Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-06-11

Hobce, on my part. "a Dr. f5cDI s i6ttff. III your
last. Those document present the subject at
issue in its true light. They prove conclu-
sively that DR.. Scott is in error, that from
wrong data, or from some other cause, he has
become the instrument through which a dis
graceful SANDER (disgraceful only to its au-
thors) has been propagated against one of the
most honest and faithful public officers the
state has ever known. Hence. n light duty
now devolvrs IN me, id esf, to explain sofnr
portions of the Doctors letter, which, ttnex-
planned. might admit t.4e inference that there
was j. collision or rdrt Of Mr.. Duhlers friends.
artfully to excpipate him from deserved re.
proaeh. This ! will do as SUMMARY As pos
slble, and i.fst, | select the charge advanced
By the pogtor. which reads:
The first charge ! have selected, and
which | consider the most i'm portant IS, that
Fir. fuhler did not pay into the State fieasu-
~ the moneysduc by him, for the sales OF run
away slaves, until he was compelled"
This charge | explicitly deny. Mr.. Buf1leF
was never "conpohtd' to pay the monies, as
here specified. He paid them voluntarily, and
not on compuf ion. During his term of service
he always, when called on, refunded 10 the
owners of the slaves that had been sold, the
surplus. after expenses. The only fact put
forth in the Doctonis letter. and moi fully OK
planned by the letters sir. Is. has shown me. Is
this; the MONEYS Mr.. u. received on the sales
of runaway negroes. and not called for by the
owners Of said slaves. were Kept by ham du-
ring Il term of years. While there was 3 law oH
the statute books directing that Snch moneys
be paid to the "T'reasurer Of the Territory.
Under the state government, all territorial laws
not repealed by the Legislature, retaaln IN
fall force and effect.
Now. the law allnded to by nr. Scott. III
mistake not, has never been repealed and nn-
der il the mntaeHs in a Question ought 10 have
been paid. Bit All impression had gained
ground Il ain at a loss 10 say how, under
which The shetiifs did not consider 1t their dt-
~ 10 pay said moneys into the State treasury.
and Mr.. Gartere states that he. also, laborlng
under the same impression, did not feel au-
thoriSed 10 call on sheriiis for such balances.
This impression was general Df. Scott par
t~icipated in it with others. and il IS this latter
fact alone that accounts for the resolution in
trodtced by him in 1893. making 1.-THE duty of
the Treasurer ia calt on sherifts for the sur
Plus proceeds or the sales Of runaway slaves
True. DR.. Scott has not stated that he har-
bored this impression; on the contrary. the
language Of his letter might lead some 10 a
reverse conclusion. But | state the fact now
for him. and | do il to relieve him from the
Inputation Of superosatory legislation, by
%apPcnding an unnecessary clause to our al
ready solumineus reports, The resolution
introduced by DR.. Scott does not explain the
law: in no hammer does il render the Code
more clear; h1f, on the contrary, 1t makes It
more complex, hv plling provision on proVl-
sion and words ON words.
A majority Of the legislature were evidently
in the same category with DIR. Scott. the state
treasurer, the sheriff, and the people ct the
state. They were either Totally ignorant Of
the existence Of thr law. or considered it ofno
effect, from having fallen into disitse. Hence,
the adoption of the resolution offered by DIR.
Scots for would any Legislative body 50 far
trile WITH Standing avs AS to pass new ones
enforcing titern, while said laws were clear as
the sun at midday, and in full force and effect
under the most positive provisions oil the Con
~stitution ftself7 How would senators excuse
themselves to their constituents for so mis-
spending their l,ours Of business--for SO tam
pcring with the Statutes of the sta'e7 But
one safe reply can he-made 10 these intcrroga.
tories the impression prevailed IN the Senate
and House of Representatives, that the terri
trial law BLACK Code. see. o9) WIS net con-
sldcrcd binding BY tlr officers Of the state or
by tEle.peopls themselves.
So far, then, DIR, SCOTS letter is explained
~ fIH iiliS " His. ltbH WHY ~ NtIIt'h Nlf'
worthy Senator in q slight error he has COM
,m!ttes., and 10 pass a few observations on the
spirit Of hte charge against Mr.. Buhier.
DR.. s. states that Mr.. Buhter did not pay
the balance in question until NEARLY Two
years after his term of Office had expired
Mr., Euhlcr's nomination was rejected by
the Senate in February or March, 1897 by
he certificate Of the Treasurer, it is seen
,irf - .-tl al l-I.--. H. -. -. -a..
slaves in April, ls3s--a period n little o"er
one year from the date of HIS rejection, and
about two months after the passage of the re-
solution introduced by Ur. Scott.
Lastly, as regards the spirit in which this
charge is conceived. It is brought forth now
for party purposes there is every evidence
before the people, that it owes lis origin TO
the same designs. DR.. Scott and Mr.. BUTLER
were rival candidates. The former Con the
priteiplc, perhaps, that all things are fair in
war; uttered groundless charges against the
Latter in the Senate; charges which none Of
DIR. Scott's partisans believed-which they
stamped with their contempt by refusing to
notice. His whole object was to lessen Mr..
B. in public esteem and party rancour joined
to personal malice, propelled him to measures
which now only reflect disgrace upon their
author. II this be not the truth, how happens
Il, that DIR. Scott never brought against other
SherIffs the same charges as against MIR. Buh-
Ter how happens It that in bis strong anxf-
for the PUBLIC good, he finds fault only,
with the sole individual who has done his du-
tya According to this system, one might
suppose that DR.. S. considers it a crime TO
fulfill faithfully a public trust. a crime TO be
honest-a crime rot to cheat the state =
Strange code Of morals strange perversion
of the established principles of Justice! Mr..
Buhler is the only Sheriff in the State who
proves 10 have done iis dutv, and nr. Scott
finds fault Only with him Perhaps he finds
fault because he did not fulfill the trusts Of
the others as we'll 80 his own 1T would
really seem that DIR. =. considered it his spe-
cial province while in the Senate to legislate
fass Mr.. Buhler.
| might pass some Observations on the first
paragraph ofthe Doctors letter. were it con-
sistent with ny present purpose TO comment
on his absurdities. Ny object is merely to
procure justice ior the injured, and although
DIR, S. denies nc that "right," he will see
that | havesobtained il, even in the face of
bis denial. Truth has discovered itself, not
withstandirg his disposition to conceal it
So may It ever be!
The attempt of the Deetor to get up SYM
pathy for himself-in advanee--bv an awk-
ward allusion to the imperfections of the
State Constitution, deserves exposure. With
your permission, Mr.. Editor, Twill copy this
sentence. 1t reads
''The caution he ("Justiee'') gives, as to
scrutiny, was unnecessary 10 one who has
lived more than twenty years under the Con-
sfttt,.io, If T,uieia,n Nv usb:rh tba raorI,