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

| COITOR hEPCBLICAE:
1t may be my duty to respond to your re
buke of the members of the Legislature fo
not having called on the Congressiona
transportation Committee, now just leaving
New Orleans, to confer with that committee
on the subject of the commercial interests
OF the city and the State, though really
do not feel that your structures could Justly
apply to myself. but suppose they were in
tended more directly tor the members from
the parish of Orleans and Lower Louisiana
But am perfectly willing, as a member OF
the Legislature, to meet tho issue squarely
and assume all due responsibility.
| can easily give the reasons why I have
not called on that committee. They are
few and plain, and l trust justifable. do
not believe there is or can be any practical
utility in any such travelling committees,
nor do l believe that such congressional
practice is legitimate, or in accordance with
proper State dignity-while we pretend to
have State lines and due respect to local
representatives in Congress. l have never
known OF any general good, of any sort, re-
sulting from any such inspecting COM
mittees: but only little self gloritcation,
much funny and ludicrous toadying, and a
great deal of worse than useless and totally
unnecess airy expense.
This Is my notion and my experience of
travelling congressional committees of all
sorts and of whatsoever purpose. Several
have been in New Orleans during my pres
ence here, from time to time. in the past,
and l have never gone before one, unless
peremptOrily called, and never will. have
read the ''big books" afterward made UP of
their Investigations" and have only re-
joiced that the '.poor printer" may have
made a good thing of it in the publication
being practical printer myself. and
always glad to see the ''cratt' prosper.
even il it ia in work performed only to fat
ter their interiors, the common statesmen
of the day
But do not understand me as being
opposed to the object or enterprise which
this Committee on Transportation came
here to investigate, or as blaming or rebuk-
ing that committee for coming. think the
enter prise laudable and doubtless q prac-
ticable one. But are not our local members !
in Congress sufficient for the occasion l |
mean the Louisiana members. Could they |
not present before Congress all the neces-
sary testimony and data in a proper shape |
without any extra expense to the country |
l think so. And thus might the national |
government, by few savings" of this
character, be enabled" to hand over to the
poor, poverty stricken and weather beaten
Southern members of the Fortieth Congress-
not their "back pay but the meanly with
held balance OF the regular salary due them.
according to every former precedent of la W
and practice. These members went up to
Washington in 1868, through tribulation
and blood, to reconstruct the rebellious
south, and they were treated in many re-
'pects as aliens and strangers by those who
WED them everything. For myself, l
should like to see the government for which
have suffered so much do something
more than send committees down South to
investigate matters. l would prefer to
zee it act little more consistently, and be
! little more just to its friends, before dis
playing quite so much high flown and boot
ess generosity to its enemies. The way |
riew it, the national govern ment is becom-
ng too powerful or too proud-or both-to
10 its own true and loyal citizens the sim
'lest justice or to avenge their blood when
and slain like brute beasts at
ome and abroad-look at Cuba. and look
throughout the unprotected borders of
louisiana but must display all her magni.
cent strength and grandeur in paying
court to tyrants abroad and to humbugs
nd humbuggery al home.
No, have not gone before the Congress
ional Transportation Committee sent here
0 investigate matter already we'll enough
nderstood, and which our own Congress
zen can well enough attend to and properly
resent to that august body.
w. JASPER BLACKBURN.
tate Senator, and exMember of the For s
tieth Congress.
City Hotel, December 81. 1873.