The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-06-08
LETTERS FROM NEW ORLEANS.
NEW ORLEANS, May 28th, 1870.
% the Editor of the Democrat:

l.
liarly sensitive on the subject of the
Democracy of it's editor, notwithstand-
ing the efforts of that Journal to disin-
tegrate the Democratic party. In view
of this fact brief history of that es
tablislment may not be uninteresting.
1t is a well known fact, that the
Crescent printing establishment was
seized by order of General B. F. But
Ter, confiscated and sold, because its
proprietor was Lieutenant Colonel in
Confederate cavalry regiment, bat
Ting for cause for which he had con-
tended through his paper. 1t was pur-
chased by the venerable Jacob Barker,
who started the National Advocate, of
which w. H. King was the managing
man. For some reason not understood
by ourselves, the Advocate was per-
mitted to publish more news from be-
yond the Federal lines than any of the
other papers, consequently it became
the paper of the day. Whether it
transcribed the limits allowed, or re-
fused to endorse General Banks policy,
to the extent required, is not known to
the public, the National Advocate was
suspended by order of that satrap. If
l am not mistaken in my recollection
of events, Mark F Bigney, the now
supervising editor of the Times, was
in some way connected with the Ad-
vocate.
After the suspension Of that paper,
the establishment was purchased by an
Association of so-called Union men,
who started the Times, and gave it's
chief management to w. H. King, an
experienced practical printer, who had
been Foreman of the Crescent and
Manager and assistant editor of the
Advocate. j. P. May, a Southern rem
egade, and G. A. Weed Northern
camp follower, who came here with
the Buffers, were members of the
Times association. That paper as
sumed pretty much the same course
that had been pursued by the Advo-
cate, its manager being frequently ar
raigned before the military censors for
infringing upon the privilege that had
been granted it, and as matter of
course it became popular with all who
sympathized with the lost cause.
For some unknown cause, members
of the Association continued to with
draw until the Times became the
property of May and Weed When
May was appointed Treasury Agent,
he nominally disposed of his interest
in the Times, or at least it was made
to appear so, when he beat the First
National Bank out of Fright smart
chance" as a New Highlander would
say; the paper then became the prop
erty of w. H. King g. Co., it being un-
derstood that G. A. Weed. was the
company. But how he could retain
his interest in that paper, and regular
ly draw his monthly allowance, while
awaiting himself of the benefits of the
bankrupt law, is as yet an unsettled
question; though it has been limited
that he effected it through an assimu.
lated transfer to some friend in The
city of New York. Be this as it may
soon after the death of King, Wee(
paid his widow, or agreed to pay he
800 600 for her interest in the Times
and $40 600 for the use of her dea(
husbands name. From this it would
seem, that either the bankrupt cour
or the Times was a hugely paying con
Germ.
: AS to the course of the Times, it ha
been rather of the weather cock style
AID there are those who believe tina
it is now trimming its sails so as t.
catch the most popular breeze in 1872
as it would have done in 1868, if it ha,
not been for the fear of losing it's loca
patronage. At one time it was under
stood to be in favor of General Banks
civil policy, but it changed fronts whel
I the Convention of 1864 brought sue
,odium npon that 'spolicy. 1t thel
lampooned that body without stint
for which j. P. May, the nominal edi
tor, was arraigned before that mon
grel horde of ignorance and rascality
And there are some who incline to tn
belief that movements on foot at til
North to secure the nomination of I
F. Butler as the conservative Radicf
candidate for the Presidency in 1877
; and if it is a success the Times is
be the Southern champion of the her
l of "Big Bethel" More unlikely event
have transpired.
Thus it will be seen that G.
!. Weed, sole proprietor Of the Times,
: an adventurer, that he came here poe
and by taking advantage of the disol
: dered condition of affairs and til
= wants of our people, being license
: and protected by an INSCRIPTIONS an
unprincipled military tyrant, made
= fortune; that his only interest in tn
community is what he has invested