The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-09-18
: ------' ~ |1|--"I|| VI IisIIIO
District Attorney and Act. Attorney Ger
New ORLEANS, Aug. %, 1867.

New ORLEANS, Aug. 90, 1867.
Mr.. G.. L.. Luzenburg, District Attorney and
Acting Attorney General.
SIR-Upon my return to the city after
an absence of several weeks, found your
letter Of the 10th inst, on my desk. In
reply thereto I must say that am not
aware of any authority which justifes you
in calling upon rue for the information you
desire. / deny yonr right or duty as an
officer to make any such demand, and re-
gard it as an extra official act on your part
Whilst l exonerate you, sir, from any par
ticipation in originating this vindictive
investigation offspring Of the imagi-
nation of the corrupt and bad men-I APP
prehend yon have permitted yourself to be
made the dupe of an 'unprincipled" ex-mil-
.itary commander, a vindietivej quasi ofiie-
ial, and the pique of a disappointed appli-
can't for Executive favor from ME, also have
lprostituted the dignity of your office to
pander to the malice Of this trio Ofpolit,-
cal mendicants
Have you, sir, been constituted the grand
inqnisitor of the official acts Of your supe.
lriors! Ifso. why not call upon Gen. Sher-
idan the "unprincipled" ex-military COM
mander of this department, to account
for the ninety-fve Thousand dollars in
State Bonds purloined whilst in his pos
session by one of his attaches, and sold
within few blocks Of his headquarters
and the knowledge of which, and q desire
to manipulate tho four millions State
Bonds about to be issued, We're the real
causes of the change Of his State Govern
inent--then, with his menials in Office, his
knowledge of any derelictiOn of duty would
be covered by this flank movement! And
why not call upon the quasi-official, Mr..
Flanders to account" for the enormous
rents forced from the people for the use Of
their own houses, the various libraries Of
professional gentlemen, and the great junk
loads of furniture taken from the houses
of absent citizens at q time when it was be-
yond their power to protect it? Why not
call upon Mr. Gifen, the State treasurer,
TO account for the fourteen thousand one
hundred and eighteen dollars and ninety
four cents in currency paid him by the
State for engraving bonds, ETC., less in
number and greatly inferior in workman
shin than those contracted for, and execu-
ted by authority of the last Legislature9
IfSee Auditors report, p, 1897 With the
same propriety sir, and trust with equal
ly successful results, can you Institute
these inquiries as the one contained In
your letter before me- Asyour letter has
offered me. an opportunity Of placing be.
fore the people some matters pertaining to
theirinterest and 1--WE have" got rid of
an unprincipled military commander and
an INSCRIPTIONS set of disreputable trick
ers which he had about him." / hope every
officer of the State will do his duty with
out favor or prejudice. Hence will waive
your authority to cathechise, and give You
a full and correct statement OF the trans
action in question. The act Of the Legis-
lature reads as follows: ~
.'Be it further enacted, That the sum of
ten thousand dollars, or as much thereof
as may be necessary, be and the same is
hereby appropriated to pay the expenses
of printing, lithographing or engraving or
stamping said bonds, to be paid OH the
warrant of the Governor"
BY virtue of the authority, contracted
with Mr.. Z. j.. Jewell, the proprietor OF the
New Orleans Bulletin, o well known prin-
ting establishment in this city, to prepare
the levee bonds, as required By law, in
good style and within a prescribed time;
Besides the mechanical work, the task OF
drafting the bonds and coupons was also
intrusted to him; for which Iagreed to pay
him the sum of five Thousand dollars ncnr-
reney,,and issued warrant for that amount
which, when placed upon the market, ylei..
Jad IN curropev n ho,,t tweilty.fiifle hundred
dollars. This enormous shave was entire.
~ owing to the warrant not being Endorsed
by the State Treasurer as receivable for
State taxes. Had his Endorsement been
placed upon it, it would have commanded
about thirty-eight hundred dollars in cur.
rency. When the work was completed
and delivered, ] issued q second warrant
for three thousand dollars in full OF all de
mands for the work which if negotiated as
the first, would yield about seventeen
hundred dollars in currency making to-
tai of about fcrty-siS bundled dollars