New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-20

:,-Sanyass for Abney's Sacnncy-NSme
extra Tiles Between BIncknan aad
Martin-The Contest in Claiborne Pare
..h for the Constitutional Convention
OF IS67.6S.
& would be untrue 70 history. and inGi.
sidually unjust, not to allude to the brief
canvass which followed the death OF Sen.
.tor Abney, to fill his vacancy. The race
Gas between Henry Gray as the Democratic
candidate, and J. w. Mcdonald a. the
Union or Conservative candidate. Both
of these gentlemen stood first elias. among
their fellow citizens Oh every coun5o As
good and talented men, they had no supe.
siors in North Louisiana, if elsewhere in
ale State; and as to Henry Gray. he had
Euc few superiors in the United States.
Each as brave as Julius Caesar, manly and
shivalrous almost to a fault, and ready in
aebate-rich and almost inexhaustible ia
Resource both of attack and defense-they
sere, of course, the pride OF their parties.
and the admiration OF their eountrylAen
generally.
These gentlemen may have faiiins.. pc.
litical and otherwise, as most if not all
iaen do; but they are so slight. so few and
far between, compared to their many vir.
tues and moro redeeming traits. tina. they
sge not worth mentioning.
1t would seem an i'll wind 20 any country
shich would blow such gentlemen as Gray
and Mcdonald into private life forever:
shat is, it would seem unfortunate that gen.
tlemen of their fine ability and purity of
personal character should hold political
opinions deemed by the majority unsafe to
free and liberal institutions. In the canvass
Between them for the State Senatorsnip
they were antagonistic in politics-Gray
opposing the conditions of the fourteenth
constitutional amendment, and Mcdonald
1avoring them. The contest was very bit.
Ger on the part of the people, but not on the
Hart of the candidates. Indeed. may say.
sts between themselves, there was no con
eest-they were and are the best of per.
sonal friends-and believe did not enter
individually into the canvass at all. sups
pose neither cared a copper for himself as
60 whether he might be elected or not. But
She people, the friends of either gentleman,
trere none the less wide awake and active:
Dearly the entire population, however.
being for Mr.. Gray. do not think Me
Donald could have canvassed his district in
safety. In fact, his son was refused the
sight to distribute tickets for his father on
tiection day-at precinct, too. where at
the last election, being again candidate
sor the State Senate, he received :. very |
iarge voteo This time, however. he was |
Aunning as a Democratic or Fusion canG;.
,;ateo
It may not be interesting 90 many. and
snsy not be deemed at sll worth while to
allude to such past scenes and items in the
history of our country; but to me it seems
different. 1t is both instructive and anus
lngs 1t is instructive in that it shows how
great minds may differ, and how honest
men may change, and is amusing in that it
folds up in the light of experience the folly.
ifuo: criminality, OF what is termed '.pub.
lie sentiment To-day &c blows one way,
tnd to morrow anotheg-fron. the east on
Sunday from the west OF Monday. from
the north ON Tuesday. and the south on
Nednesdaye-oiten varying between hours.
II IS most unsafe :ule for public man to !
sollow-unsafe to the people and dshonor.
able 20 himself: and yet most public ,nen
follow this Suie or cue. or attemp: 10 20
&C. Even men who condemn i: follow
Il. Poor old Horace Greeley. with al,
t!s sander and great ability. and undoub.ed
llSnesty of purpose. did this seemingly un.
swares. He did il against his own advice.
Snd III the face of his own experience. lie
Cespised public opinion. and We. he FOL.
1owed ito He liked its ffattery. lie even
loved lie when it told good story OF him.
ssl'e The very best thing he ever said.
aalong the thousands and hundreds OF thou.
sands of the very good things which fell !
rsom his gifted pen and honest lips. is found
q Sis letter to Hon. M. II. Boyee, of Wis.
,clsin, against capital punishment. Gree !.
ey was. of course, too wise and too good to ,
avor the barbarism and brutality of capital :
punishment. A man of his fine and pure
md tender sense of right and propriety, {
ould never indorse rule so doubtful and {
nsafe. But he gave as his leading argu- {
1ent against this uncertain and most ugly i
rule of right" the tickleness and unstable
sss of public sentiment. He said that the t