The New York Herald Newspaper, May 29, 1875, Page 4

— bs —--——___— SHERMAN AND What General Thomas Did in the West. TE WAR. THE OLD FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS ie elt A Chapter from the History of the | Rebellion. Zo rue Epiror or Tax HeraLp:— ‘Tuat General Sherman ies made some serious Mistukes in his “Memvirs’’ is unquestionable, and even bis most entnusiastic friends must regret Shat he has written as he has of Logan, Blair, Hooker, Thomas and others. That he conid have Vindicated wnat he claims to be the truth of the tory of his own times without casung refiec- tions on his comrades in arms no one can Ceny, eepecially When, a8 in the Case ol two of them, he presaines to sit im judgment on the reasons that controjied them during the war, Wita that Gen- eral Sherman, as an historian, has noting what- ever to do, and the severe manuver in whieh Mr, Montgomery blair ‘counters’ on him in that re- Bpect is at least pardouabie, None of the omcers Upon whem he reflects ever sailed signally in & Diilitary capacity while under his command, and gothing that General Sherman can say will cone vince his old soldiers that “Biack Jack Logan” Was influenced more by personal glory than pat- hotism, tiat Booker went to the rear irom At- Janta for personal reasous and that his figuting capacities were exaggerated, or that General Thomas was so slow and cautious that he coa- Stantly requirea the spur of we more active miod of Genera) Sherman, Mr. Biair, however, fall When ne charges General Sherman with “consti- tutional timidity,” and it will require a good deal more proo/ than he adduces to convince the coun- try unat General Sherman is so seiflsh and greedy for a monopvly of credit that ne deliberately and for a purpose ignured tne services of worthy Officers. With at! his faults General Sherman is a brave, honest Min and a sekiier who has con- ferred distinction on the American name; and as he had much to lose and nothing to gain by the padiication of his ‘Memoirs,’ all intimations or Suggestions that he bad some ulterior object in view are entirely gratuitous and unjust. ‘My special vbject, however, in writing is to call at- tention to some things waich the “Memoirs” have to say in regard to Geneial Thomas and toe Four- teenth Army corps—a corps ortzimally commanded and /ashioned by nimand to which | had the honor to belong, At the time General Sherman joined us gt Chattanooga ir was notoriously a fact tuat be became deepiy impressed with tne superiority of Disown command, which he had so long and Driiliantiy direcred. Neither can he be greatly blamed for feeling so at the time, for 4 more gal lant body of men never marched to action, and their great services were always Cueeriuliy recog- nigea by their comrades of the Army of tne Cum- berland. Recoguizing that tact and recognizing iso the propriety of standing by his own especial command, the men of the Army o/ the Cumberland Made due allowance for bis appropriation of the Non’s snare uf the nonor at tue battle of Mission- ary Ridge, and pardoned the reflections on Gen- eral Thomas, then for the drst time accused of siowness and a failure to attackontime. Sber- man’s fight on our leit was a grand one, bat It was grandly supplemented by the attack of Toomas When, in the aiternoon, he moved straight on the centre, carrjing the ridge and capturing nearly ail the fleid artillery of theenemy. As the Wuole battle was iought unger the personal supervision of General Grant the delay on the part 0/ Tuomas toattack, it It occurred at all, is charge- able to General Grant himsel. When, nbowever, General Sherman assumed command oi the com- to a serious blunder bined armies of the West be snould have risea | to the full height of the occasion, and a preterence showa or 4 prejudice formed while a corps com- manaer was entirely ont of place in the com- Mander ofa great army. 1 do not wish it to be anderstood that Generai Sherman in bis Atlanta tampaign spared his ‘ormer commana or that he bad formed an unconquerable prejudice to tie command of Thomas, vat the trutn 1s, aod bis “Memoirs’’ sustain tne assertion, never fully able to divest bimself of the opinion termed at Chattanooga, as we find him alterward saying that the Fourteenth corps partook largery of the character of Geteral Thomas, that “it was slow and sure,” “admirable om the defensive, but siow 10 move oract on the offensive.” best, one for woich the Four:eenth corps is not at all grateinl, and it ia not sustained by the facts. During the Atianta campaign the Fourteenth, Twentietn and Fourti corps formed the army of the Cumberland, and, generally, was the centre of the army. The Fourteenth corps was com- manded by Genera) Joon M, Palmer, afterward Governor of the State o! Illinois. he bad not the distinguissed honor of being a @Tacua‘e of West Point, a misivriune that was common to the volunteer officers; out he was, nevertheless, an educated geatieman and a gal- lant, earnest, painstakiug soidier, It is also true that be bad {ought bis way up to command o/ the corps under many difficulties, and as he was not a “professional soldier,” he Was, | sappose, open to the same suspicion that attached to Logan, Biair anu tue rest of the volun- ‘veer officers, viz., that he was in the service for personal giorifcation or with an eye to future po- Micieal prefermen'. However that may be, he commanded the corps creditably ail the way down to Atlanta; and, while personally I think it was @ Mistake for General Paimer to raise the que: tion Of rank with General Schofleld under the circumstances, he left us without having lost our onfidence or respect, and was succeeded by Gen- eral Jeff. ©. D.vis. General Sherman, in writing Of the difficulty between eral Senofieid, says that tne former was not “en- terprising” and that the Fourteenth corps “hag Sustained fewer knocks than any otner in the ermy, and that he was anxious to give it a ebance.” Jast wnat may be meant in a military sense by the word “enterprising,” used by #0 active and nervous 4 quantity as Geo- eral Sherman, I cannot say men’s own Ggures disprove his assertion that the Fourteenth corps ‘nad received fewer knocks’’ then the others, or that it was deficient in enter- prise. It bad safficient enterprise to assault at Resaca (made necessary by the Jailure of McPner- son at Snake Creek Gap), and its iaavility to “act on the offensive” cost it very deariy in officers and men, who dashed themselves in vain against the strong works; und, what iy @ litte singular, the “Memoirs” never mention the