New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-24
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.

ings that have marked the history Of
Louisiana during the last three weeks. If
the United States marshal had not made
of his office q retreat for men hiding from
their duties-if the collector of the port
had not abused national vessel to conceal
Senators from their constituents-if both
of these officers had attended to their
official duties as they have attended to
local politics, not only would the country
have been better served, but the State
would have been better protected from de-
signing men. And since it was the design
of the founders of the republic, and has
been the aim of their SUCCESSORS not only
to secure faithful officers, but patriotic
and honest men, who would both
attend to their own offices and
allow others to attend to theirs, We submit
that Congress is in duty bound to Inquire
into and determine whether the agents of
the United States in Louisiana have done
this thing or the reverse. One OF the
questions propounded to the officers of
the customhouse in New York has been
this: ''Have you used your position to
effect results in The local politics Of the
State of New York 2" and an unequivocal
answer has been demanded by both the
Republican and Democratic members of
the committee. If this interrogating is
important in New York. where there was
no disturbance, how much more important
does it become in New Orleans, where the
answer to it must affix the responsibility
. for an attempted revolution at the hands
of an armed mob If it was improper
that federal officials should interfere in
clubs and conventions of New York by
being present merely to persuade the
members how they should act, what word
will characterize the improperly that per-
verted revenue cutter from her proper
service: that converted the CustOmhouse
itself into fortified retreat for Senators
absent from their posts of duty; that used
the name of the government itself to rally
armed hirelings against the constituted
authorities OF Louisiana; that abused the
funds of the nation to employ mob to
overthrow loyal and peaceful State, and
that consorted with spectators to beat
down and abuse the rights of a Repub-
lican constituency?
General Garfield struck the keynote to
the investigation that the people demand.
The congressional committee should either
come to make a thorough and searching
inquiry into the origin of our troubles, or it
should not come tail. And We intend that
it shall make this investigation Just as it
should be DONE or the country shall know
who has obstructed the inquiry. The
President of the United States should in
sist, in his own interest, that the entire
truth must be told; for he can not consent,
nor do we believe that he intends to con-
sent, that his misguided and self-appointed
friends in Louisiana shall shoulder the
responsibility upon him for all their mis-
chievous efforts III their own behalf. 1t is
time that the President knew, and We in
tend that he shall know, that the wicked
ness which has been perpetrated in Louisi-
ana by his appointees has not been done in
his behalf, however much the authors of
the miquity may profess that it was. His
name and Office have been shamefully
abused by the conspirators who had their
own selfish schemes of advancement to pro-
mote: and they have been enabled to do
this through the weakness and democrat
ization of his own collector, who has
been fed with promises of promotion
that We're never intended to be fulfilled.
Nv Casey's name stands connected with
some of the most disreputable jobs that
Governor Warmoth has vetoed. This is
one part of the investigation the committee
will be required to look into. He has been
promised advancement in the State, which
is another matter that will do to make
some inquiry about. He has constantly
used his present position to disturb the
politics of Louisiana, which is a third sub
iect the committee will be required to in
vestigate fairly and squarely. And to ac-
complish these selfish and political ends,
he has maintained Senators, Representa-
tives, editors, jobbers, and lastly, a mob
ont of the revenues of the United States
customs department. He has assessed
upon the employees of the government the
expense of supporting disreputable and
incendiary newspaper. And, besides his
many sins against the nation and his Off
cial responsibility, he distracted the Re
publican party by making its power the
means to advance Lis own selfish specula-
tons. Without the moral force to keep
himself out of disrer utable lobby transac-
tons in his private relations, he also lacks
the ability to conduct his official life in
such way as to save it from the charge of
vacillation and dishonesty. This man,
then, surely needs to DE investigated.
The committee CT investigation is a
fatality. 1t is one OF those providences
that ovcrtake bad men more by accident
than design. Originated in Il partisan
spirit, to inquire into matter that WAS al
ready plain to the honest reason Of man
kind, it will be diverted from puTposeless
inquiry to bcneficent discoverer Of
wrongs that have long needed reforma-
ton. The federal authorities have needed
lust this sort of looking after, in Louisi
L