The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-09-26
LOUISVILLE, Ky, Sept. 8, 1866.
70 bis Honor John z, Monroe, Mayor Of

SlR-With no disposition whatever to
censure; without inclination to deal in
jnyectiye, vituperation or denunclatlon: but
simply with view to correct error and de-
feud truth, induces ME to approach sub
iect so important, as also so unusual, as
that of attacking the private character of a
man after he has ceased to live. Death
and the grave should, and in obedience to
the innate generosity of mankind it does,
conceal mems faults and bring to light their
virtues, and places them in strong contrast
to the vices which have ceased to be re-
membered at the graves brink. With
these PREDATORY remarks, Mr.. Monroe, I beg
to proceed at once to the main feature of
this subject. Some time since, in the city
of New Orleans, of which you are Mayor,
on the occasion of an assembled concourse
of men in the styled character Of conven-
ton, whose intrinsic merits ifany, or alter
nate objects | will not discuss, disturbances
arose in which, unfortunately several per-
sons were killed and many wounded.
Among the former was one DR.. Anthony
P. Doste. That he was killed, or that any
one else was killed, met my sincere regret,
and awakened all my sympathy for his I'M
finely and violent fate and for his family.
But since his death an army of type-setters
can scarcely suffice to set up the matter
written and spoken in eulogy his virtues
and unexampled hight of character as a
mau of worth and probity, purity ofmorals,
unparalleled urbanity, disinterested, self
sacrificing and all-pervading and over
whelming irreplaceabIe usefulness. Upon
all this | shed an indulgent smile ;aor did
it awaken one illiberal or envious thought,
or enkinoled one ungenerous emotion.
But when such men as Banks and Butler
come forward and lend the power of their
influences to stamp upon the public mind
the impression that DR.. Dostie was man
of such unexsmpled virtue that the killing
of whom, by accident or otherwise, is suf-
fcient to stigmatize with irrevocable exc
Grafton whole city, and make him out to
be neither more nor less than martyr,
whose influence, arising from his virtues
only, made him SO greatly feared that an
entire city made him the object of its yen-
eeance, and premeditatedly took his life, |
choose to come forward and enter de-
mmrer. The community must be set right
on this matter. 1t is wrong that whole ma.
ton should beschooled to the belief that the
citizens of New Orleans should seek out to
Kill the best man in the whole community,
and do so becauae he was the best; and
that the influence of his virtues was too
great to render it safe for them that he
should live Butler and Banks, with their
conductors, would make the world believe
that the people of New Orleans were set
of incarnate fends, and that the city itself
was q second Sodom.
| unhesitatingly declare, without the
slightest fear of successful contradiction,
that DR.. A. p Dostie was not only not a
good man, but was VIGOROUSLY bad one.
He was man of most infamous characters;
he was radically corrupt in his morals; his
very nature was at arms and in rebellion
with all those softer instincts which charac-
terize the true gentleman. Phillippi and
swamp end of Observation-Disclosures streets
are sacred to the nocturnal orgies Of DR..
Dostie, and are the lowest haunts of pros
titution to be met, perhaps, anywhere.
This, doubtless, is your own opinion as well
as mine. Before the war he held no posi-
ton in society save that which his snowy
and superficial character as dentist secured
him. He was unknown, totally unknown
among gentlemen Of education His pre-
tensions to accomplishments rendered Kim
an object of laughter among those of real
polish when, by accident, he came in con-
tact with them. For his buffoonry, Dr.
VIM. B, Dodson, of No. l99 Canal street.
by whomI was introduced to Dostie, for
sock his society nor did Drs. Knapp, or
West, or Parmely ever associate with him.
Forming his acquaintance for his profess
sonal services to my wife, / withdrew it on
being made acquainted with the low stand
ing he had socially. His vulgar admissions,
and his freedom with other mems wives
on the dental chair, disguised me with him
and brought me acquainted with the fore
going facts Yet this very man, Banks aud
Butler would pursuade theworld to believe,
was singled out as au object on which to
pour the vial of wrath of a whole city be-
cause he was the best man in it.
Were it not that | feel too sensibly alive
to the yet lingering regrets of an honorable
man, who once sincerely loved wife, from
whom he had to divorce himself for the
ylest obliqpity, in civil point of view,
woman can be capable of, | would point at
.tention to the very court where, in clerk s
office, lines but too legible of Dostie's NOR
nj obloquy and depravity might be read.
L., All, ,of 4, blooly FOL on,1o noipsf m n
pronounced by Butler aud Banks to bean
estimable man? And this man one Of
Buffers advisers! Butler no more sought
the advice or council of Dostie than ever.
You did. And his statement that he did
accept his counsel is the most stupendous
absurdity on record, and as Internal and |
bareGaced a falsehood as that Of New Or
leans. Ladies kneelng to him in abject
supplication for favors! This, sir, is hugh
ly false it is libel upon the very laws by
which the rights of civil society are govern
ed and protected !; it is lie worthy only of
one conceiyed in infamy, sucked upon the
milk Of prostitution, rested upon the breast
of harboring vice, handled upon the arm of
lewdness, and reared amidst the emanating
fumes of human execration.
That Dostie followed the vocation of
q barber, and Carried on that business con-
Jointly with blood-letting, leeching and ex-
tracing teeth in the city of Cincinnati,
Ohio, have made it my especial object, for
your satisfaction, to ascertain, and assure
you that such is the fact. On quitting
Cincinnati he went to New Orleans. En-
tering the Office of Dr. Knapp, he served
with that distinguished dentist till he OBJ
tanned superficial knowledge Of The pro-
fesson, when he sat up for himself at No.
10 Baronne street, at which place first
met him. BY his insane fanaticism and
abuse Of Southern people, whose confidence
he had violated, he was, at the outbreak of
the war, advised to leave New Orleans, and, !
doing so, sold out to DR.. McClain.
Returning to the State of Vermont, the
place of his nativity, he remained there I'M
~ 4 l.