New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-23
Sle,r Orleans Republican.
FflClAl JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
DEBATES IN THE SENATE.
SATURDAY, February 10, 1872.

Mr., Pinchback-I am again forced, Mr..
President, to claim the attention OF the Sen
ate for a few moments on a question Oh
privilege. was not little surprised on
Yesterday to see so many gentlemen rising
for the purpose of making personal ex-
plantations; but to-day find it explained IN
the fact that serious charges have peeh
made by certain witnesses before the con
pressional investigating committee against
those gentlemen as well as myself inns is
the first opportunity have had since read
the testimony of those witnesses to make
persoual explanation. l see that one MI.
s w. Scott testified that at one time was
to be paid tor some vote or action OF NINE
on the floor of the Senate. nave not De-
fore me the paper containing the evidence
of that gentleman, and therefore, can not
sllude to it specifically. l desire to
saw to the Senate and the members
of the congressional committee who
are present, that Mr.. Scott has stated
that which he knows to be untrue.
l had no knowledge of the gentleman
prior to the time that we had before us
the bill which empowered the Governor
to sell the stock in the Jackson railroad
the floor Of the Senate lobbying, as l I'M
derstood, in favor of that measure. He
testifies that large amount OF money was
to be spent in its passage. and that the
votes of legislators were to be paid tor by
the issue of paper by Mr.. kimball, in
dorsed by himself MIR. Scott. He says
that /, among other gentlemen, received
one of those checks for $1,000, and l pre-
sumo he intended to have the committee IN
fer that received it in consideration OF my
vote. will state to the Senate and the
members of the committee that Mr. Scott
led the committee to infer that which was
not true. l admit his correctness in
stating that l held one of those checks.
1t was placed in my hands for
collection, and presented it to HIM TOT
payment. l am commission merchant,
and sometimes have collected notes tor
friends of mine. He was buying paper OF
that kind and saws he offered me $3.50,
which / declined to take. do not know
that he offered me that, but suppose so.
How that paper got on the market he knows
better than anybody else in the community.
1t is in my hands yet, as was not emP0W
cred to take less for it than its face called
for, which was the reason l could not accept
his proposition. So much for that transac-
ton Mr.. Scott also charges that Senator
Beares and myself opposed the new city
charter in consideration of a certain sum
of money. That charge is untrue, and the
gentleman can not produce any evidence
to substantiate it. The reason 1 opposed
that bill is well known to the Senator now
presiding Mr. Barber) as well as to every
other cOlored man in the Legislature, and
many not in it. The question was, who
was to fill the offices to be created! de-
mand was made by ME, at the request OF
the colored men Of this city, that the Gov
ernor should appoint colored man to the
position of Administrator Of Public I'M
provements. The Governor would not
comply with that request, and we deter
mined then to oppose the bill to the last.
From that day commenced my opposition
to the Governor. / opposed him for two
years by my votes and by my influence IN
the Senate Chamber; and perhaps l would
not be supporting him now if l had not be-
come convinced that only by sustaining
him could the Republican party be saved
in this State. AS to the gentleman who
testified against me on political points
Judge Walker), his character is well
known in this community. he is blatant
Democrat, and one of the editors of the
most malicious newspaper published IN
our city-a sheet that would not scrupie to
traduce the character Of any man who was
not in political accord with it. The out
rageous statements of that gentleman were
made for no other reason than to make po-
litical capital for himself or against me.
There is one portion OF his testimony which
seems to me to be extremely spicy. refer
to the following extract
II was surprised to learn from
Judge Dibble and General Sheridan that
Pinchback was the Governors choice. l
expressed my disgust in emphatic terms
Whereupon General Sheridan excused the
choice as one to which the Governor was
driven by the apprehension that if con-
servative citizen was placed in the Lleuten-
ant GCvernorship, the Legislature would i'm
peach WarmOth in order to get that citizen
into his place, and that the election of Pinch
back would flank this movement. Judge Dbl
III 4ba ms
view denounced the proposition as lndl-
eating very low ideas and notions OF action.
"Ouesti0n-Did these gentlemen deny
that Pinchback was rascal +!
''Answer-No; they said he was the smart
est negro in the State"
This, say, is very spicy piece OF evil
dence. l reply that if either Judge Walker,
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 a positive falsehcod.
state emphatically that were satisfied
that no other motive actuated those who
supported me than that alleged by Judge
Walker, l 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; l care
still less whether he is Governor hereafter,
but do care for the success of the Repub-
lican party. l am willing at any time to be
made the instrument for the preservation of
the Republican party; am prepared to oc-
cupy and assume the responsibilities and du-
ties of any office in which | can subserve the
interests of my people, my party and my
State; but am not willing now, nor will
ever be willing, to become the sup
plant tool of Henry c. Warmoth or
suspicion that such were the motives that
induced my election, would have indig-
nantly refused to accept the position l
occupy. You know, Mr.. President (AIr.
Barber), 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
at great length the question as to whether
II would not be impOlitic for me to 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'sl appoint
ment was popular among the colored PEG
ple. They would regard such man as an
unworthy successor OF Dunn, VINO was
Justly esteemed by all classes as an up
right. digniied, intelligent negro, to whom
Pinchback had been opposed. Pinchbacd
ras not representative man. His ap
pointment, so far from pleasing the
negroes, would be regarded Dy
them as an insult OF course that state
ment would provoke smile from any inte!li
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
lican party here, agree in according to
no r,ncitinn of the 1OrPmOSt