New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-11-06
LETTER FROM MK. CONWAY.
Hon. Thomas w. Conway and the FIra
United States InfnnLrY

Hon. Thomas w. Conway and the FIra
United States Infantry.
We copy the following letter from tn
Pjcayune of this morning, addressed to tina
paper:
Now that the election has taken place
and there being no special partisan agita
ton to obstruct the honest Judgment of me1
in this community, l deem it a good time
to reply to your recent attacks on me: also
to state my true position respecting the
First Infantry, and to put myself on record
in regard to some other matters.
l suppose, after abusing me so soundly.
you will now do me the justice of publish
ing what l have to say. At the outset |
will remark that the newspapers of New
Orleans have not always acted in the most
unexceptionable manner toward me. Not
content with assailing my political views.
they have left no stone unturned to assaii
and injure my personal character.
| lnvective and ribaldry have not been
| spared where they were deemed necessary
as means to that end. My silence seemed
| only to provoke increased torrents of abuse
upon my head, and, by some, it may have
been interpreted as evidence either OF guilt
or cowardice, while in reality l have simply
waited for the calmer hours that were to
follow the political storm, in order that
mems minds might be more dispassienate
more candid. Some persons (who have not
yet suspected that newspapers ever publish
untruths concerning mem have undoubt-
eddy been influenced Icy these attacks on nv
character to believe that | must either re-
semble old John BrOwnin spirit and person.
or that must be as near an impersonation
OF the devil himself as can well be in
agined.
And right here ] will state an incident
by way of illustration.
A short time since well-known LAWYER
OF ms city introduced me to countryman-
a planter III this State. After the intro
ducuon, the planter, who had heard nv
name before, and who, no doubt, had been
reading the pleasant sketches of nv char
acter which had often appeared in the
Democratic papers of this State. turned his
eyes very intently upon me and said
What did understand your name was ~
l told him. Eyes, yes, Conway" said he
with nervous twitch, and then added bv
way OF compliment, "but hope YOU are no
relation Of the d-n rascal who used to
be at the head of the Freedmen's Bureau
in this State" replied, pleasantly, that |
had the honor of some relationship to that
gentleman, when the old man again said
Il am sorry for it,"
This supplemented man told me snbse- |
quently that he had formed his Judgment of |
me entirely from reading the newspapers. |
and so it is with thousands.
And now, MesSrs. Editors, word with |
you. In the columns of your paper YOU
have been kind enough to invite me to
eave and am not certain that your Ian
guage did not SAVIOR somewhat of threaten
lg.
On this question of leaving, let me tell
you little story:
There was once deacon Of a church who
vas disposed to be troublesome. An asso
'late deacon, anxious to get rid him, prayed
7ery fervently that God would relieve the
'hurch OF his presence by taking him up to
heaven. The troublesome deacon on hear
ng his brothers prayer, jumped up and
i" won't CO. Such is nv an
Wer to your kind invitation-"I won't 60"
/ have made Louisiana my home for life.
md if understand the Constitution and
avs OF my country correctly, l believe
hey give me the right to live here. LISA
lbel upon me to assert that have no in
crest IN this State. shall prove that no
nan within her borders has a deeper in
crest in her prosperity and greatness than
myself.
Regarding the First Infantry have few
hings to say:
1t has been q matter of common report
mong Republicans in this city for wears.
hat General Buchanan. who is Colonel
nd Lieutenant Colonel Wood, who is now
n command of that regiment, and other
sell-known officers of it, were opposed to
he policy of Congress in regard to slaves,
when that policy was under discussion
turing the war, and that they have been
opposed to the Congressional plan of re-
construction since the war terminated.
IL Is also matter of common talk among
be same class that, in case of danger. the
rirst Infantry, including Major General
Buchanan, could not be relied upon to
'roteet the Unionists of this city.
In my private letter to General Grant.
which was made public by General
Buchanan, in violation of social and milf
airy decorum), | omitted to except from
be weight Of my censure certain we'll
nown officers, whose hearts have ALWAYS
eaten in harmony with those of the Union
len OF t IS State, not only when their regi-
lent first came here, bat ever since. !
To these patriotic and excellent gentle
zen owe, and hereby make a public
pology. The charges made by Captain
turgeon, in bis Endorsement. are utterly
ronndless. Those contained in the letter
I Lieutenant Dougherty, published in
our paper few days since, will have to
g met by that officer in court of law.
hey have their origin only in his immod-
rate temper, and deny them ia toto.
Respectfully,
THOMAS W. CONWAY.
new ORLEANS, November 4, 1868.