New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-02
JOHN sLIDELL.

nOuncement made on MONDAY III 'A'"
of the death of one who formerly occu-
pied prominent position as poh.,cian
here. A Geographic dispatch oa'ee
London, July 80, conveys the oriei ln'ei-
ligence: "John Slidell is dead.
There was a time when this simple an
nonncement might have caused thrill OF
sorrow to penetrate the hearts of a host
of influential friends and admirers in this
country; but disagreeable obscurity, re-
sulting from the memorable part that Mr..
Slidell took against his country in 1861,
had long since weaned the affections OF
very large majority of his countrymen'
and doomed him to exile and death IN
foreign country.
Politically, John Slidell has been dead
ever since he withdrew from the United
States Senate in 1861.
We willingly draw the vail OF
charity over Mr.. Slidell's political con-
duct, where it can be done without in
Jury to faithful record of what his acts,
and the acts of those with whom he was
leagued, brought upon the country.
1t makes little difference where Mr..
Slidell was born, for that fact does not
seem to have inspired him with love for
the place of his nativity. His affection
for his native State was as dead as his
patriotism. Yet, for the sake of history,
it will have to be recorded that he was
born in the city of New York, somewhere
about the year 1898, of poor, but indus
trious parents. If we mistake not, his
father commenced business as soap fat
and tallow chandler, and by dint of in
dustry succeeded, in the coarse of time,
in accommodating quite fortune This
enabled him not only to teach his son
John, of whom we are now writing, the
business of making soap and candles, but
it gave him the means of giving him
tolerably fair scholastic education. John
started in the business of life as mercan-
tile man in his native city. His ambition
and taste soon led to other and more con-
genial pursuits. He studied law, and
finally became politician, but failed to
make his mark in New York at any of
the various pursuits that absorbed his
mind there. For lack of opportunity,
perhaps, Johns talents were not fully de-
veloped in his native city. 1t was not
even sufficiently disclosed at that time, it
may reasonably be supposed, to indicate
its peculiar bent. If it had been, it is
more than likely he could have made it
profitable with the fierce Democracy of
New York. Be that as it may, destiny led
Mr.. Slidell to New Orleans. He COM
menced his career here about fifty years
ago as a lawyer. After following this pro-
fession a while, he became satisfied that
was not his vocation, and relinquished it
for politics. He was now thought to be
in his right element by his Democratic
associates. They were not slow to dis
cover in him those essential traits that
are necessary for successful Democratic
leader. He proved to be an industrious,
persevering, shrewd, INSCRIPTIONS and
intriguing political leader-just the man
that would act upon the Jesuitical belief
that in politics, as in religion, ''the end
iustifes the means" By this course, Mr..
Slidell succeeded in making himself a
power in the land, and often caused vic
tory to perch upon the Democratic ban
ner at times when it might not have
done so if the people had been left free
to pursue the course that wisdom should
dictate. 1t was in 1874 that Mr.. Slidell
fully established himself as political
leader in planning the defeat of Mr.. Clay
and electing Mr.. Polk President. The
Wing party openly charged him with
concocting frauds in this State to carry the
election for the Democratic party. The
most stupendous of them was known as
the Plaquemines fraud, which it was said
determined the vote of the State. After
this achievement Mr.. Slidell's political
star was in the ascendent, though his
ambition to become United States Sena-
tor was temporarily checked by the cleo
ton of Pierre Soule over both MIR. Slidell
and Mr.. Kenner, who were the party
nominees. Mr.. Slidell, however, was toe
sharp politician to be long baff1ed by
Mr.. Soule.
The part Mr.. Slidell had taken in Mr..
Folks election gave him great influence
with the President, and Louisiana's great.
est intriguer soon found a means of re-
moving Mr.. Soule from the Senate. Mr.
Slidell had Mr.. Soule appointed Minister
to Spain, and thus opened the way for his
own election to the Senate, which tool
place shortly after the vacancy had beer
made. He was afterward reelected for
full term, but resigned after the election
of Mr. Lincoln to the Presidency, ant
linked his fortunes with slavery and thu
confederacy. Here his political life may b.
said to have ended. For although he an(
Mr.. Mason were appointed by the SO
called confederate government as com
missioners to proceed to Europe in behal
of the confederacy, their mission was {
failure.
AS member of the Senate Mr.. Slidel
was remarkable for nothing but fdelit,
to the Southern wing of the Democratic
party His fidelity to country, if it wa
even thought of, was made a secondar.
consideration to slavery and secession