Fourteenth , Corpsin connec ion with Resaca,and ignore the fact that @ portion of it assaulted and was Dadly re- puised. it was active enough to follow closely on the heels of the main column of retreat, forcing it to tarm and defend itself every. foot of the way to Kenesaw Mountain; and when we Teached that formi able position this corps, thas could not “act on the offensive,” furnished one of the two origades which, under the lamented Charies Harker and Dan McOvok, made the prin- Cipal attack on the ceutre of the fortified line—one of the must desperate, bopeless, useless and bloody s-sacits of (he war. Even the ‘mghtwal “pateher’s vil’ of that disastrous day did not moatty General Sherman’s opinion of tne aggres- sive power of the Fourteenth corps, for, altnougnh the assault was orderea—(i quote from nis official Peport of the action, not incorpurated in the “‘me- moire’”)—in orcer to restore tue morale of my army and to show Johnson that I could oot only Aseadit, but assault wWita boldness, 1 de avered 4m ubeuccessiul atiack waoieh cost me Generals Charies darker aud Daniel McVook, Mortaily Wouudeu, and three thousand men kilied ADO Wounded” —ve sti Gouoted the ability o| the Corps \o “act On ine ofeamve.” It will oe seen iso Oy the report quoted above that General Sherman affected to elieve that tae morale of his army nad become impaired, yo: be wus illy- Pica: enough to select a large portion of the ak tagking covuma for the purpose of resvoring it that he was | It is a very equivocal compliment at | It ls trae that | eneral Palmer and Gen- | but General Sher- | | from the @ery corps that he asserts was “slow” | and onenterprising. Ido not propose to attempt the defence of General Shermau’s army against the charge made by its commander, Witn that l have nothing fo do; but as we had driven a brave and well commanded foe through @ moun ainous country jor over one hundred miles und from one entrenched position after another, it seemed to us that our morale wus not so badly impaired tnat an unsaccessiul and | bloody assault was necessary to restore it, It was the first decided repuise we bad encountered, and for the first time in the campaign the troops were | depressed, and with that keen intelligence with which they so often searched the armor of those high in command they felt and’sald that the fank Movement made after the assault could just as easily and safely have been made before it. It was, 100, rumored and generally believed that General Thomas had protested against it; that be had, by nis protests, prevented Sherman from dashing the Army of the Cumberland to pieces against the position of Rocky Face Ritge and Buzzard’s Roost early in the campaign, and I know that it was the general belief that “Old Pop” had been the salvation of the army. As I before stated, I have been unable to find General | Sherman’s oMctal report of this assault and the reasons for it in hia *Memoirs,’? of its not being there, ‘This same corps, or a portion of it, fought side by side with Hooker at Beecn-tree Creek, where vellemence that showed a marked contrast to the cautious but successiul policy of nis predecessor, and alinougn th tion wasone of the most un- portant of the campaign it does not appear to have impressed General Sherman at all, as he scarcely mentions it, Upon the assignment of Geueral Davis to the command of the corps Gen- eral Suerman does indeed appear to bave changed bis opinion of it, but while Iam second to no one tu my admirauon for the courage and ability of General Davis, the officers aud men of his com- mand were Not conscious of any great change in their morale or their ability to move promptly and fight vigorously, At Jonesboro’ the corps made, so Jar as I know, the only successful assault of the campaign, fairly running over the enemy’s works, capturing Govan’s origade and ten guns. From Atlanta tothe sea it was nut a whit behind its comrades, and on the march through the Carolinas it iormed (generally) the left or exposed Nank, and wes sharply attacked at tained its reputation and fought the last battle in which the army was engaged. When the Fourteeath corps started on the At- | lanta campaign it numbered, present for duty, 19,637 officers and men. During the month of May | tt lost tm killed, wounded and missing, 802; daring June, 1,819, and during July, 1,401—a total of 4,022. commanded by General Palmer and up to the period when it ceased being ‘slow’ and “‘unenterprising.” Simply for the purposes of comparison, and disciaiming a)l intention to glorify the Fourteenth at the expens* of any | other corps, I e the “present for duty’ and | losses for thi and a body of men who, on every feild from Shiloh to Atlanta, were never found deficient. On the 10th of April the Fifteenth corps numbered 15,669 Officers and men present for duty. It lost during the month of May 746 killed, wounded and missiog; during June 866, and during July 1,887—a total of 2,999, [hese figures are taken from Gen- eral Sherman’s own book, and while they show that the Fourteenta corps was numerically 4,000 men stronger than the Fifteenth the losses of tne former were in excess of the latter over 1,000 ofll- cers and men, The disproportion was still greater during the months of August and September, for we find that the Fourteenth durps lost 2,253 of. cers and men, while the Fifteentn lost but 573, Tne nataral and proper historian of the Four- teenth corps sleeps quietly in the cemetery at Troy, but were George H. Thomas alive we would doubtless bave @ diferent version of the part it bore In the Atlanta campaign. Ibave written the aouve very imperiect deience | of the Fourteenth corps to bat poor purpose if anything bas been said that cuuld be construed unto a glorification of that corps at the expense of | apy of the others. Such, certainly, was not my inten‘ion. There were no petty jealousies among va, and we of the Fourteentu rejoiced at tne suc- cess and gloried in the prowess of tne Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Twentieth, Fourth ana Twenty- | third equally with our own. So far as I am | aware tnere was no claim of pre-emi- nence, no assumption of superiority, no belief | that one was ,siower than the otner, or that one was oetter qualified for offensive or | aggressive movements. General Sherman ts alone responsible for this assertion, and I suppose that, like nis assault at Kenesaw, he ts willing to assame it, With the exception of one of the corps the men were all irom the West, and it was no unusual thing to fiud regiments from the same | county and Congressional district in different corps. There was the utmost goodiellowship and kindness among us; 80 s/rong, indeed, that even the “Memoirs” cannot affect tt, amd I am greatiy mistaken if the gallant .ellows ol the olver corps ‘Will not jearn with sarprise at tals late day that their brothers and comrades of the Fourteenth corps were ‘“siow” and ‘unenterprising” and that “Pap” Thomas ‘was slow in mind and action.” 