUPERIER, G. A. PIKE,
CHAS. T. ESTLIN, H. J. RANNEY,
H. M. FAVROT. E. RIGAUD,
JOS. FENNIMORE. J. B. ROBINSON,
J. M. JAMISON, W. L. SANFORD,
R. W. JAMES, T. H. SHIELDS,
J. T. HAWKINS, JOS. SOLOMON,
THEO. LAGROUE, J. B. STRICKLAND,
R. M. LANIER, J. B. THOMPSON,
F. C LAVILLE, A. B. VAIL,
G. C. LAWRASON, R. J. WADE.
p "Napoleon Alixis Dobbs, come up here
and bay your lesson. What makes boys
grow?"
"It is the rain, sir.":
"Why do not men grow ?"
"Because they carry umbrellas, which
keeps off the rain."
*"What makes a young man and woman fall
in love '"
"Because one of 'em has a heart of steel,
and t'other a heart of flint, and when they
come together, they strike 'ire, and that is
love."
"That's right, my boy. Now go and play
with the gals."
Posseuxous Biarnr.-The Paris Siecle re
lates an extraordinary incident as having
lately happened in the Rue de Faubourg'du
Temple. As a coffin, containing the body of
a woman who ohad just died at a house in the
street, was being removed for interment,
blood was seen to ooze from it. The bearers
were ordered to stop, anrd the coffin opened,
when the cries of an infant, under the shjoud,
announced that the dead woman had given
birth to a livii.g male child. It was taken
and consigned to the care of a nurse.
A Goon WINDING Ur.-The Hon. Miss
Murray winds up her book on the United
States with the following sentence:
" One might as well hope to improve the
morals and increase the happiness of an idiot,
by turning him out of an asylum, as to hope
for benefit for the negro from abolitionism.
Sl"7 The Irish civic societies of New York
city held a meeting recently to make prepa
rations to celebrate St. Patrick's day, and the
first busisess transacted was the expulsion of
the reporter of the Express, an Americas
newspaper. He was not permitted to leave
I the room without much insult and black
t guardism.
A HIT.-A member of the North Carolina
Legislature made a decidedly good "hit" a
short time ago. A bill was pending which
1imposed a fine for selling liquor tofsee colored
a persons, to which he objec, on the grouid
that "such a law would make them more de
'f cent than the whites."
g - A wealthy farmer in the State of New
- York, being engaged in a law suit with Mr.
r Havens, wrote the following classical epistle
to"Sqire Wells-sir, if the sute of Heaven's
f goes agin me, I want you to karry it yp to a
d higher corte, for God knows I do'i' owe him
one cent."