New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-19
Senator Blackburn to Auditor Clinton,

| 40" uoyS oSO Jou toiu Mc tAdt
you intended replying to my publication in
response to your published note to Cover
nor Kellogg, on the public printing, and
asked me if would publish it in the Homer
IAiad, and replied that would, Il did not
expect you to deal in a tone and temper SO
harsh and unkind, and shamefully unjust;
| as your letter addressed to ne in the RE-
PUBLICAN Of this morning evinces; but /
shall try to keep my promise, and will for
the present, proceed to reply to you through
the same channel in which you have ad-
dressed mel trust in less offensive and
/ am sure, more just strain.
And first, as to your charge that as Sena-
tor l have procured printing contracts and
obtained for myself appropriations, and
have also lent myself to like jobs in the in
terest OF Others. This is a very serious
charge, and one which no Christian gentle
man should make without having at hand
the proof positive. But there is no proof
that l have done any such thing, but quite
to the contrary. AS Senator, the record
will show that worked harder to pass
law to take away from the State printing
board the power to give out contracts for
the publication of the laws and journals in
the country papers than for any other one
object or purpose, and this accomplished.
But this law was vetoed, and then it was
that, as an editor and citizen, in a business
transaction, and not as Senator in legis-
lative capacity, accepted contract for
work under the old law. These facts, l
say, are of record, and it would seem that
all we'll informed gentlemen like yourself
should know them, and knowing them, it
might be reasonably expected that Chris
tiaD gentlemen like yourself would state
them fairly, the more especially as bearing
upon one who has held the relations to you
which l have.
Would you not have accepted like con-
tract, Mr.. Clinton, under similar circum-
stances and bearings! l always find it a
good rule in judging others to bring all the
circumstances and facts of the case to bear
upon myself. and see what l would have
done under like circumstances and bear
ings. l would therefore respectfully ask
you in dealing with me simply to put your
self in his place"
You know how / have been prosecuted
and prescribed in business because of NV
pOlitics-and for no one special reason more
bitterly and deadly than for supporting
men of the precise status Of yourself; you
know very we'll that bold and independent
Republican editors can not support them
selves and keep their papers alive without
the fostering care and patronage of those
Of their party whom they aid in putting
into power; and you must know that no
party can long be sustained and kept alive
without newspaper press to uphold and
defend it. / have known these things,
whether you have or not; and, therefore,
while Twas willing to abolish the publication
of the laws and journals in the coun-
try papers, and was foremost in passing
a law to that effect, / was also careful to
throw around the country Republican press
certain safe guards and means Of local sup
port which would enable it to live, despite
the 1evilish prosecutions and prescriptions
of that lingering spirit Of hate which the
presence in the South Of such nice and
clever gentlemen as yourself does more
perhaps than anything else to keep alive;
and at the same time did this took not
illigitimately or unnecessarily single dol
lar out of the public treasury. nor Ont of
any private individuals pocket.
/ only directed the parish official printing
in healthy channel, at much reduced rates.
But this effort, repeat, was vetoed, and
I jal for
gance in the public printing; and you, with
a great flourish of patriotic trumpets-the
echoes of which much tickle the prowling
''rebel skunks" whom you once so well de-
scribed under oath-ask Governor Kellogg
to do what my vetoed bill did; and this he
attempts to d. in the very face of the EN-
phatic provisions OF the printing law now
in force.
This is consistency, and honest and fair
retrenchment and reform with vengeance.
But it is said this right to arnul printing
contracts is reserved in the contracts them
selves. reply that right not in a law
can not be reserved in contract or agree
ment under that law. You may have your
pound Of flesh, but you must draw 10 drop
of Christian blood in obtaining it.
The printing law makes the contracts
under it binding for certain specified
length of time, and if law is law, then
there is an end to the clubbing.
But on this point l care but little. l am
as anxious as you are, or as Governor kel-
logg is, or as any other man can be, TO re-
deem this State from its financial thraldom
and oppression; but in doing so do not
wish to crush out and totally ruin and de-
stroy any individual, in violation of all JUS
tice and reason. Individuals compose the
State, and If you crush out individual
rights, and destroy individual happiness, |
you to that extent crush out and destroy |
the rights, happiness and prosperity of the |
State. And it was with this feeling and !
view that very readily, among my very |
first acts as a Senator, and at your own |
urgent personal request, voted TO place in |
your honest and destitute pocket the fee of |
TWO dollars in each delinquent tax case
in the aggregate to thousands
md tens OF thousands per annum-a sum
which was at that time being paid into the
public treasury. l was and have always
)een disposed to act literally with you, and
lefend you against the assaults and black
,uardism of the ''rebel skunks' who are
low kissing and bounding you on, in your
crusade against your party and
-our best friends.
No, Mr.. Clinton, you are very much mis-
AIKEN if you think | have used my place or