The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-18
Judge Dibble on the New Orleans Custom
HOuSn.

Judge Henry C. Dibble is Republican O
very good standings Southern Republicans
60. He is carpet-bagger from Indiana, who
has had the honor of being specially defended
on the floor of the Senate by 0. P. Morton.
He went TO New Orleans in 1868, during the
Butler and Banks carnival, and avowed him
self Radical-pl,ts AJabe quen arabic. He
showed himself an undoubted Republican,
moreover, by his scorn Of principle and his
devotion to the main chance. He confessed,
with charming frankness, before a committee
of Congress. that Il went into politics with
the deliberate purpose Of getting foothold,
and have remained in politics from that day
to this for the purpose OF sustaining that foot
| hold am now very much in love with It.
and l may remain in it. He said, moreover
II believe it is better for the State to have
financial ruin than for Democratic Governor
to be elected
No wonder this ardent Republican with the
easy conscience and the firm foothold should
love politics, for politics has been very kind
to him. Under Warmotn he was elected
Judge OF a District Court, and held three
offices besides In November, 1872. he ran
again for Judge, and was beaten by Elmore
by 5000 majority. But he was not vet at the
end OF his tether. He deserted Warmoth,
joined the Custom-House party, and, as he
was to hold over until his successor had
qualified, became the chief of those State
judges to whom Grant paid such Difference in
giving his reasons tor creating the Kellogg
de fdctO usurpation. He granted an injunc-
ton to the Warmoth Returning Board re-
the Lynch Returning Board from
acting and to the Lynch board restraining
the Warmoth board and, having thus locked
up both concerns proceeded calmly to enjoy |
his bench and his salary
For f1,o
party, Judge Dibble was rewarded in various
ways. Among others he received the Repub-
lican nomination for Congress from the Second
Louisiana District, and was beaten. At the
time of Kelloggs up-and-down setting by
Penn, Dibble was one of the first of the high
parties to retreat in good order
md take refuge in the Custom-House From
! window of that fortress he had the rare and
Unexpected pleasure not often granted even
% politicians whom the gods most favor-of
hooting newspaper correspondent (un-
any person in the world can safely testify
o the salubrious condition of the New Or
cans Custom-House that person is Judge
)ibhle.
As it happens, Judge Dibble has testified =,
4 Agard to Casey's perquisites, and the tes- :
mony is upon record in full. It may be :
'und in Miscellaneous Document No. 211 of )
lie House Of Representatives, XLIId Con- !
ress, Second Session, PIP. 273-274, OF which
he following are the salient points: =
Question. you know what amount Of !,
atronage the Custom-Ho officers have
ow many persons they employ. and what !,
mount of money passes through their hands :
perquisites and salary? Answer. RI do not g
now; it is very large. They have what is .
nown as the Post roll, which is capable of :,
eing stretched without any limit. -
he Post roll is supposed to be roll under +
hich the repairs on the Custom House build a
e are made. 1t was organized under Mr. T.
ellogg's administration under a man by the ..
lme of Post, who had charge OF these re- %
'irs; and they always find cause to repair :;
9 Custom-House whenever they desire to -
crease the number Of men on the roll -
Judge Dibble further charges that funds -
re raised by assessing the salaries of Gus h1
m-House officers to influence State legisla- -
N and carry elections in Louisiana Il,
Here, then, is a Custom-House where, on ~
;asion, an unlimited number of men can -
taken into Government gay, and their sal III
es assessed for purposes of corruption. ~
5 est ab hoste doceri. Will the present Con- f.,
SIS investigate he New Orleans Custom :"
use, or must we wait for the XLIVth Con-
IS to undertake i'm Y. World, 18th inst. m,