1am, sir, your obedient servant, AN OLD POURTEENTH OORPS MAN, New York, May 26, 1875, | WHO PLANNED THE MARCH TO THE SEA?—GEN- ERAL GRANT AND THE CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD :— tery of the war of the rebellion will not be likely, in my Opinion, to provoke any answer from Gen- eral Grant, Itis one oi Grant’s peculiarities—a peculiarity that fis friends bave always regret- ted—that no sort of misrepresemtation of bis con- duct can draw from him contradiction or expiana- ton. Not even to save nis position or his repata- tion couid he be induced, after tne battle of Shiloh, vo give to the public @ history of the jew days pre- ceding that battle and of tne circumstances that occasioned his being takem by surprise by tn rebel attack. At Suilob I was @ soldier in General McOlernand’s division, I Knew, as everyboay else knew who was there present, that by ten ofclock im morning of sun- day, April 6, 1862, Sher division had been scattered to the Winds, and that it no longer existed organized force, and that for the remainder of the day Sherman, though wounded, served as @ volunteer aid to General MoViernand. It is known that the rebels began the battle by at- tacking Sherman, aod it is a iact not to be dis- puted that the rebels jay, the night before, so near to Sherman’s lines that they could almost heur the snoring of the Union troops. {he fact \hat the Unionists were taken by surprise was pavent, and the country, holding the commana- jug general responsibie, wed the name he had wou at Doneison from Unconditional Surrender | Grant to Coexpected Surprise Grant. Grant bore, not with patience bat with fortitude, the ovloquy that sbouid have been visited upon anotner. Sherman, not Grant, Was responsibie jor the sur- prise. In Corinth, Misa., in 4 jammer of 1962, Jonn A. Rawlins bimeeif told me thas at nine o’ciock on the night vefore the battie Sherman, in answer to a letter from Grant advising oim to be Vigilant, as there Was reason to apprenend an attack, sent @ aespaicn (woiek Rawlins atid he had kep!) stat- ing tiat there was no enemy within striking dis- tance of bis front, aud that Grant need have no anticipations ofa battle. @n the streugth of that assurance Gant went down to Savaunah, where he Was aroused irom sleep by the volleys of revel musketry Which mowed dowo Sherman's mea as uis Grammers beat the long roll, The publication of that despaten would nave ended Sherman's career, ous Grant geverously forvore, and Sner- man now snows his appreciation of that forbear- fince vy his seif-gioriiying epic. Again, with reference to the conception of the long waik trom Atlanta to Savannan, poetically called ‘he “March to the Sea,” there may be a aifference of Opinion 44 +O Wao is entitled to the Gredit Of the valuwble portion of ti plan, | General Wiliam # Hillyer told me that be wee in and surely his | fame will rest on a firmer basis in consequence | for over an hour Hood attacked with a vigor and | Bentonville by Johnston, where it fully matn- | This included substantially the time when it was | me period of the Fifteenth corps, | the one fasMioned by General Sherman himeell, © Tne publication vy General Soerman of his nis- | Grant’s tent when Shermau’s despatch arrived proposing tae marca torough Georgia. After read- ing the despateh Grant banded it to Hillyer, and asked him what he thought of the idea. Hillyer said he thougit the plan a capital one. Grant snuled, aud Hillyer,askea toe cause, Grantan- swered, “Why, you notice that Sherman proposes to move with ali the State, and to subsist on the country, and seys (hat Hood wili jollow him. Now, after Sherman has swept the country far and near for Subsistence, which he must do, what will Hood find to leed bis army with ? Instead of pursuing, Hood would go straight to the Ohio. It would be | Madness for Sherman to attempt to go to Savan- nah without leaving bebind him a force strong enough to take care of Hood. A force must be collected, in the first piace, able to cope with Hood, aud tien Shérman may march through the State with great advantage to us.” Let any man con- sider what the effect of Sherman’s proposition, if carried out as it was originally made, would have been. In conclusion, I beg to ask you, bow many pris- oners Sherman took, how many caunon did he capture, how many armies break up? At Vicksa- burg, in December, 1862, he was defeated; at at- | lanta Hood got away with bis forces, at Savannah Hardee escaped witn bis raw levies, and Joe Jonn- stou ually yielded with bis tatterdemalions be- cause the surrender of Lee made the further pro- | longation of the waran act of supreme foily. If weever have another war depend opon it the army will not long be ugder the command of William Tecumsen Soerman, I am, sir, your obe- dient servant, NORTHWEST, NEw Yors, May 26, 1975, THE NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST. BERNARD, CARDINAL M'CLOSKEY TO DEDICATE THE RDIFICE. On to-morrow His Eminence Cardinal mcVlos- key wil solemnly dedicate to divine service the new Church of St. Bernard, just completed, in West Fourteenth street, between Highton and Ninto avenues, The occasion wul be ‘an iuterest- ing one, not only by reason Of the presence of the illustrious prelate and otwer ecclesiastical digni- taries, but also as testifying to the wondrous ener,y, Zeal and devotion of tne people of the parisu and toeir young pastor. It is but litue though not numbering in its confines many men | of extraordinary wealta, step by step the work has progressed, until now the members oi St. Ber- bard’s church Can boast of one of the handsomest cuurcli edifices im the city. Hitherto tney nave worsuipped temporarily in ‘hirteench street, in up od build.ng procured Jor the purpose at an outiay of $00,000. The prospect was not a very bright one; bul, Undaunted by difficulties, tae pastor, Rev, Gubtiel A. Heaiy, succeeded, m the year 1372, 13. purchasiog a very eligiole site jor a Lew church in Pourteentu sireet, und Immedrately set aoour duilding. ibe time consumed was | wbout turee years, and the entire Cost, imcuding the price of the land, 18 about $175,000, ‘The design and plans were fuctushed by P, c, Keely, the well | kuown cuureh arenitect, and have certainly been executed ima Jaitliu! and arusie manuer. The Style is Gothic, aad (ae troni, which 1s lmpusing aid attractive, 1% of Belleville stone, trimmed wWito Nova scoua The souudation is of gianite, | as are also tue =teps leading up to the ground door, Light is admitted tmrough stained giuss windows, the cviors of which | mose harmoniously blended, imparting a subdued yet mellow and ‘eheeriul aspect iw tae ‘Interior, Many ol tuese winduws are of a memorial Character, the git of different members 01 the parisa or others interested ta che cause of reilyion, the roo/ is arched and frescoed tagieluily, Lue pews, Waoich are intended to seat 1,500 persons, are Of ash, tue mouldings and cap- ping 0: vlack Wa nut, tue same material beg used in the facing oi the galleries. The altar is of carved Wood aud in keeping wita the rest of the Appuluiments., Abuve 1. 