The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-04-22


buildings; they have maintained the credit of the
Municipality, and never permitted its name to be
dishonored Contrast their acts for twelve years
with those Of the other party during the brief reign
of two years make due allowance for the infirmi
ties and weaknesses Of human nature, and then say
whether they worthy Of the confidence you
have so long bestowed on them.
The Private Character of Candidates for
Ohices
1t seems that a portion of the press of New Or
leans, deem it highly improper to discuss the pri-
vate character of any man who asks an office of
profit or trust from his fellow citizens. On the
other hand, we deem it not only the right, but the
duty of the PRESS to guard the public against men
of bad character, when they present themselves for
the suffrages of the people. In the discussion of
their qualifications, we think their moral fitness
may well be urged in their favor, and certainly
their moral unftness is also to be weighed in the
scales. For instance, it is brought home to the
notice of an editor, that candidate for an impor
tant Office, is fugitive from the offended laws of
another country, or that he has committed some
crime at home; if this fact were known, he would
be defeated-if not known, he would be elected
What is the duty of that editor! What would the
public say of him! Will our elders in the craft in
form us as TO our duties While we hold then our
right and duty alike, to be to expose the vices and
crimes Of candidates, we deny that we have in the
case of Mr.. J. H. Caldwell, attempted to call in
question his private character His friends claimed
for him the possession of great enterprise and saga
city. He had established the Gas Works /; he had
built the Camp street Theatre, and the ST. Charles
Theatre. Well, we added to the list of his public
enterprises that he had converted the Camp street
Theatre into dance house; - and forthwith we
are assaulted after this fashion:
g The Crescent and James II. Cdld,pen-We
INDUCED the hope that the practice of invading the
domestic hearths Of candidates for Office or the con-
temptible and unmanly game of anatomizing
mans private history, to hunt up something to be
used for his personal modification, to procure
his defeat by the people, would not again be re-
sorted to in Louisiana.
In this reasonable and proper hope, we fear
from notice in yesterdays Crescent-we are
doomed to disappointment, and thatou city is likely
to have repetition of scandal such as impaired an
infamous notoriety to the last gubernatorial cleo
ton. We hope the Crescent has been surprised
into this notice, and that little cool reflection on
Its probable consequences, will satisfy it of its i'm
propriety. "-Irue Delta.
Morals.-We cordially coincide with the True
Delta in It's remarks upon an article in the Cres-
cent, in which Mr. James III. Caldwell is alluded
TO in the harshes terms that private malice and DO
litical hatred could suggest. And what is the bur
den of the charge against that gentleman! Why
that about dozen or twenty years ago he hired
out the Camp street Theatre for public ball room
which the Crescent says was the resort of loose
women! most tremendous crime was this in
Mr.. Caldwell! He rented out building that be-
longed to him for ball room yes, ball room
and the balls therein held were sometimes FIRE.
quented by loose women! and loose men r'-
Courier.
To the mdudlin rawlings of the Courier, we shall
make no reply. The reason will be obvious to our
readers in the city, where that editor has acquired
well-established reputation.
The remarks of the True Delta, however, are
worthy of notice. The Crescent did not "invade
the domestic hearth of any candidate. 1t walked
into the council rOom-it examined the public off
cial action of the Municipal Legislature. These
are public property, and any inference or argumen
to be drawn from them is fair and legitimate. Anc
without invading the hearth, or playing the unman
ly game OF anatomizing mans private character
papers and speakers, may comment on the vote
and voices of public men, acting in their oficia
stations. 1t is all very proper to tell the public tina
man built church! But you must not tell tina
he afterwards converted it into broihel Oh no
that is invading the domestic hearth that is play
ing an unmanly game! We don't understand thi
| code of morals. A witness is sworn 81 to tell tn
truth, the tDhole TRUTH and nothing but the truth.
The old Delta, however, says that Mr.. Caldwell
very innocently rented the room to a man, VIII
gave balls in it. He was as ignorant as the bah
unborn of the vile uses TO which it was prostituted
and when the subject came up in the Council, h
voted against abolishing these balls, "unless upo
fair investigation. He knew nothing of thei
character, but wished the proprietor to have fai
hearing" The record shows that the ordinance
suppressing these dance houses were postponed on
| week, and at the next session they were passed
the only vote against them being that of Mr.. Cald
well. From several members Of the Council, W
learn that Mr.. C. denied the truth of the charge
against the Camp street Ballroom at the session
when the subject was first preached That evenin
was one of the reception nights. The Council ad
journed and went down in body to the ball. (wit
the exception of Mr.. Caldwel.l The scenes the
witnessed would furnish an admirable sketch 70
the Hogarth of the Delta, and would form Fl
accompaniment to its series of "Scenes in New
Orleans, which SO greatly edited the lady reader
OF that paper last year. We will not poach upo
preserve which is so peculiarly Its property
is enough to say that the Council had ocular demon
| SNN'SN ~ eAS huth VI lll6 CudTgeSs AT the mex
: meeting the preamble and ordinances were passed
We publish the account of the debate from III
Picayune, together with the preamble and resou
TONS
We have been led into this article by the attack
made on the Crescent, for daring to reply to rt
spectacle correspondent, by stating the public act
OF Municipal officer. 1t is but few days az,
since the Crescent, in common with other papers n
ceived severe reprimand for not publishing the bus
: ness transactions between the Canal Bank and III
) Treasurer of the Mint. We took it in good mar
and meant to avoid any further censure for supin
. ness. Much to our surprise, the same paper no
reads us another lecture for obeying its instru
tons and publishing the UOtss of an Alderman.
. 1t will thus bessen that we deal only with Il
votes and public acts of Mr.. Caldwell. We aga
most cheerfully concede to him all that his frient
claim for him on the score of enterprise and publ
/. spirit He is one those men SO useful in carryin
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