New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-08
WarmOth-What ia that .

/ WarmOth-What is that
! Reporter-It is firmly believed that you
| have made large fortune out of your pOs:-
| ton as Governor by various unfair means,
such as specializing in the securities OF the
State, and others. perhaps worse. Again
claim indulgence for speaking pertinently
| Warmoth-I do most emphatically deny
that have made great fortune. My for
tune is small, and not dollar OF it but
what has been made openly, honestly, and
without the slightest detriment to the State
| or anybody. | do not shirk from the fullest
inquiry, and did not when l was interrO-
gated Tor six hours on one day and seven on
the next by the congressional committee,
| supported by the Democratic and Custom
house committees, who ranged themselves
| around the former, prompting them with
| ton am not fully prepared to explain upon
proper investigation.
HOW HE MADE HIS MONEY.
| Reporter-Are you willing to state how
or by what means you made your small
| fortune" since you were elected Governor!
Warmoth-Perfectly willing. In the first
| place, was worth from $4,000 to 1000
when elected to office. Before | was in
| augurated Governor. SIX per cent bonds
were selling from twenty-five to thirty
four cents, and the eight per cents at
forty two cents on the dollar. knew that
they would necessarily appreciate IN value
| upon the Inauguration OF clyil govern
ment | thereupOn invested all the means
/ was possessed Of, besides borrowing a
large sum in addition, which 1 also in
vested in these bonds. Upon their appre-
citation [ realized almost all the fortune
possess today, and l still hold a large part
of the securities thus purchased. This in
vestment is valuable solely on account OF
the natural and legitimate appreciation OF
the States credit. and was not dependent
in any way upon legislation, or by IN
huence or action of the executive. That Is
the way made my fortune. and | defy
any man to show that l ever made dollar
by unworthy or illegitimate means.
PROBING THE WOUNDS.
Reporter-It has been openly and re-
peatedly charged that you have been inter-
es:ed with brokers and others in purchasing
State obligations, and then have co-Operated
in getting bills passed through the Legisla-
ture to fund or pay such securities. Is this
true!
Warmoth-Such is not the case. In no
single instance have l been concerned in
anything OF the kind.
Reporter-One case referred to is that of
buying up levee scrip or warrants IN con-
nection and interest with McMillen, Flood
and others, and it is charged that you de-
rived large amount of profit from the ne
gotiation OF the 81 100000 bonds which were
sold in New York at tifty-twO or ffty-fOur.
Warmoth-I never bought a single levee
warrant or scrip in connection with any
body. and never owned any in my life.
was not present at the sale OF the bonds IN
New York and do not believe that anybody
made speculation out of the sale. GER
tainly did not This whole matter was in
vestigated by legislative committee. and
no evidence of such speculation was pre-
sented.
Reporter-To make pointed query, what
amount of warrants or certificates had you
in your own or other names. payable out of
the $4,000, 900 bonds for the redemption OF
the floating debt!
Warmoth-I had $l7 900 warrants that
had loaned money on and purchased not in
speculation, but in order to accommodate
friends who needed assistance, and | do
not thirk made cent upon them, having
paid very nearly the face value.
RepOrter-Dld you not obtain all the
bonds in exchange for warrants and certiti-
Gates out of the remnant of the fund to pay
the floating debt, under the act of 1871,
from Mr.. Gaines president of the Citizens
Bank. before the act authorizing such eX-
change became law?
WarmOth-No, sir the act became law
on Saturday. and the bonds were not
awarded TO the claimants until the Monday
following. and were not distributed for sew
eral months after the Supreme Court rem
dered judgment approving and confirm
ing the adjudication made by the commits
sioners.
ABOUT THE PRINTING EXTRAvAGASCE.
Reporter-There still remain few points
in regard TO your administration the people
would like to have some light thrown upon.
The numerous official organs established
through the State were gross fraud upon
the taxpayers. Was not this done by Your
self and friends for party purposes
Warmoth-I do not admit that there was
any fraud IN the matter. but regard the
expense Of printing the laws, and especially
the journals, IN newspaper In every parish
as an unnecessary expense, and do not pre-
tend to deny that party and party purposes
may have been consulted in the distribution
of patronage. On my recommendation
however, the law, in this respect, was re-
pealed: and besides this. Tor over twelve
months prior to the repeal of the law | re-
fused to sign any contracts. That RESPONSE
bility must rest on other shoulders besides
mine alone.
OTHER CHARGES DISCUSSED.
Reporter-Have you not knowingly ap-
pointed corrupt men to office as registrars
and commissioners of election. with an I'M
derstanding that they would fraudulently
return themselves as representatives of par
ishes in which they did not reside and had
no interest?
WarmOth-Not in a single instance: and
my instructions to registrars were that if
they should become candidates for office
they should resi- gu before the election,
which believe they did in almost every in
stance. Where they did not, it was en-
tirely out of my power to make them do so.
Reporter-Have you not furnished the
means by which members of the Legislature
have been bribed and either directly or in
directly encouraged such bribery,
Warmoth (indignantly)-I never did any
thing of the kind. | thought l had effect
ually settled that charge when before the
congressional investigating committee. All
such charges are slanderOus, and defy the
production of a single authenticated case.
Reporter-Have you not appointed I'M
worthy men to office, and some to plural
ity of offices, and if so, do you think this is
in accordance with the constitution and
your official oath!
Warmoth-I have no doubt l have ap-
pointed unworthy men to otfice-perhaps
many of them. 1t would be very strange
if had not. Having the largest patronage
of any Governor in the Union, it would be
more than marvellous if | had not made such
errors repeatedly. But your paper has no
right to complain for the records OF the Sec
rotary of States office will show that ma
jority of the men appointed to office by me
are persons atiiliatipg with your views. and
members OF the opposition party. Out of
eight district judges appointed by me, five
are Democrats. In the present city admin
istration six out OF the eight persons APP
pointed by me were recommended by the
Citizens Committee. And so throughout
the list, a majority of my appointments