19 @ Series Of le size irescues O1 the Aposties anu Evangeusts, St. Ber- bard, the pucron of the Churen, occupying the centre. The stainivg of the windows of the tran- sept and Cauucel is NOL yet completed, but wiil be emoeilished With represeutations of the “Nativ- ity,” “Crucifixion,” ‘Kesurrecton,” and “Asceo- sivn of our Saviour.” “The dimensions oj the vuild- ing are 65 leet iroutuge and 14 in | depth. un the adjoining lot and = con- hecubg with te churcd %% @ separate Dulluing wuich wul be used as @ vestry, whiie | aspacivus, wellluguted and weil ventilated base- ment Will Serve Lue purposes of @ lecture room, Sunday scivoi or meevng Mali for the use of the Various societies veiongiug co the parish. A note- Worthy abd commendable teature 1@ the widta of | | Lhe aisles and the fact tua@t the main doors open | | outward, (ous giving ivee caress in case of danger. Toe af.angemencs for the deaicatory services are Uciug pusoed rapidly, and a rare 4us.ca treat Tom an orcaestra of forty perform- ers will add to the attraction of te day. Mr, Aivert Ross, the cuurca organist, bas charge of this part of the programme, Father Healy Wii personally supervise the otner desails, lo defiay, (he pecessary expenses and aid in liguicating the Gebt incurrea a ie of prices Ol AGiwissiol bas been 1xed, ranging irom | Ufty cen s 0 adoliar ana a hall, accoruing to 10- cavion 0 seat, Altogether the pastor and nis con- gregauon are to be congratuiated on the result of tue combioed labors, and a vist to their ele- gant house of worship to-morrow will well repay those Of tie Commuuity Who Lake an interest in the growth 0: Morality and religion ia our midst. The Kigat Rey. Bisnop McQuade, of Roc! been invited to preach the deuicatory at the evewug service, beginning at bail-p: seven o’ciuck, the Rev. Dr. Braun, one of tne avlest Catnolic divines. will lecture, bis suoject pes , The Popes, ine Delenaers of Popular Lio- ery. RECEPTION OF PRIMAKY SCHOOL | NO. 4 | The annual reception by the children of Primary School No.4, in Sixteenth street, near First ave- | nue, was held yesterday morning, and the ttle folk presented & Most pleasiag ente:tainment ior their many irfends. The bduilding was prettily | araped with fags, and the large room in which | tne reception was heid was, for the time being, literally # flower garden, pots of flowers au swinging baskets being displayed in toe gre | provision. Singing and recitauons by the cui Gres cous ituted tue greater part of the entertain- meat, and maay of Lob young Vocalists and oratois did themselves much credit, The salatatory ad- dress, by Miss Edith Robinson, Was gracetully ren- dered, and tye comic recitation, ‘Johunie's Opinion oi Grandmother,” by Master Jonn Ciark, brought Jorta for tie )oung orator such @ storm of ap- plause a8 he Will bot goon jorget. “Over the Si mer Sea,” a chorus by the ailery,”’ was aiso finely rendered, Alter this part of tre Dro- gramme had been given the tableau of “Aurura,”” by sixty of the iictie girls, Was presented im one of the large school rooms, the room having been pre- viously darkened, Iney were prettily dressed, and the die eut Colored nguts thrown upon weir golden crowns and gay Colors afforded ne prevty enough to charm the eye of children even of arger growth. A numoer Of the scaool trusiecs and ‘maby citizens of the ward pre: ton the occasion, THE BRISTOL'S FIRST TRIP OF | THE SEASON. | The elegant Sound steamboat Bristol, of tn Pall River line, made her Orst trip this season to Pall River with a large party .f journalists, repre- senting the principal New York, Philadelpma, Brookiyn and Jersey City papers. The Bristol has been overhauled daring the winter months, and 1s how Oue O! the HMeat voats afuat. Sue leit dock on Wednesaay evening, landed tne excur- mionists in Fali River, from whence they pro- ceeuea to Boston and saw the sights, and re- turned here yesterday. The courteous attention of Mr, George L. Connor and Cou orden to make the excarsioD & most agreeaule nt one. } BOOKS RECEIVED, Shifdess Folks: An Cndilaied Love Story. A Novel, By Christabe: Goldsmith. New York: G, Ww. Carleton & iin Armor. By Mary flartwell Mew York: on & Uo. ry aud Philosphy of Marriage, Bostont apie Mi physics, or the Serence of Perfection. By Joha Miler... New York : Vodd & Mead, The Keys of toe reeds. New York: @. P. Patnam’s Sons. The Mountain of the Lovers, with Poems and Tra.ition, By Paul Hi. Hayné. New FF ag d By Burt @. Wilder. By Lady Duff Gordon : A Medley of Mouley Wear. sew York: . crivner, Weirord « ing Pegpie Should Know. hates & Lauriat 1 bEYDt « te Arinstrons. ‘A Double sory. By George Macdonald. New York: & Mond Doad bi a By Rev. Juuus H. Seelye, New a tale and other Poems By R, RM, thor by Lady Georgians Fullerton, New Sadiier & Uo, the Victims of (ne Momertine. By Nev. A. J. OReilly. New York: D&S. aduer & Co. Life aud Lewes of Sr Giloert kiliott, frst Katt of Minw. kadited vy the Countess of Minto. 8 vole jreon & Uo. New Vora: &. Worth she aparions, Newspaper Directory, New York: George P. kowell & Co. Tug Kopuiar eevence Monthly, Hew Yoru: D. Appie- ton iwentioth Annual fleport of the Insurance joner of (he Vommonwealth of Massachusetts. Biaton Givicues of the Philsdelphis Kzhibiton, New York a en the Hi ie | Ldthographing Uompany \ bis forces through | over six years since the parish was erected, and, | are | whit the Rev. | = NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1875.