New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-11

Ueuco.- Il reply tutG IL ciuucT 0uuSc w dlktr,
Judge Dibble, General Sheridan or the
Governor says that my election was effected
for the purpose Of preventing the Govern
or's impeachment, it is positive falsehOod.
i state emphatically that were satisfied
that no other motive actuated those who
supported me than that alleged by Judge
Walker, would not allow another day to
pass without rendering to the Senate my
resignation as Lieutenant Governor. hold,
sir, that was elected to cement, If possible,
the broken ranks of the Republican party
of Louisiana, and not to prevent the I'M
parchment of Henry c. Warmoth. care
but little whether Governor Warmoth be
impeached before his term expires; care
still less whether he is Governor hereafter,
but do care for the success OF the Repub-
lican party. Fam willing at any time to be
made the instrument OF the preservation OF
the Republican party; am prepared to &C.
cupy and assume the responsibilities and du-
ties of any office in which l can subserve the
interests OF my people, my party and my
State; but l am not willing now, nor will
/ ever be willing, to become the sup
plant tool of Henry c. Warmoth, nor
anybody else. If had had the slightest
suspicion that such were the motives that
induced my election, l would have indig-
nantly refused to accept the position |
occupy. You know, Mr.. President Mr.
Barberl, better perhaps than any other
person, that l am not President OF the
Senate and Lieutenant Governor by reason
of any desire on my part to become SO.
You and l, as you well remember, debated
at great length the question as to whether
it would not be inpOlitic for me 10 accept
the position, and you, with many other OF
our representative men, urged me to do SO.
Judge Walker goes on to say that .'he
had no idea that his (Pinchback's 81 appoint
ment was popular among the colOred peO
pie. They would regard such man as an
unworthy successor of Dunn, who was
Justly esteemed by all classes as an up
right, dignifed, intelligent negro to whom
Pinchback had been opposed. tPinchtack
aoas not q representative man. His ap-
pointment, SO far from pleasing the
negroes, would be regarded by
them as an insult OF course
that would provoke smile from any intelli-
gent man who is at all cognizant of the
opinions of the colored people Of the State.
Judge Walker, Collector Casey. Mr.. Pack
ard and all of the opponents of the Repub-
ican party here, agree in according to
Mr.. Dunn the position OF the foremost
negro in the State. If it be true that he was
SO land have no desire to gainsay it,, does
it not appear exceedingly strange to sensible
men that, holding the exalted position
of Lieutenant Governor, he could not force
me to give way to him in the late election
for United States Senator! Is it not aston
ishing that he did not defeat me in the first
election that took place here after the. war,
when he ran on an independent ticket for
the constitutional cOnventiOns Is 1t not
surprising that every time we measured our
political swords, was the victor! do not
cite these facts for the purpose of
depreciating in any way the merits
of Mr. Dunn, but for the purpose
of showing that Judge Walker, in his testi-
mony, has had no regard for the truth. A
gentleman who testified before that COM
mittee in the interest OF his party, declared
that the Democrats in the General Assem-
bly, had voted for Mr.. West as United States
Senator because they knew l would be
elected if they did otherwise. That is the
strongest kind of testimony, It seems to
ME, of nv representative capacity as a
colored man; and yet Judge Walker has
the hardihood to go before that committee
and, in utter disregard of ruth, assert that
| am not representative man. l believe
every unprecedented, reasonable man will
agree with me when say that this gentle
man has made these statements for the pur-
pose of preventing, if possible, my welding
any influence in the political affairs of the
State. In other words, he knows that am
now inaugurating policy that will ere
long, if these blatant demagogues are kept
down, make the sRepublican party of
d
to thwart me in that endeavor. He
is afraid the Republican party may be
brought together again and the State saved
to Republicanism. That is what hurts the
gentleman, He also says that my charac-
ter is infamous, and desire to inform the
Senate and the members of the congressional
committee in what my lntany consists.
I am infamous BECAUSE l can not be
frightened nor coaxed into support
fhn I ON in a
cause from the very day the constitutional
convention met in this city have cham
pioned the cause of the down-trodden col
ored people. From that day to this l have
not failed, whenever the opportunity
presented itself. to cast my vote and raise
my voice in behalf of the class | represent.
have stood firm at my post of duty, and
it was for that reason that Judge Walker
and others of the same class characterized
me as infamous. / venture to say that had
been one of those who were will
ing to sell out the rights and interests
of the colored people and join
in the effort to divide and destroy the Re-
publican party of Louisiana, instead of the
Times, Bee, and other sheets OF the same
character, aspersing my motives and vllllty-
ing my character, l would be held up to the
public gaze as one Of the nOblest Of the
black race, and the brightness of Mr..
Dunn's fame would be pale before the shin
ing lustre Of Pinchbacks name. But be-
cause, forsoOth, l saw fit to stand fearlessly
at my post because l saw tit to advocate in
season and out of season, the rights of the
race l represent, l am man OF infamous
character" Who would expect any other
verdict from such source The black peO-
pie, am confident, still trust in me. They
have never yet failed to give me what
asked, in the way of political preferment l
am well known to them and they to me,
and feel sure there is no unfavorable &C
count to be balanced between us. If have
failed to do my duty, the people,
the only earthly tribunal before
which l shall be arraigned, will render their
Judgment against me. Whether my char
worthy Of the confidence of the people, will
be decided in 1872, and until that final deci-
sion is rendered | care not how much my
character is aspersed by demagogues, for
know that just and enlightened people
will sustain me. So far as my public duties
are concerned, / propose to perform them
in the future as have in the past do
not intend to be frightened into the support |
of any measure; l do not propose to be
into anything; do not intend
to be influenced by any motives save those
which should govern an honest, true man.
While do not claim to possess all the hon
esty in the State, yet l venture to say that |
my character would appear as the driven
snow in comparison with the character Of
those gentlemen who have seen tit to ira
duce and defame me in their testimony
before the committee. If any one |
thing more than another has caused
these gentlemen to oppose me it is
the fact that have at all times endeavored
20 exclude from the floor OF the Senate
those lobbyists who have corrupted the |
if it has been corrupted. How
often have | rose in my seat and asked |