ous
to the last degree and indifferent to the progressive anemia which was
destroying the State's finances. Like Julius Caesar he attained his
gubernatorial power by making multiple false promises and kept it by a
species of corrupt practices which were incredibly vile. There is the
tragic setting, the broken, maimed, devastated State of Louisiana,
just out of the War of Rebellion and struggling hard to regain her
"former glory." There are the carpetbaggers, irresponsible, predatory
and indigent, of whom an army estimated to have been five hundred
thousand strong invaded the State attracted as vultures by the rich
pickings of political conquest. There are scalawags, remnants of the
Confederate army, also indigent, nevertheless troublesome and among
whom many brigands, murderers and cut-throats sprang up. There were
respectable Republicans and Democrats, whites and blacks who formed
the background for the tragedy of Reconstruction in Louisiana. There
were also the Manichean gods of sharply defined good and evil, sanity
and insanity, righteousness and corruption, civic pride and utmost
indifference; murder, theft, malfeasance, ignorance and crass
stupidity. All these thrown in the pot of political regeneration made
a situation that was tragically immoral and horrific.

During Warmoth's administration the legislature was a minstrel show.
It was worse than a minstrel show; it was profoundly corrupt.
Lobbyists openly paid legislators, black and white, for their votes.
And what is more, the money was parceled out to each one on the very
floor of the Senate and House. This corruption was so rife that it was
sickening; it is even nauseating now to read about it. He was finally
impeached by the Senate. When it became certain to him that the Senate
would vote for his impeachment he cowardly sought to nullify the vote
by resigning and fleeing the State. But he regained his power and
influence and held office two years longer. And during this time his
power was so absolute that the fear of him is manifest in the Senate
and House debates. Speakers in making charges of corruption, and even
when speaking against bills aimed at increasing the power of the
governor, always added, so great was their fear of him, "no reflection
is meant upon the present incumbent," or words to that effect. This
although they knew well that it was his very abuse of power which
called forth many of the bills under consideration.

It was scarcely possible,