-TRIPLE SHEET. | LOUISIANA. Speculations with the State’s Money. | THE COLLECTION OF TAXES. Legislative Plunder---Monopolies and Exelu- sive Privileges, New ORLEANS, April 28, 1875. Ihave been looking through the acts of the Legislature of Louisiana since the first Recon- struction Legislature, in 1868, and a more amusing and preposterous exibition of wholesale legisia- tive plundering 1t would be aiMcult to imagine. | The bare tities of the acts whose sole and trans- | Parent purpose was plunder would much more than filla page of the HeRaLp. I must content myself with a brief mention of but a few sample laws, granting exclusive privileges, giving away | the State’s money, creating new offices or adding to the taxes, THE LOUISIANA STATE LOTTERY COMPANY. One of the earliest acts of the reconstructors— who are believed 10 have come into the State ag the missionaries of great moral ideas—was the passage of a law giving the exciusive monopoly of Selling lottery, policy and “combination” tickets in the Stute to @ company which calls itself the “Louisiana State Lottery Uompany.’”’ Lest the profane should imagine that this monopoly was intended to promote the merely selfish advantage | eharter, which forms part of the act, that the Lottery Company is @ purely charitable and benefi- cent body, created for the unmixed benefit of the people of Louisiana:—“Tne objects and purposes of this corporation are:— First, the protection of the State against the | great losses heretofore incurred by sending large | amounts Of money to other Stat and foreign countries for the purchase of lottery tickets and other devices, thereby tmpoverishing our own people; second, to establish a solvent and reliable home institution for the sale of lottery, policy and | other tickets; third, to provide means to raise a fund for educational and charitavle purposes for the citizens of Lonisiana.” The monopoly 1s to last twenty-flve years; it 18 made @ criminal offence in any one unauthorized by the company and license fees whatever—State, city or parish; and for these monstrous privileges and exemp- vions it pays imio the State Treasury—for the educational fund—the petty $40,000 per annum! The company is now composed almost entirely of a few men living in New York and New Jersey; on a million of capital they make not less than seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars clear profit every ye they have established policy shops and petty gambiing dens around the markets and other pablic places in New Orleans, which perpetually demoralize the | laboring class, and particularly negro men and Women, and over which tne city government has no control; and they have agents and solicitors all over the State, tempting the poor and ignorant to gamble, providing for this end what they call a “combination game,” which can be played even by the owner of a ten cent piece. NAVIGATION COMPANIES. In 1868 the Legislature chartered the Missis- sippi Valley Navigation Company o! the South and West, and in 1870 an amendment to the charter | gave the company which the State was to receive stock. The com- pany got the money, but I cannot ar that they are in business to-day, though taey were author- ized to “construct steamboats, warehouses, docks,” &c. Another scheme was the Red River Navigation Company, which was authorized to | | Teceive $136,000 in State bonds, BAYOU SWINDLES. The bayous or river estuaries of the State ry became a fine fleld for swindlin, For instance, the Legislature of 1870 passed an act incorporating a company to improve Bayou Bartnolomew, in the northern part of the State, and granting State bonds to aid in the enterprise. Within six- teen days after the passage of the act State warrants to the amount of $118,000 nad been issued to the company. The auditor at that time happened to be an honest man. He refused to Tecognize these warran's; suit was orought by | the company, and the Supreme Court twice de- | clared the proceedings fraudulent, Ludeling, Calef | Justice (whom the United States” Supreme Court last year denounced tor fraud in another matter), | alone dissenting; anc on @ motion to remaud the ease for a rebearing, which Lodeling granted, | Judge Wylie, dissenting, said:—-Act 59, to im- prove the navigation of Bayou Bartholomew, | | never authorized @ contract to exceed $40,000. | 1 regard the contract for $118,000 tor that work as a deliberate fraud upon the State. Not a single requirement for letting out and making the contract according to Act 69, seems to have been complied with.” Now, then, mark what follows, Tne claim was twice denied by the Supreme Court, The Legislature oi 1874 created a Board of Audit, with power to settie outstanding liabilities, and this Board a few days ago quietly allowed a large part of this claim. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, 4 company whose main purpose appears to have been cattle stealing, was organized and chartered tn 1874, under the title of a “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,” The Leg- islature gave them sole and exclusive charge of seize and arrest animals of all kinds in the streets, and impound them and charge the owners $5 a day for their detention, and to sell them outright at | the end of eight days. The summary arrest of goats in the outskirts of the city came near cre- | ating a mob of Irish women; and, to prevent cru- | elty to animals, the company at ove time, I am told, began to arrest horses left standing in the streets while their riders were transacting busi- ness in the shops, EXOLUSIVE POWER OF NAVIGATION. An act of the Legisiature to improve Bayous Giaises and Rouge gives the incorporators sole and exclusive power to navigate those bayous with vessels of all Kinds, exempts their capital | stock from taxation of every kind and allows tuem to levy @ toll on all vessels except their owa | which they ailow to be used on these bayous, fhe | improvement to be made was very slight. | In 1871 the Mississippi River Paci Company was. incorporated by act of the Legisiacare. | Among the imcorporators were Antoine, now | Lieutenant Goveraor, then Senator; Keiso, E Pinchvack, Ingranam and Barber, all State Senators, and Pollard, member of Assembly, ‘The ovject of the company was to run steamboats on (he Mississippi River. The State was pledged to subscribe $260,000 on the organization of t! company; and, so farasican see in the act, it Was to enjoy no denefits or privileges whatever. “10 PROMOTR COMMERCE.” The same Legisiatare estavlisned the Lousiana Warenouse Company ‘to promote the interests of — commerce.’ Among the incorporators I find men- tioned in the act Senator Wesc, then Administra, | tor of Improvements in New Orleans, and Colleo- tor Casey. The company was authorized to issue | bonds to the amount of $1,500,000, and the State | Was requirea to guarantee the payment of the In- terest and principal of these bonason condition that tne company should deposit securities equal 1m vaite to the bonds issued, which securities, t act say, may be “dank indorseme! or other good and solvent bonds.” By ao act authorizing & company to improve bayous Portage and Yokeley, tne State gave the company $100,000 by way of ald, and if the im- provement should cost more than this sum the company Was empowered to jay a tax on ail ti lands benefited to make ap the deficiency; and to sell jor taxes any such lauds whose owners had not paid aiter sixty days’ notice, No limit is fet of cost, and the company is made its own tax collector, A company chartered to improve Loggy Bayou Lake Bistenesa received $60,000 State aid, aud, of the Incorporators itis distinctly stated in the , to sell any kind of lottery ticket anywhere in the | State; the company is exempted from all taxes | sum of | $100,000 of State money, for | all the pounds in New Orieans, with authority to — the people say, pulléd out about twenty stumps for the money, A company chartered to improve Bayou Terre Bonne received the exclusive privilege to navigate tiat bayou and to onary tolls on its waters. A company to improve bayous Bauf and Crocodile ‘Was autuorized to receive $80,000, 8 sum asserted to be preposterously beyond the value of the ser- vice. The Mexican Gulf Canal Company arew $36,000 in bonds from the State in aid of its enter- prise, then abandoned it and merged with another company for a different purpose; got control of the drainage fund; fell ipto the hands of one man; and he, in the name of the company, 18 now doing a necessary work of drainage at a cost a hundred per cent bigher than responsive citizens stand ready to do tt for. The Legislature even chartered a company and gave it the sole and exclusive right to clean privies in New Orleans and to empty their con- tents into the Mississippi River; made it obliga- tory on citizens to have this service performed at fixed intervals, and established a scale of charges muck higher than that at which the service has long been performed. PURCHASE OF THE STATE HOUSE, Even the purchase by the State of the St. Louls Hotel, to be used as a State House, was a swindling transaction, Several members or the Legislature and others'were chartered as the Louisiana Na- tonal Building Association. They got jrom the owners of the St, Louis Hote an agreement to sell that building at a set price, and, this done, madea lease of it to the State ior nineteen years at $50,000 a year and entire exemption from taxation, ‘They overshot tneir mark, and the outery raised against this act of extortion compelled the annulling of the lease, Thereupon the Citizens’ Bank bought the builaing outright sor $84,000, The Louisiana Bullaing Association had been enjoined, and could | not act under that title, They changed the com- pany’s name to the New Orieans National Building Association, bought the hotel Jor $149,000, and the Haha Legisiature, which met after the dispersion of the Wiltz body, in the spring of this year, gave $250,000 for the building, These Ngures and other figures above are authentic. It is nos always easy for men to cover up their tracks, and these men have not been careful to do so, THE NEW ORLEANS PARK. In 1870 the Legislature passed a law authorizing the improvement of the oid City Park, a piece of ground which had been held for the purpose many years. During the year two politicians, Soatr- | worth and Bloomer, got a written agreement from | the owners of a large vacant piece of ground—the | only large tract, except tne old Park, near the | elty—to sell it to them at a fixed price—$600,000, ‘The Legisiature of 1871 next amended the Park | Improvement jaw #0 ag to allow the Commission- | ers to buy land for anew park, and made an ap- | propriation of money to carry it into effect. The | | Governor now appointed Park Commissioners, and one of these, by an odd coincidence, was Southworth, who was at that time Recorder of Mortgages. Pinehback was another Park Commis- sioner, and Senator West another. Soutnworth and those interested with bim next acquired tide to the property they held under agreement, but paid only $65,000 down; the remainder of the pur- chase money was left on mortgage. Then, on the 16th of August, they sold to the city one-half of their purchase for $300,000, receiving $65,000 in | cash, and $195,000 in bonds, While $540,000 of debt was transierred from their shoulders to the city’s. lsis the common street talk here, that, alter this transaction was completed, Antoine, the Lieuten- ant Governor, went about complaining that Pinch- back nad cheated him oat of $40,000, which he had in some way expected to get ont of tne al- fair. The park 1s still unimproved; it is used as a cow pasture; but the city 1s paying interest on its debt for a park. Icould go on indefinitely with stories of this kind, for I nave only culled here and there out of the acts oj the Legislature, and as I turned over the leaves of the books I met with dozens of petty swindles, Ferry monopolies granted to members | of the Legislature, oftenest at points where fer- | ries already existed ; acts to remove @ county seat | to some member's farm or plantation; te cri | tion of new counties, and acts incorporating @ | multitude of petty villages, some having less than | aMicting their inhabitants with a | etty government, Aiayor ana administrators, au- | | | | | | therizing these officers to lay taxes ‘not to ex- ceed the parish tax; and providing fees and sal- aries for the needless officers. Nor Was even this the worst. I know some such little towns which have never since their incorporation been ruled by the officers they chose; on some pretext the elected men are rejected and vhe Governor fills the vacancies thus created. RUIN CAUSED BY MISRULE. bas beep che pressure of taxation, ly bas business been prostrated in th State py the long continued misruie, that, accord- ing to an official report, in tnree years, 1871-3, 47,491 tax seizures were made in the city ot New Orleans by the Sheriff; I nave seen parish news- papers three of whose sides were filled with adver- | tisements of tax sales—this nos in parishes which | prudently refused to pay taxes, as a few remote ones have done; and | have before me a state- ment certified by the Recorder, showing that from the 10ti of November, 