New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-12

who held them would DIVIDE VIII
him. or pay him a certain per cent
age. and in support of these charges we
have introduced number OF Witnesses
CAPTAIN Hemstead, Mr.. Francis, PaTice
Leonard. Mr.. Menard and other witnesses
have come forward and testified that the
Auditor demanded from them certain
per centaoe of their claims, IN order 10
ipduce him to issue his warrant to them
at AN earlier date than he otherwise would.
The testimony of these witnesses stands
before YOU unimpeached, except IN the
case of Captain Francis, and 1t makes, 50
far as the issues of this case are concerned,
yery little difference whether the testlno-
nv of Captain Francis be true or not true;
in fact it makes but little difference to any
one, except to Captain Francis himself,
whether his testimony be trua or~not, be-
cause there is ample testimony, over
whelminc evidence, OF an unlIn-
peached and unimpeachable eharac-
ter to prove that the Auditor OF Pubic
Accounts has been guilty of such extortion
in many other cases. But in regard to the
evidence of Captain Francis, [ desire to say
in Justice to that gentleman, that we nave
introduced rebu.ting evidence to snow the
Senate that there are at least as many
people in the State of Louisiana VINO
would believe Captain Francis under oath,
as there are who would not. We tried TO
establish the further fact, too, Senators
and I appeal to the Democratic Senators
particularly. when make this statement
we tried to establish the fact that this tes-
timony, introduced to impeach Captain
Francis, grew out of political animoslt1es
against Captain Francis in the parish
where he resides. Captain Francis be-
longs to that great army Of people III TINS
country known as carpet-baggers, and ne
has gone into the parish of Terrebonne,
where he holds two or three offices, ,and
publishes Republican newspaper. He
publishes doctrines, no doubt, which are
not in harmony with the views OF many
people of that parish, and for this reason,
and this reason only, in my Judgment,
there has been growing feeling against.
him which has eliminated in the evidence
on this stand But we have introduced
men who have known Captain Francis
longer than they-men who served with
him in the military and civil service OF the
Government-menw who have known hlrn
sine he has been out of the military SER
vice and been here in tie civil service OF
the State of Louisiana-men OF as nigh
character and strict integrity as any wit
ness produced by the defense and these
men have sworn that so far as they knew
his character for truth and veracity, 1t was
good, and that they would believe hlm
under oath. This much, not for the pur-
pose Of substantiating the charges by the
testimony of Captain Francis, but III JUS
tee to him as a witness introduced by US
in this case. / undertake, however, TO
say, that from the testimony Of Mr.. Leon
ard, of Mr.. Menard, of Mr.. Hemsted and
Others. these charges have in the mann
been substantiated, and that OF themselves
they afford sufficient grounds for ejecting
George M. Wickliffe, Auditor Of Public
Accounts, from his Office.
Now we come to another class Of &C.
counts. Articles fifteen and nineteen, inclu-.
sive, might be grouped together, because
they are of the same character. They all
charge that George NJ. Wickife, as ALL
ditor. demanded and did receive money in
consideration for his official services in
cutting up certain warrants against appro-.
priations by the Legislature of this State
for charitable purposes.
Article fifteen says that on or about the
twentieth day of June, 1869, George M.
Wickliffe, Auditor of Public Accounts of
the State Of Louisiana, unmindful Of the
high duties of his Office, etc., did exact
and extort and take from DIR. William Fl.
Hire, Treasurer of the Charity Hospital,
and acting in his capacity as Treasurer
of the Charity Hospital, the sum Of $500
in current money, for cutting up war;
rant for $4,000 into smaller warrants,
said warrant being part of an appropria-
ton in favor of the Charity Hospital, one
IL I, L. -. -2to
he, the said George M. Wickife, declin-
ing and refusing to issue said small war
rants in lieu Of the aforesaid large war
rants unless the said Treasurer of the
Charity Hospital would first give the said
George NJ. Wickliffe, Auditor of Public
Accounts, the sum of three hundred dol
lars in current funds, etc.
1t is one of the sacred duties of every
Government, in civilized and Christian
land, to erect and maintain those noble
charities which are alike credit to the
intelligence and the humanity of peo-
pie; and to the honor of the State of
Louisiana be it said that in the very heart
Of this great city, as well as in other places
throughout her borders, she has erected
and does maintain for the benefit Of the
sick and suffering, the blind and the deaf,
charitable institutions, which reflect credit
and honor upon her; and l undertake to
say, Mr.. Chief Justice and Senators, that
it should be the pride and great glory Of
every citizen of this State, by every means
in his power, and by every appliance at his
command, whether as citizen or as an
officer Of the State government, to pro-
mote and protect, and continue these
noble charities. Prominent among them
is the Charity Hospital, whose fame
is cO-eXtensive with the limits Of our
great country, and within whose walls
the learned medical faculty of this city
are called upon, without money and with
out price, to contribute of their science
and their time for the relief1of the poor
and suffering. There, too, are gathered
the students of medicine from this State,
and there they are taught those principles
OF their profession which will enable them
to go out in after life and practice, with
benefit to the community where they may
reside, the profession they have adopted. Z
This is one of those great and crowning
glories which this State government,
throughout all the past years OF turmoil, and
strife, and war, and confusion, has succeed
ed in maintaining, at any sacrifice; ana 1t is
one of those charities which, as L said be-
fore, we, as citizens of the State, should tai1e
a special pride in fostering, and extend-
ineand maintaining, and toward which we,
as LEGISLATORS, have peculiar duty to per-
form And if, as citizens and Legislators,
we acknowledge these obligations and en-
terrain these sentiments i'll regard to this
ord other charities of the State, how much