New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-31
AN APPEAL
To the Proprietors of the "PeOple's
Paper" and to the People.

To the Proprietors of the "People',
Paper,' and to the People.
How the Picayune is NIanaged-IIow i
was TO be NanaRed-PrOmises ant
Failures Who is Blameable - SUM
| mary Discharge of tie Leading Ed
ders-ConfusiOn and Nismnnag cement
The Presiden, will not call n Meeting
of the onclusion.
| To tie PIOprietors of the New Orleans Picayune
| Stockholders of the New Orleans Printing aIC
| Publishing Company, and to the Public:
| Last fall several leading merchants OF
| New Orleans wrote, inviting me to come tC
| New Orleans and secure the position OF
editor of a new paper which was to be
| started in this city in the interest of mer
| chants ard business men. | came down in
| September, and labored most of the time
| for four months, i'll company with tie gen
| tleman who is now president of the New
| Orleans Printing and Publishing Company
| and with Mr. "A. Baldwin, who is a member
| Of the board of managers. i'll getting up
what was then called ''the new paper but
| which resulted in the purchase of the New
! Orleans PicGyune. In anticipation OF the
| position Of editor of this journal. leased
| out the Planters Banner which had con-
| trolleG as editor ard proprietor most OF the
| time since the year 1918. After l became
| editor of the Pcdyune, feeling confident OF
| a permanent position in this Office sold
| the Planters Banner office on a long credit.
| l was in the editorial chair of the Pica-
| ytne forty days. l was editor of the paper
| twenty days. The president Of the com
| pany was editor the last twenty days.
| nave some odd disclosures TO make in
reference to my forty days experience and
observations in the chair editorial. Some
OF these observations are strange, others
are almost ludicrous. Most Of them will
aStonist the stockholders and the public.
Some OF them may astonish most OF the
managers.
The stockholders will please accept nv
remarks as the volunteer report Of al editor
who was chosen by the proprietors of the
paper, but discharged not for sufficient
cause, as l think, by the board of man
ayers.
1 took charge of the Picayune office as
chief editor on the first Of February; my
connection with the office terminated ON
the eleventh of March. l was able TO Oh
tain but one conference with the board OF
managers i'll forty days.
THE ENEMIEs OF THE PICAYUSE AND OF
REFORM.
From the beginning of my editorial Gu-
ties expected opposition from the Radical
press. ard that men of wealth and respect
ability, who are making money through the
corrupt parties who control the State and
city governments. would use their influence
to prejudice honest men against Inc, ard TO
destroy my capacity 10 expose them. l was
satisfied that such influences had before |
came here, been at work to prejudice the
managers and the honest men of the city
against ire. The New Orleans Times and
REPUBLICAN commenced this work iast till.
was astonished, but by no means alarm
ed. when Mr.. Weed. proprietor Of the New
Orleans Tunes, and the warm friend of
Governor Warlnoth thrust himself fire.
quently uponthe president of this company.
and labored constantly to convince him
that the Governor honestly desired reform
and the repeal of the bad laws of which the
people complained, and to impress him
with favorable ideas Of tie Governor.
Mr.. Weed went so tar as 10 visit the
president OF the company several times with
a message from the Governor that he was
ANXIOUS for him tthe presidentl to call on
his eXcellency. Such an interview was OBJ
tanned some time in the month OF February:
but / gave myself DO trouble whatever
about the matter, satisfied that his efforts
to influence the president would be fruit
less.
That no one may mistake my meaning. |
here state. once for all. that | do not ques-
ton the integrity OF any member of the
board OF managers. / only claim that, on
account OF pre- juiice. or Tor reasons which |
do not understand. they have done me great
injustice which will injure 1ne in my pro
tession in the pursuit OF a livelihood. And
what say in this appeal is not TO injure
others, but to defend myself. Ny object is
not retaliation.
How can the public know but through
this appeal to the Stockholders that | have
not been discharged for blackmaillng. or for
wickedly compromising the interests of the
company
ERROR OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.
The board of managers made Il mistake
in not permitting the editor to confer with
them in their weekly meetings. and in leav-
ing instructions in great measure to the
discretion of the president. These evils
Will be manifest tIoin subsequent state
ments.
The president OF the company stood be
tween me and the board OF managers. TO cy-
plain them to me. and nle to them. think
his explanations between myself and the
managers were such that they did not cor
rectly understand me nor them. | think
the presidents errors in jud dgment and per-
haps his prriuuices and finally his active
my expulsion without hearing or trial
WHO CONTROLLED THE PlCATUNE
That is the question which | will en-
deavor 10 answer. The stockholders and
the public may az well make noue of the
replv.
The president OF the company is yourI
dry goods merchant. | DO not question his
ability as a merchant: but, until lately. lie
has never edited a paper. nor contolled
printing office.
| stated to the president one day. You
are the board OF managers: you control the
P;caYune Office" He admitted the state
men: to be true. He stated to others that
he intended 40 ran the Office" and be did
control it while | was nominally editor,
from the twentieth OF February to the elev-
enth OF March. How wisely and how well
he managed, let the stockholders and the
public Judge. Unfortunately for me. while
he controlled the Office | was held response
oie for the character of the paper.
The president claimed the right 10 EN-
pl0v or discharge my associate editors.
news editors aud reporters. He gave orders
i'll person to editors, editorial writer's and
reporters: gave Instructions in regard 20 the
Sunday Pic0yune. and in reference to EN-
ploying and dscharging correspondents.
And yet | was held as responsible as though
! were editor-in-chief.
PROMISES 10 THOSE WHO SUBSCRIBED FOR
STOCK.
The following is an exact copy of the ill-
strunlent subscribed to by the Stockholders
who took ore or more shares OF stock:
WANTED.
An independent newspaper in New Orleans 20
he sold at i've cents a copy.
To be owned and controlled by the merchants