1871, to the 18th of November, 1873, $21 tracts of land and plantations | in the parish of St. Martin were actualiy sold by ‘the tax collector for State aud parish taxes, Yet, in spite of their exorbitant commissions, the of- cial report of the State Auditor tor 1874 contains a list of defaulting tax coliectors containing twenty names, who are reported to be in defauit to 1D amount of over $200,000, Nor can it be said that the valuations are low, for in New Orleans the assessors receive by law five per cent for their work, and the assessment is made annually. in the parishes the tax collec- tors, who have more or less to do with the assesa- ments, receive ten per ceot of their collections, | and in many cases it bas been proved that they | Teceived taxes in greenbacks and turned them in | in depreciated scrip. The city of New Orleans, be- ing largely democratic, has been afflicted with double set of assessors and collectors—one for the State, the other for the city. The State’s annual | assessment of property in New Orieans cost in | 1871 $100,000, This Wrong Was so great that in ti Auditor's report for 1872 I read “Within th parish of Orleans two per cent on the amount of tne tax levied would be a fair compensation to th tax collector, acting in the capacity of assessor; or, should the General Assembly so determine, An agreement with the city administration, at a nominal expense, to furnish complete copies of their assessment rolls, would thus make a iurther reanction of expenses without detriment to the interests of the State.” And again:—“Within the parish of Orleans assessors are paid a percentage upon the amount of their | assessment rolis. Asa consequence experience bas suown that great injustice is done by placing | aswessments very hign—in some instances 150 per cent @bove the true value of property. A large commission is thus paid by the State, and after- | Ward, in many instances the assessment is re- | duced by order of Court or otherwise, thereby the State losing the compensation paid the Assessor, besides the annoyance and expense it unjustly en | | tails upon the taxpayer. } The assesswent and collection of the State tax | 08 COBt $176,000 inet ¥ 1am told. | tof all this is that property im New Or- | leans is aimost worthiess and totally unsalable | | Nobody likes to be a taxpayer. A house and lot assessed for $96,000 Was suid last mo Good residence property has fallen, | more than dity per cent in value. Rents produce | ry smal Net income, | | Several years ago the Legisiatare was per- | suaded to passaiaw that the parish tax should | not exceed the State, aud a® member of the Ring | here showed me this law to prove that the com- plaints of exorbitant taxation in the country | parishes must be without foundation, He forgot | to veli me of another jaw waich allows the holder of pariso scrip to ue the parish, and directs the Judge, in the cave of such sult, to lay@ special tax ou the parisn for tne payment of the scrip. ‘This is continually done, and the business of buy- tog Up depreciated parisn scrip, With the object | o/ Jorcing the parish to pay it by getting a judg. ment against it, 1440 common that several tax cok | lectors bave admitted to me that they did it. It is & Derieotiy safe speculation, NORDHOFF. | pataralized voters, aliens, owners of land, | factories, THE STATE CENSUS. The Work To Be Accom-e plished in June. New York’s True Population To Be Ascer- tained at Last, On the lat of June the 575 enumerators ap- pointed by the Secretary of State for taking the census of the city of New York—one for each elec- tion district—will begin work, and it 18 expected that by tue ist of July their task will have been completed. They will be engaged every day, with the exception of Sundays, and be paid $3 a day. They were appointed upon the recommendation of the Tammany Hall General Committee, and seem to be men of fair intelligence, who will be aptto take a tolerably accurate census of our population, The Superintendent of the Census for New York is the Hon. Gideon J. Tucker, wno bas held the positious of Secretary of State and Sur. rogate of the county of New York, and is well qualified for the post. He has been busy for the past three or four days swearing in the enumerat., ors, handing them their commissions, giving them | their instructions, &c. He is always particular to press upon the enumerator the great necessity ot “counting everybody,” doing the wor iully and conscientiously. “We have never had @ fair cen- cus since 1855,” he says to every one, “and we ought to have one now. The main thing is that you count every one,” MR. TUCKER'S ANTICIPATIONS. Mr. Tacker’s anticipations as to the probable re- suit of the census in New York city are of some interest, as he is in @ position to speak auchort tatively on @ subject to whicn he has devoted much attention, He thinks that the present census will show a population of over 1,269,000 for New York city. “This being so meorrigibly a democratic ¢ity,’’ née says, “I believe the census of New York has’ of late always been studtonsly neglected in order to diminish its representation in Congress,’ ‘The present State census will have an especiai in- terest from 1:8 occurring 80 near the close of our first century of natioval ive. In many other States a census will be also taken the present year, and it 1s of the highest importance that the mpire State shall justily its emipent rank 101 the other States of the Union by producin, sus retura chat shall command the full confidence of all as a complete and reliable summary of ite population and of its industrial resources, THE INITIATION OF ENUMERATORS. ‘The commissions of enumerators are quite for- midable jooking documents, printed with @ view to strike with awe the ignorant who may be disin- clined to answer the questions put totuem., The foliowing is the wording o1 the paper:— State of New York: To all to whom these presents shall come, greeti Know ye, That. in pursuance of the powers vested in me by virtue of chapter 64 of “The ‘of 1855," entitled “An act in relation to the Census or Enumeration of the Tnhapitants of this State paste rch 12, 1858, and of the ucts amendatory thereof, | have nominated, consti. tuted and appointed, an: hese presents do nomit constitute and appoint to be an enume: for taking the census or enumeration of the —— election district of the ——--—— Assembly district, im the -——- ward of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, tor the year 1876, ‘according tothe said acts and the instructions which shall e