The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-02-03
Gen. Buchanan and Gov. Warmoth.

The individual, says the n. o. Be-
who happens to occupy the position o
Governor of Louisiana, by the appoint
ment of the Radical Faction at Washington
has had the audacity to accuse Genera
Buchanan, the successor of Gen. Rousseau
of being hostile to the State-of which HI
(Warmoth) is unfortunately the head, and
of having advised Gen. Rousseau to retir,
with his troops from the city of New Or
leans during the late election. Gen. Buch
anan was also reported by Gov. Warmotl
to have advised the retention in Office o
the police force existing here previous te
the Metropolitan Police system coming
into operation. Gen. Buchanan hal
thought himself called upon to deny these
averments of Gov. Warmoth, and has
written to Senator Kellogg ut Washington
the following temperate and dignlied let
ter:
HEADQUARTERs DIsTR1cr OF LOUISIANA, !
New Orleans, Jan. Is, 1869.
Hon. VIM. p. Kellogg, United States Sen
ate, Washington, d. c.:
DEAR S1R-In printed letter of the
date of December 10, 1868, addressed to
you by Gov. Warmoth, two passages rela
tive to myself occur which cannot allow
to 60 unnoticed without having my mo.
tives and conduct during the Novembe,
elections entirely misconstrued. The
Governor says that "at an interview be.
tween Gen. Rousseau, Gen. Buchanan
Gen. Hatch and myself, became satisfied
that the State had no friend in Gen. Buch.
anan, and that but little reliance was to be
put in his active cooperation. He was
severe in his criticisms, and seemed to
sympathize with the hostility entertained
by the enemies of the government to the
Metropolitan Police department, and sug-
gested as necessity that the old rebel
iorce be restored. Our interview termina-
ted without any satisfactory understand
ing" The assertion that I was not O
friend of the State would be cruel if it
were not we'll known to yourself, sir, to be
absurd. No one 10 more fully aware than
Gov. Warmoth that to myself and the
prompt measures taken by me on the day
after the assembling of the Legislature, was
due, on this and several days following,
the preservation of the lives of himself and
all the prominent members of the Republi-
can party in the Legislature and of the
State Government. Does he call this hos
ti!ity to the State? AS to the CRITICISMS
referred to, he has forgotten to state that
they were made by me- as q soldier and not
as politician. A few days before the ell
ection the Legislature created Metropol-
itan Police Board, with view to the ap-
pointment ola police force to supercede
the old force under the control of the
Mayor of the city and Chief of Police
The appointment of the members of the
new force created intense excitement
throughout the city, and, at the time re-
ferred to, very seriously threatened its
peace. The constitutionality Of the law
was questioned, and hence resistance to it
was openly advocated. The members of
the Metropolitan force became utterly de-
moralized. The Governor became alarmed;
and when at that interview was consult
ed as to my views, | expressed the opin-
ion, us military man, that tho change of
the force at that juncture was unw'ise and
injudicious as it was similar in its effects
to changing the forces Of General at the
moment when he expected to have to fight
a battle; and therefore thought it better
to continue the old force on duty until af.
ter the election. 1t had used that force to
keep the peace during the April elections,
and the peace lad been preserved. Its
Chief had been appointed by Gen. Shcri-
dan, and its members generally by Mayor
Heath-himself an appointee Of the same
General and hence the idea Of calling it
disloyal force struck me as not only i'm
proper, but ct absolute variance with prob
ability. All this was known to the Gov
ernor and yet he has thought proper to risk
his reputation for veracity by 50 unneces-
sary and unwarranted attact upon one
whose authority he we'll knew to be subor-
dinate to that OF the Department Com.
mander. And withal he finds himself COM
PEELED to assail, not nag acts, but what he
is pleased to consider my motives, and
this, too, in the face of the very acts them
selves. And what were my acts 7 When
called on for troops to protect the citizens
Of Gretna, sent over q company at once.
When informed that the ferry boats were
taking men over to that point to create
riot, l stopped the boats from running un-
til they were released by higher authority.
When informed that large parties from the
city were about to proceed to st. Bernard
in three steamboats,, with a view of keep
ing up the war of races then going on in
that parish, sent force down to the
landing and prevented the movement
Was all this hostility to the Sthte Govern
ment3 think not. / hope not. 1t GER
,ainlv was not SO intended. My fault, /
imagine, consists in this. Congress has
passed certain laws, and / have executed
hem without consulting any one, exactly
N accordance with what believed to be
heir extent and meaning-as soldier and
1ot as politician. This have done con-
'cientiously, and this l shall do as long as
hold a commission.
4. The next passage in the Governors let
er to which refer is as follows ut was
10 small that General Buchanan stated in
General Rousseau's presence that be (Gell-
'ral Rousseau) would he as much justified
n retiring with his troops US he would be-
ore an enemy of superior force" THIS
passage relates to the number of troops at
he Generals disposal in the city during
he election excitement. The Inference
rom it plainly is, that General Rousseau
old the Governor of this alleged state
nent Of mine. Unfortunately for the
'ause of truth, the lamented General has
PASSED from among us. But know what
le would have said, and therefore unhesi-
atingly deny that he ever made such