New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-18
KAllaaH.

When the writer occupied the very
humble but highly honorable position Of
printers "devil' he was invariably charged
With all the '.pi" that was found at the
Office, and all that was inot found at the
house, and he thought his lot particularly
hard one, as it was. We have thought that
the position of Governor Kellogg was q
some What similar one, and have probably
been led to feel degree OF sympathy for
him on that account: He 10 blamed with
all tho bad legislation which was found
when he came into Office, without being
credited with any reforms or efforts at re.
forms. He is damned for the manifold sins
of his predecessor without being allo wed to
take anything by his own Sirtuous actions.
1t seems to have grown 60 easy in the
North to denounce Governor Kellogg on the
part Of many of the Republican leaders and
journals that there is great danger Of his
suffering injustice from those who should be
his staunch supporters IN his troubles. 1t is
doubts as to his election which have been so
industriously magnified by the opposition,
that few have taken the trouble to in.
yestipate thoroughly the real merits Of his
claim to the office he holds.
He il Governor of Louisiana BY the votes
of the people, by the decree of the court,
and by the formal recognition of the Presi.
dent of the United States. Few State
executives have had better claim to their
position; none have ever been so roundly
abused nor so shamefully traduced as Gov.
ernor Kellogg. If we are to believe the
stories told Of him, he is at once the weak.
est aud the most powerful man Of the State;
the brayest and the most cowardly. He is
held responsible for all the legislation of
the past four years-for two years while he
was in the Senate as we'll as for the two
years he has been Governor. He ia de
nouuced BY the White League as responsi.
BILE for all the bad work of the Warmoth re.
CINE, notwithstanding his earnest efforts to
Kellogg has never had q show of fair treat
ment since he became Governor. The viru.
lence of the local opposition to him is with.
out a parallel. Leading men in New Or.
leans declare that they will never, under
any circumst ances, accept him as Governor,
save under the compulsion of federal bayo.
nets. The bitter hostility which they mani.
fest toward Kellogg is so disproportiOnate
to the apparent cause OF that excitement
that it naturally creates suspicion in every
candid mind of the existence OF reasons be.
the public.
So far So any acts of Kellogg are concerned
thew do not justify for moment the oppo.
siti0n to him. He has reduced taxation and
the public debt. He has refused to sign
aDy new bonds until compelled to do 90 by
the mandate of q competent judicial tri-
bunal. He has endeavOred to correct the
bad legislation of former administration,
but was hampered in his efforts by reason
Of the opposition we have referred to above.
The eecret of the opposition to Kellogg is
that he is Republican, elected by cOlored
votes. The Northern people may as we'll
make up their minds to this ut once, for
they will be compelled to if ever complete
investigation is made and published. If
Kellogg were to face about and become the
willing tool of the opposition, as done by his
predecessor, the White League would toss
up their hats and applaud him to the echo.
If he will hand over the patronage of his
Office to the leaders Of the Conservative
followers, he will be the most popular man
in Louisiana among the opposition. We
make this assertion not as an empty Opin
ion, but because We know whereof we
affirm. Overtures have been made to him
before and since the emeute of the four
teenth by the leaders of that movement,
offering him most tempting reward if he
will betray his people into the hands of the
Conservatives and yield up his patronage
to their control. These offers have been
repeatedly made verbally, and in at least
one case in writing, yet Governor Kellogg
has stood firm and refused any concessions
which involved the integrity OF his party or
the interests of his people.
His statement, published few days
since, gave most favorable exhibit of his
administration, and it was literally true.
No effort has been made to cODtrovert the
facts therein stated. Few administrative
officers can make SO good q showing, and
yet he has received but little credit for
what he has accomplished.
There is no use in attempting the conceal
the fact that the State OF Louisiana is in q
very bad condition in almost every respect.
Her tax system is simply atrOcious. and
her taxes are SO burdensOme as to be almost
an embargo on business Of all kinds. The
Crescent City looks more like deserted
village than like the commercial centre of
the South. The public knows this much,
and naturally charges all to Kellogg's mis-
rule, because those who wish to destroy
him say that he has done all the mischief.
Governor Kellogg owes it to himself and
to the Republican party to give to the pub
lie full statement of all the circumstances
connected with the offers which have been
made to him by Conservative leaders in re-
lation to his management of his office. He
can furnish documentary evidence, if he
will, Of all the facts we have limited at in
the foregoing article and until he does so
he will continue to suffer in the estimation
of many Northern men who would rejoice
to be- able to believe in his integrity
Washington Chronicle.