New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-23

me, OF my representative cnaCacCor aS b
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 l 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 l am
now inaugurating policy that will ere
long, if these blatant demagOgues are kept
Louisiana solid unit: and he wants
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 intamy consists
l am infamous because l can not be
frightened nor coaxed into support
ing the Democracy l am infamous be-
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 have
not failed, whenever the opportunity
presented itself, to cast my vote and raise
my voice in behalf of the class | represent;
l have stood firm at my post OF duty, and
it is for that reason that Judge Walker
and others of the! same class characterize
me as infamous. / venture to say that htd
/ 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 he
publican party Of Louisiana. instead OF the
Times Bee, and other sheets OF the same
character, aspersing my motives and Witty
ing my character, 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 pale before the shin
ing lustre of Pinchbacks name. But be-
cause forsooth, saw fit to stand fearlessly
at my post because | saw tit to advocate IN
season and out of season, the rights OF the
race represent, 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 l
asked, in the way of political preterment
am we'll known to them and they to me,
and feel confident there is 10 unfavorable
account to be balanced between US. Ii
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
acter be infamous, whether | am no longer
be decided in 1872, and until that final deci-
sion is rendered l care not how much my
character is aspersed by demagogues, for L
know that a just and enlightened people
will sustain me. So far as my public duties
are concerned l 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 10 De
brow-beaten into anything; do not intend
to ha int motives those
which should govern al honest, true man.
While do not claim to possess all the hon
esty in the State, yet 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 nee 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
to exclude from the floor OF the Senate
those lobbyists who have corrupted the
Legislature, if it has been corrupted. How
often have l rose in my seat and asked
that the rules be enforced prohibiting those
men from entering the Senate Chamber!
How often have asked the presiding Oil
Ger to protect me from the opportunities OF
menwho were annoying me nearly to death
to get me to support their pet measures
And vet these men have the audacity to 90
before the congressional committee and
asperse my character. If l have trespassod
upon the rights and privileges Of others: II
| have been guilty of any mlsdemeanor
or malteasance in office, there Is
way to punish me. Let these parties
institute an investigation, and if am found
guilty will bear the penalty without
murlnur. But until am adjudged guilty
by competent tribunal, ask that these
malignant vilifiers be silenced by the indig-
nant voice of public opinion. If these gen.
tlemen must vomit forth something IN de-
traction of nv character, let them contine
themselves to the truth. and not attempt
by groundless accusations, to cover up their
own hid eous deformities. The time will
come. and that soon, when | will be heard
| in selfdefense by the people, and when that
| time does arrive these gentlemen will
| doubtless be missing. l shall not fail then
| to tell the people what know about these
| men. l shall not attempt to cover up any OF
nv political or personal actions: have done
nothing that will not bear Investigation
| nothing that desire to deny. Therefore, l
| can well afford to meet these honorable gen
| tlemen before the people. l am sorry l
| have been forced to occupy the valuable
| time of the Senate in making this personal
explanation; but l deemed it my duty, in
| Justice to myself, to do so, as will not have
an opportunity of being heard before the
congressional committee.
Personal EXPLANATION OF SENATOR CAMP
BELL.
Mr. Campbell-In order to complete my
personal explanation of yesterday, l de-
sire to ask the Senate to appoint a commit
| tee to investigate the charges made by one
| S. w. Scott and ono Hawkesworth against
myself before the congressional committee
| Mr.. Smith objected to the molten to ap-
| point a committee. He thought the ques
| ton should como up in the form OF a reso-
| luton.
Mr.. Campbell ask it as matter OF
| privilege.
Mr.. Anderson-I desire to say few words
| in reference to the testimony OF a witness
before the congressional committee. He
| saws on the subject Of the levee shed bill
| that he was told that Clark and Bofngel
| and anderson would put the bill through
| and that he was afterward told, in converse
| ton on the same subject, by Speaker Carter
Bofinger, Clark and Anderson were the mer
| TO put the bill through. am not acauaint
ed with either Mr.. Bofnger or Mr.. Clark
and am not aware that l ever met them.
| never had any conversation with either OF
| the three gentlemen referred to on the sub
iect of the levee shed bill, nor have / ever
| promised anybody to put the bill through
I am told that the Anderson referred to is a
former banker of st. Louis, Mr.. J. j. Ander
son. deny ever having assisted to pass that
bill, and do not remember whether l ever
voted for 1t. In relation to the Well claim,
it has been said that it was defeated by the
Legislature. l pronounce that statement
false. The Legislature never rejected thai
claim. 1t passed the House of Representa-
tiyes in 1867 by a vote of forty-nine yeas tt
twenty three nays, after having been re
ported upon favorably by the Committee
on Claims and the judiciary Committee
The latter committee, which investigated
the constitutionality of the question, was