, 1869-01-08
The Colored Congressmen.

ne COiOIcu COuSTcSsmens
The New York Heralfs correspondent has
been pumping John Willis Menard the
colored man who claims to be elected to Con
gress from Louisiana. Here is portion of
the conversation:
Reporter How did the republicans on the
floor of the House receive you the day you
made your appearance.
Menard-Well nothing extra. had to
find my way in, and when inside found no.
body inclined to come near me. | felt bad
at this. | didn't want to sit there and be
stared at like curious kind of animal, and
if nobody cared to talk to me, wasn't going
to force my company On them. | walked in
on that floor feeling that had right to do
SO, aud a good deal better right than these
carpet baggers, Newsham aud Syper, from
Louisiana, elected by colored votes in the
place of better men.
keporter-Did these men see you on the
floor.
Menard-Yes, they saw me, but that was
all They never once came to ask me how
| was, or introduce me to some OF the promi,
neut members. | felt very greatly incensed
and indignant at this, because [ knew these
carpet basgers SO well, and | know how
ready they were to shake hands with me and
poorer cOlored men when they were way
down in Lousi pna looking for office.
Reporter-Who among the members show
ed you any kindness?
Menard-None Of them to speak of.
1 Al
you?
Menard-Well, could easily see that
they didn't like it much; the carpet baggers
from Louisiana edged away the moment
they saw me in their neighborhood. Alto
gether | felt disappointed and uncomfortable,
aud resolved never to go in upon that floor
again until l went to take possession of
my seat. rl.-
Reporter--Did you see Benjamin Butler
Menard-No; there was nobody to intro
duce me in an official capacity.
Reporter You don't appear to like the
carpet baggers?
Menard-Indeed, 1 entertained no great
amount IF love for them, and the colored
people of the South are losing confidence and
TtRdIu lOI Iuem NeTJ ldSG.
eporter-Could the cOlored people get
along without them
Menard-They could now, They are able
to take care of themselves, and dispense
with the carpet baggers.
Responsibilities do you think of General
Grants election?
Menard-I haven't much confidence in
Gen. Grant. The colored people would sooner
have seen Chief Justice Chase, Mr. Wade
or general Butler elected. Chief Justice
Chase was their first choice. If the democ
racy had nominated him they might have
had the colored vote of the South.
Reporter-HOw will the civil right ques-
ton settle itself at the South I?
Menard-As it is, the colored people down
there enjoy far more social privileges than
they do at the North hardly ever noticed
iu New Orleans any of that prejudice against
US that you see up here. If the bill of civil
rights had passed in Louisiana, | don't be-
lieve the culored folks would have cared a
bit to avail themselves of any of its provis>
ions. As it is, they have ali the rights and
privileges that they are inclined to use,
though, of course, should like to see them
protected by law. | want to see all public
conveyances thrown open to the people res
gardless of race, color or previous condition
and this is bound to come when the parties
at the South are more broken up than at
present.
Here we bade good afternoon to the
dusky legislator from Louisiana, who bowed
US out with all the grace of a French dancing
master.