issued from this office, with atl and slogu- lar the powers and authorities to the said @ by law appertaining. hold the said. office tozether with the longing, for ing the tim) In testimony Whereot 1 have hereunto, set my band nd affixed my seal of office. at any, —_— May" in the year ao Lord one thousand eight hun: red an venty five. DIEORICH WILLERS, Jr., Secretary of State. THE OATH OF OFFICE, The following 1s the oath of office to which each enumerator has to subseribe :— State of New York, ety ani county of New York, s¢ :— Tdosolemaly swear that will support the constitu tion of ine United states and the constitution of the State of New york, and that Iwill faithfully discharge the duties of the office of census enumerator according to the best of my ability. ‘And I do further solemnly swear that I ama citizen of the United States, over, twenty-one years of age and that I have resided in the ward, in whieh is situated t! election district tor which 1 have been appointed, for ast past. © whic! more than one LANKS TO BR FILLED OUT, ‘The blanks which are to be flied ouc the enu- merators receive at the County Clerk’s office. Eacn set 1s neatly bound and consists of six bianks. The first blank, “Population,” is tn- tended to contain io separate columus the dwell- iugs numbered in the order ol visitation, the ma- terlal of whieh they are built, thelr valine, the families numbered in order of visitation, the nate of every person whose usual place of abode was in tne family om the Ist of June, age, sex, ther white, black, mulavto or Indian, relation bere bora, if married, w to the head of the iamily, widowed or single, profession, trade or occupa tion, tie usual place of emplorment if out of the city or town where the family resides, native or r e years of age and not able to read aud tind, iosane or idiotic. ‘Marriage,’ shall record the name, age and jp yas civil condition Of basband and Wile, the date Of marriage, the name of the city or town where the marriage occurred, now the marriage was solemuized, by clergymen, eivil ‘ate or deci» ration before witnesses, The third blank, “Deaths,” is to covsain the name of every person who died during tne year ding June 1, 1875, age, sex, color and civil con. dition, the fe of death, the uative State or country, trade or occupation and disease or cause ot death. THE AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS, The fourth blank i8 for agricuitaral statistic, The ioliowing are the main columns ame of owner, agent of manager Of arm, acres of land, nimproved; cash value of farms, other than dwellings, stock, tools snd impl ts, and gross sales from farm in 1874; acres ploughed in 1873 and 1874, acre: pasture and meadow, number of acres in wh oats, rye, barley aud ouckwheat, ludian corn, eas, root crops, flax, potatoes, beans and to- acco, hops ana market garaen, Otner columns show ‘other statistics with regard to the produce of orchards and jarms, graperies, &c., the Dumber of cattle, the manuiactare of butter, cheese, sugar, horses, sheep, poultry, manufactures, ya Tae fifth blank 18 for “Industries other than agri cultural,” ana the sixth blank, for “miscelianem statistics,” is to ord the average pay 0! laborers and mechanics, exclusive of board. Ti there are special blapks jor large manufactor such a# agricuiturd! implements, boot ad shoe , breweries aud distilieries, bri Making, te works, butter aud cveese factorie: aod creameries, cavinet and furuitare manufac. tories, carpentry and building, railroad ana strees car, Carriage, wagon and sleigh factories; cotton sueries, flour and grist mills, givve and witren factories, iron furnaces and lorges, iron founaries and machine shops, Kn tting mills, dumber mills and saw mills; mineral provacwons, mines, quarries, &c.; paper wills, printing estab- lishmenis and vinderies; eugiaving, stereotyping ana electrotypiug establishments; sewing macoine factories, ship aod boat building, slaug! and packiag houses, tanneries, leather dressini hsbmente of every kind, tobacco and cigar manu Jactoriea and sDuf mills, woollen factories, INSTRUCTIONS TO ENUMERATORS, The following instructions vf the Secretary of State to enumerators are o/ special lnterest:— ‘The umportauce ofa kind and conciliatory manner in securing the confidence and good will ot iamines ap- ruached for iniormation is too obvious w require more i tion. Persons of inteiligence wiil readily u Objects tor which the census is taken, and will co-operate in faciita:ing (he iuquiries of the officers 4 duty of making them. It sometim pens that persons 6 & schem Liwulity as likely to resuit 8 iy erroneously suppose tha: these returas may serve ta Some Way as an advertisement of their business, You will take cure io remove such erroneous ideas, consutution, law, and bas be: State qovermmnen|. impued pledge of secrecy, so tar xs U To enumerator should allow hte mined by ally person atver they have been tilled, ex- cept as hereinafter specially direcved in relation to th schedule tor marriages and deaths. ibe tacts wiil wat Fant you In ftuily affirming that these inquiries hav nothiig todo wiih any plan of assessment whi Dut that the eblef purpose is to obtai apportionment of representation in U sembly of our State Legisiature, and also the alteration of Judicial districts Besides this 8 re. marked by the Governor in his late annual message, the censds is a means “tor obtaining statistica) nn nageae | as to Population and social statistics, the resource Juterests of the State, individual and’ associate industry, agriculture, the mechanic commerce manu: factures, e..uc ‘and other information of great value to the statistician ain’ to all classes of cituzens.”” ry ' eo coe resi 4 they usual ~ ms iy bu it which yy “usual place of lodging piace of a person bas no tamily and js unsetued in where (i an elector) hi you will inquire the privil of voting, and regard th nee, Persons ed in the service of the U in any capaci.y, Whether civil, military or naval, or whatever plage of country; sailors and boatmen tion all eugaged on board adents in colleges, 1108 OF at ponools, wh Fo. the fa. Alles to whieh they be: jong, are to ted as if at home, But the in! Als pelea enitentiaries, fo: tormatories, Inms ani fnsutntions to8 the tena! of the ingame, @0G for the education or support Get ang camp blind g Fe oaly in the jutions whien they may be iiving on the ist day eideae Special enumerators will be appointed for taking the Allegany, a of the indians jolug in a, St, eu ts. atere live, wi ote such persons in Colamna, as here ee —