The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-07-22
Speech
HON. GEO. A. SHERIDAN
BEFORE THE 81.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OF

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
The two finest efforts, says t b e
New Orleans Bulletin, which have re-
Gently been made in Congress are the
speech Of Senator Norwood, Of Geor-
gia, on the Civil Rights Bill, and that
Of General George A. Sheridan, who
was elected, by majority Of over
10000 votes, Congressman at Large
for Louisiana, but who was denied
his seat because it would have logi-
cally resulted in ousting Mr.. Kellogg
from his usurpcd position as Govern
or Of Louisiana.
We deeply regret our inability to
give Sheridan's graceful and master
~ effort in full, but must content
ourselves by making such extracts
as will be most interesting to the
general reader. Without the silvery,
ringing tones of the orators voice,
and his impassioned manner Of de-
livery, the reader will of course miss
much of the beauty Of an address
which would have done credit to Con-
gress in it's palmy days, when men of
brains and honor filled tt ne seats
now occupied by mediocre and bigot-
ed demagogues. .....
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| Mr.. Kellogg, as nominee for Gov
ernor, had no record as Republican
in the State. He had come to New
Orleans as the appointee of Mr.. Lin
coin as collector Of customs. Scarce
ly had the body Of the great Presi-
dent felt the chill of death before
this man became the firm friend and
supporter of Andrew johnson. He
was member of the Convention call.
ed at Philadelphia in the interest
of Mr.. johnson. He never returned
to his Republicanism until 1868
when the State went Republican. II
was we'll known that during his adj
ministration Of the Custom House
under Johnson, no soldier of the
Union could find a place within the
walls of the granite building. Nc
black man was found on the rolls
save here and there, perhaps, one te
whom was given the most mental EN-,
ployment.
1t was known, too, that Mr.. KEEL
logg had filled the Custom House
with men elected to the first Legisla
ture Of Louisiana, who had pledged
themselves to vote for him for United
States Senator in consideration. OF
the favor extended to them. Those
of us who knew Mr.. Kellogg well
found little in his record to give us
either faith in his political sagacity
or confidence in his integrity. We
had no faith in his vcracity. Judg.
ed by their record Ananias and his
consort were shining examples Of
truth compared to Kellogg. Tt is on
record, l believe, that they falsified
only upon one occasion. 1t is no.
where upon record in Louisiana that
Mr.. Kellogg ever told the truth, In
fact he had no record before the peo
pie, whose sufrages he claimed, fol-
veracity or fair dealing. He was like
Sir Agrippa, "for profound and solid
lying much renowned"
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Again, there was no vital issue al
stake. There was nothing to draw
out the full force and strength of The
Republican party, consisting as il
did, Observation-Disclosures Of it, o
black men. The old cry that if they
did not vote the Republican ticket
they would be re-enslaved had lost
its power. They knew full well thai
the grand question of their liberty
had long ago been taken out from the
jurisdiction Of courts, where lawyers
plead and interplead out from the
Halls Of Congress, where statesmen
ponder and debate, and argued in s
court where God was judge and sur
ging armies were the advocates
They knew that forth from the tri
bunalo of Ollnipetence the decree hat
gone that in this broad land all mer
were free and equal, and they knew