Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-03-01

think that every one has tae il9l' U nee access
to its archives. and can copy and publish what
part 81 its proceedings he may deem proper; that
in common :.ith all my felow-citizens, Iclaim to
enjoy the same right without consultation with
YOU, without your concurrence or approval; that |
think your pTetellslon to control NE on that sub
iect savors of too much assumed superiority; and
that | am determined to publish. whenever |
please, all that have done in the Board since | be-
came a member of it, inst as you have the right
Of tavorlng the public with all that you have done
in ii, or in the Senate Of Louisiana, without the
concurrence or approval Of anybody: and without
its being construed by me, OF by your former coll
leagues in the Senate, into an Imputation of my
being, or of their being, less vigllant and consclen-
tious than you are,
l wish YOU to understand that in the Board Of
Currency, according to my humble opinion, there
can be no. attacking OF defending Of the Banks-no
counsel for or against; that when one Of the mem
bers denounces what he thinks 10 be an in1raction
of law, by them, his colleague may concur or dis
sent, and give his reasons. But whence does one
member of the Board derive the right 10 pass
Judgment on the motives Of the other! ] beg you
also to observe that, as You have looked into the
motives of what you call my hostility to the Lou
isiana State Bank, and my attack on that institu-
zion, | might be justified in looking into the mo-
tves of what l might, IN recrllnlnatlon. cali your
partially and defence. But | deal in such ware.
and leave motives to the all-searcbing eye OF God.
You say that nay unrenItting efforts since Feb
Yuary. 1910, when a change took place in the Ii
rection Of the louisiana State Bank, 10 assail ev-
cry act Of that Bank, have long convinced you
that considerations other than my sense Of public
duty ilnpel my action. Allow me, sir, in relation
to the position which you thus take, to ask you
this question: has a faint suspicion never entered
your head that the public might consider your
erecting yourself into an umpire over my efforts
to assail the bank, and your efforts to shelter it,
as e piece Of arrogant presumption?
I'd ~ So. / lz.-z 80 H..
rlekety scaffoiding of your alleged grieysnces a
gainst me. Ihey appear so ill-founded that |
have almost come to the conclusion that they have
been brought forward only to give an apparent
justification to the venting OF a little spleen and
abuse.
When a gentleman implies that he has received
an offence, he demands explanation before acting.
This is generally understood to be the rule. You,
after having declared yourself satisfied, in private
and in public, that | had no idea to act disrespect-
fully towards you-and when you had ample time
TO ask for any further explanations, the necessity
for which might have since occurred to your mind,
come forward deliberately, after six days coglta-
ton, and, under the pretext of an implied impu-
tation, on your character, make q direct charge OF
the blacklist kind against mine.
As it has been a standing rule with ne to intlict
no intentional injury, without cause, on the mean
est animal in creation. | have gone into all these
details to satisfy nv own mind that I am guiEtiess
- S&ALAAA ~ aiNS y EA' way ~ ga ttIS-| NtfSNNN
the excited tone of your communication Of the
18th, after yotIr letter of the 18th. that | am half
inclined TO belieye that il was not written by YOU,
and that you signed it without reflection. | wish
for your sake that it were SO.
a little reflection will convince you that there
10 no studied and concealed sarcasm under the cs-
precision OF this wish, but that il proceeds from the
pnreSt source of human charity. Thus, SIT: yen
say, on the 18th Of February, 1851 that my unre-
hitting efforts since February, lS49. when a
change took place IN tee direction OF the Louis,-
aIa State Bank, 10 assail every act Of that Bank.
have long convinced va that considerations other
than my sense Of public duty i1upel nay action,
Whieh means That you had long been convinced
81. that | he'd been guilty Of unrc1nitting violation ol
my oificial oath, and that thereby | had forfeited
every ciaitIf ~ respect and esteem. And yet, du-
ring all thai time, you had been treating me Ike
friend, and on the 18th Of this month. you pro-
claimed me TO the world as your friend, under
your own hand and seal. Under what colors do
you here represent yourself, and if they were true,
would you not be worse than you represent me to
be- And had you moral enemy in the world,
would he not wish you TO stand convicted before
the public of having written both the documents
N Of the l2th and the 18th Of February
There is this difference between you and me-.
# You thought OF somebody thought fer you, or pre-
tended to think for you,that | had cast imputa-
tions on your charaeter, proceeding from differences
or implications, which | have demonstrated to be
utterly pIDullltGSS, dI. YOU ~ o4hEa JOLlsCH tlltp q
fit Of passion. l remain perfectly serene, in the.
face OF your direct charges, that, as an officer OF
the State | am moved by no sense OF duty, but
I only " malicious or other unwarthY sentiments
/ am aware that / am surrounded by those, who
know me from my infancy, who have been ac-
q~uainted with the whole of my private and pai lie
life, and | have the honest pride 10 thltkt at they
will feel some establishment at seeing my char
ac,er traduced at this late hour Of the cay. Far
from Icing betrayeiintez indignation. / teiIeEe
that / may be permitted tpaIeceive your ~acciasass
ton withaa smile Of acknowledgment
IN your innate purity. you, heA1aIfasaculafs
have cast the first stone, which none III Judea was
daring enough to fling; and, in your official capa-
city, have rointedly a%rraigned the motives OF
another officer, acting on oath in the discharge Of
his duties. Yours be the consequence for the eH-
,raordinary and indecorous position you have ia
ken. Happily, we are both known; you, the &C
caser. and the accused. Let Judgment be pas
sed on YOU and me by the grand jury of the coun-
try, both on our public and private character, |
shall contcntedly abide the verdict. There let the
matter rest.
In spite OF the strong proyocation youhave Civ
en- me. l have endeavored in this letter, to be cour-
teous and even kind TO you, but | much regret TO
see that you have been, so unnecessarily severe
upon Yourself.
I feel a blush on my cheeks for having been
drawn into this personal alteration, which is par
ticularly disgracetul. between two public officers.
Mine is not the blame. This would not have hap
pened. if, on your refusing to concur with me, you
had, as / had done, confined yourself to the DIS
cussion of a dry question Of law, which the length
ofthis letter does not permit me to re-examine; but
to which l may, before long, call again your atten-
ton and that ofthe public. | will not allow the
latter TO be misled by a change OF issue. 1he
nuestion is not, whether | am hostile to the LOU
aIana State Bank; bnt whether that institution, for
some time past, has been administered in contor-
nifty with its charter and other existing avs.
This is the point, and | will stick TO it, without
being intimidated by the h~allooing OF an lppotent
hue and cry.
In conclusion, andi in order to prevent the recur-
renee of any such personal encounter, winch sol