New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-08
THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.

The examination of F. J. Heron, Secre.
tary of State, related at frsttO the details
concerning his life, and then was devoted
to eliciting information concerning the
checks signed by him in the earlier days
of January. A check of his own on the
Louisiana Savings Bank was produced, but
General Heron stated that the check was
| given for his own private business, and
respectfully declined to state it. This and
other checks on the same bank had not been
| given to any member of the Legislature,
nor to any person for member of the Leg
islature, nor for any purpose Of bribery or
corruption. The only one given to a
member of the Legislature was the check
for $1,000, which he had loaned to Mr..
Young, the last having been advanced to
| pay the funeral services of Walter Whey
land. All of the checks had been given in
| his own private business. In answer to
close lnterrogatOries, the witness said he
knew nothing, nor did he believe that any
money was used to win members from the
combination. but he thought that it was
| the honest convictions of the men that had
caused them to leave it when they saw
what the result would be; he had talked
with numbers of them, and had used his in
fuence in that way to induce them to act
with the Governor.
His appointment as Secretary of State
took place in August, 1871. The salary
was $4,000, and his former Office of tax
collector of the Sixth District he had re-
signed his resignation, however not being
accepted. This last office was worth about
$4,000 year. In answer to questions lie
stated that when he made returns to the
Auditor of the tax collected the Auditor
held the reourns should be larger, but the
case was now in court, where he would let
it rest, and pay whatever the court would
decree.
The opinions of General Heron about
the difference IN the Republican party, were
that they began about the time of the
amendment to the constitution making the
Governor eligible for a second term; at
least he had heard of no division before
that time, though there had been slight
opposition to the Governor on account of
his refusal to sign the civil rights bill, and
he united with the testimony Of preceding
witnesses concerning the convention of
August last. He said there was great
deal of activity and excitement in procur
ing candidates for this convention; that
about One-half of the delegates seats were
contested. ). that which ever side could gain
control of the committee to examine Gre
dentials, would undoubtedly, under the
circumstances, have decided in favor of
delegates that were their friends. 1t was
the intention to get control of the conven-
ton by excluding all those delegates whose
seats We're contested, when the friends of
the Governor would have been in the
majority, and they could then elect tenn
porary chairman. There was no intention
to control the convention by the aid of the
police.
In regard to the combination in the Sen
ate of the CustoInhouse men and Demo
Gratis, he thought the object was to prevent
the election of Mr. Pinchback as President.
He said it was formed under the head of a
reform movement, but he did not think that
had anything to do with it. As regarded
the combination in the House, he thought
that it was made up for the purpose of
keeping Carter iu his seat and the impeach-
ment of Governor Warmoth His opinion,
as regards the intended action of the Sen
ate ons the impeachment, was that they
would refuse to try the Governor. He had
no evidence that there was an intention by
the combination to impeach Governor War
moth, except what was told him by mem
bers of the Democratic party. Joseph II.
Wilson had also stated the same thing
The opinion of the witness in regard to
reform and in reference to the party intend
ing it was, that had the Democrats taken
their seats, all the reforms would have been
consummated. General Heron said, upon
the subject of the cali made by Mr.. B. b.
Smms on the Democra tic caucus, in which
it had been stated that Mr.. Simms pro-
posed, on the part of Governor, to elect
Democratic Speaker, provided the Demo
Gratis would coalesce with the Republicans
who stood by the State government, that
he knew of no such condition. He had
heard from General Simms himself that he
intended to call upon the Democratic mem-
bers himself, with view of ascertaining
the grounds that the Democrats took in the
opposition, and he had agreed on the propo-
sition of General Simms to get a committee
of the WarmOth party to meet a committee
of the Democrats, not for the purpose OF
forming coalition, but for the purpose of
finding out what their grievances were,
and how they could be adjusted; that if re-
form was all that kept them out of their
seats, he was of the impression they might
be easily accommodated. But there was no
specific understanding of a coalition with
Democrats. The question being directed
once more toward the use of improper con-
siderations, and the General being request
ed to define the same, said he thought the
use of money or valuable considerations
would be improper means to influence the
vote Of a member, but he did not consider
patronage improper means.
AS to his connection with the Crescent
City gas bill Quoting the testimony of H
G. HawkswOrth), he himself was one of the
incOrpOratOrs, and he knew of several
members of the General Assembly who had
stock in it, but it was all paid for. He had
never conversed with the Governor about
the signing of the bill. He was one of the
incOrporatOrs. He was interested in the
passage OF the bill. There were five or six
interested in the passage. The only writing
or anything of the kind in reference to it
was a paper, given to Senator Wilcox, who