New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-16
MIR. Cardoza's Statement.
NEW ORLEANS, December Is, 1874.

2 MIR. CardOza's Statement.
NEW ORLEANS, December Is, 1874.
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
noticed in your Sunday mornings issue,
an apology of the White League Of Vicks-
burg for the dreadful massacre perpetrated
by them in said city last week; and, in
their apology my name is made to figure
rather conspicuonsly, and not in Q very
favorable light. Were it left altogether to
me, would allow their assertions to pass
unnotioed, as these Leaguers are so accus-
toned to villifying and slandering promi
nent colored officials, and Republicans, gen.
orally, that the public have begun to look
upon their statements in the light of what
the Scripture calls, lies. Allow me, first, to
state briefly the positions occupied by the
persons whose names are attached to the
apology, and who are designated rs Re-
publcans and ex- United States officers:
G. Gordon Adam, who was designated as
ex-United States district attorney, was re-
moved from the said office through the
fundamentally of General Ames, when
he was military Governor of our State; and
consequently became Governor Ames'
bitter enemy. He ID now practitioner in
Vicksburg, and depends mainly upon the
citizens for his support; you may, there
fore, understand his position. Frederick
Speed is his law partner, and, OF course,
cO-operatee with him. Charles E. Furlong
was sheriff of Warren county, and after
making q fortune out of the office was
elected to the State Senate by the Repub-
licans; but Immediately after be was elect
ed he announced himself the most blatant
Democrat IN the State, end has since affili-
ated with that party. John D. Braid is
clerk in claim agents office in Vicksburg,
but has always, to my knowledge, affiliated
with the Democrats. John ID. Dinney has
also al xays affiliated with the Democrats.
The other persons whose names are at
tached to the apology are outspoken Dem
ocrats, and are native and to the manor
born"
The apology states that the investi.
CATION OF Dorsey's case disclosed
my guilt. This is absolutely false.
When Dorsey was arrested he waived an
exau1fpation, and was bound over to the
Circuit Court. / was absent at the time,
attending the meeting of the National
Educational Association at Detroit. During
my absence the Democratic papers in
Eicksburg commenced TRADE OF slander,
abuse anu falsehoods concerning me, stat
ing that had fed to Canada. but could be
obtained under the reciprocity treaty. I
knew nothing of what was being tranacted
until I reached St. Louis, on my way home,
when 1 saw an editorial squib in the St.
Louis Dispatch rejecting upon me. i'm
mediately called. upon the editor for his
authority, when he told me that similar
statements had been going the rounds of
the press. He, however, retracted the next
day. l started Immediately for home, and
upon my arrival found the city full of
Democratic rumOrs. Threats and assertions
were abundant, made, suppose, to alarm
from the State, but declined to
leave. About two weeks after my
arrival in Jackson an affidavit was
made for my arrest by hireling Of the
League. l went to Vicksburg, and de-
manded An immediate and searching in
vestigation, but to my surprise the State
was not ready. My counsel stated that it
is presumed that when an affidavit is made
in behalf of the State to arrest person,
that the evidence is at hand, and If any in
diligence is asked for it should be by the
defendant. Upon agreement, however, the
matter was postponed until the next day.
went to the depot to return to jackson,
but was again arrested, and in this the
State was not ready. ! gave another
enormous bond of 5000. The next day.
when my counsel and 1 appeared, the State
was not ready yet, but asked the justice to
postpone the investigation from day to day,
until they were ready, but to require me to
appear each day. My counsel told the JUS
IlCO u0 WOulO uOG DUELilAC " S0CA a ACAdys
and if q day was not fixed he
would move the court to quash
the affidavit. The day was then fixed
and the trial was had. The charge was
fOrgery-fOr issuing certificate to wit.
ness in Q criminal case for the enormous sum
of about $12 when was clerk of the court.
It appeared the Leaguers selected par
ticular case in which man by the same
name to whom the certificate was issued
had died q few months previous, and ii 1
could not produce the witness, the burden
OF proof OF innocence would fall upon me.
But the identical man was found, much to
their disappointment. The Indictment
showed he was a witness, the subpoena
showed he was summoned, and the sheritf's
return showed he was brought into court.
The person also testified that he was wit
ness in the case, proved his attendance in
open court, obtained his certificate from me,
and got his money for it. But in spite of
this convincing testimony, one of the law
yers for the State(there were three OF them
all volunteer Leaguers) remarked in his
speech that if the justice did not bind me
over to the grand inquest of my country
he would leave the bench dishOnOred by
the white citizens Of the county. Aud true
to the said instructions the Justice did bind
me over under bond in the sum Of $4,000
for the sum of about $l2. During the in
vestigation my lawyers were abused and
threatened because they took my case, and
it was reported that duel between the op.
posing counsel was imminent. Subsequent
iy was subjected to arrests at about five
different times on different days, but in
rapid succession, and had to go from jack
son to Vicksburg each time. AT one time
they requested the constable to bring me
over on the freight train which arrived in
the night, when all lhe offices were closed,
hoping thereby to incarcerate me, if for
one night only; but my bond was ready. and
the enormous sum required was immediate
" given. Seeing that could get NO justice
mediate control of the league, declined to
be further examined before him. This was
done at the request Of my counsel. The
persecution was kept up SO persistently
that some of the more decent Democrats
cried shame!
The total amount of the bond required of
me was $22,5OO, and these for the paltry |
sums stated above. No murderer even has |
ever been required to give such enormous |
bond. But 1 could have given &lOO, 900
were it required. No favors were asked Of |
these demons by me, but all their require |
ments were met. When this case was sent
sides before them, was completely exon
Grated. But the cases in which declined |
to be examined only prima facie evidence
was given, which made me regret that / |
did not, after all, submit to an investigs. |
ton, which would have enabled me to pro- |
duce my evidence, though without expect |
ing justice. The grand jury, however, acted
upon the evidence before them. But when
all that transpired in the grand jury room
is made known the public will probably be
astounded. (The grand jury of last spring
vas forced to indict certain prominent Re-
publicans, but when they found true bills |
against certain Democrats they were forced |