New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-09
THE INNOCENT BEE.

The Be. has evidently forgotten, or is
ashamed of the part it took in discussing
the case against wickliffe last year. 1t is
not forgotten, however, by the people,
nor by us, that the Bee invariably charac-
terized the prosecution against Wickliffe
as "the Warmoth- Wickliffe imbroglio,
and by this means endeavored to belittle
it, and make it appear not as grave mat
ter of offense committed against the State,
but as petty quarrel against two private
individuals. And when Governor War
moth in his speech at Union Hail. on Fri
day night, called the attention of the peo-
pie to this attitude of the Bee, and the
other Democratic journals, the former
makes the following reply in excuse:
As Governor WarmOth has either forgot,
ten or willfully misrepresented the attitude
we took with respect to his prosecution OF
Wicklitfe, we take occasion to remind HIM
that we spoke of his quarrel with that
notorious associate of his as being falling
out of two thieves in which the people OF
Louisiana were only interested to this eX-
tent-that they might both get their deserts
Wickliffe, in being ignominiOuslv dismissed
from office, forced to relin4uish his prospect
of amassing fortune and steaithlly Ia
leave the State that he might avoid a
criminal prosecution. has not altogether eS'
capped punishment.
As Governor Warmoth's acts were not
in any manner before the court or the
public, they should not have been lusged
into the controversy. He represeted the
sovereign power of the State, in prosecut-
ing a notorious malefactor, and it was
the duty Of all good citizens, and espe-
cially of the press, to render him every
aid and assistance in arriving at the truth.
Publishing false accusations against bis
character as a man was not the way to do
this. The Bee probably acted from mo-
tives of spite, being blinded by partisan
rancor to the justice of the case. For
even if the Governor and all the prosecut-
ing witnesses had been as bad as Wick
life, and as bad as the Bee asserted, it
would net have justified the Democratic
Judge, District Attorney and press in their
successful efforts to screen the guilty Wick
life. A higher court than Judge Abells
has since declared the peculating ex-
Auditor guilty of high crimes and INSIDE
meanors, and the same high tribunal pa
tiently investigated the charges of the
Be. and the other sympathizers of Wick
life, and by the unanimous vote of the
House declared them to he without found
alton. The Bee, therefore, in the interest
of an officer accused of crime, made
charges against the Governor in April,
which no man would substantiate under
oath before the House in February or
March of the following year. Even if the
Governor had been convicted, the Bee
could not have escaped the odium of
having aided and abetted Wickliffe in es-
Gaping for time the punishment due to
his great offenses.
The friends of Wicklitfe, including his
counsel, principal witnesses, the Demo-
cratic press, and himself, never made the
least attempt to establish his innocence
by disproving the charges against him, or
explaining away suspicious circumstances,
but confined their united energies to re-
iterating, at every turn of the proceed
ings, the wild fables against the Cover
nor, invented by Wickliffe, and faithfully
echoed by the Bee. And now, when Gov
ernor Warmoth charges home to it that it
virtually took Wickliffe's part, and tried
to belittle the sovereign State Of Louisi-
ana, it Indignantly denies its share in
that transaction, and reiterates the very
words it used at the time, and which con-
stitute the gravamen of is offense.
We have looked over file of the Bee,
|, published in March, 1869, and find abuu-
dant evidence of its neutrality" in the
contest between the State of Louisiana
and notorious offender, then pending in
the Criminal Court. On the twenty eighth
day of March it gave the offender the
benefit of the following:
We do not propose to inquire into the le'
galitv of the action of the Governor in eject
inc Mr.. Wickliffe from his office and ap
pointing person to supply his place, be
cause We consider it is too clear for dispute
that Mr.. WarmOth has no such power, and
that his proceeding is naked trespass We
assume that he is the rightful Governor OF
louisiana and Mr.. Wickliffe the rightful
Auditor Of the State of Louisiana, which
many of our citizens deny.
The white population of louisiana are
entirely callous to the result, and don't care
whether "Mossop WHIP Barry" or Barry
whip MOssOp' They are in the situation
of the on-lOokers at the fight of the Kill
kenny cats, and would have no cause to
weep if the cOmbatants scratched each
others eyes out.
Now, as to the result of this quarrel
among our State officers, we repeat, we are
not solicitous. Neither Of them were placed
in the positions they occupy by fair ex
preston of the lawful voters of Louisiana.
Neither of them has performed his functions
under sense of responsibility f. Hwho
have the right to rule LouisiA are
agents of the Republican facd9D1 Con
gress To their principals at Washington
let them answer: We have nothing to dc
with it, We have our opinions on the sub
iect If the truth were known, as we hope
it will be, it would perhaps be creditable to
neither, and so we patiently wait for fur
ther developments.
And again, on the thirtieth, the song is
resumed with hardly variation
The Seventh District Court for the parish
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