The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-10-16
BILLINGS vs., MACVEAGH.

E. c. Billings, of New Orleans, was one
the sharp practitioners employed by Kellogg
at the expense of the plundered people c
Louisiana, to lobby his usurpation throug
Congress. He made several visits to Wash
ington for that purpose, and to use his ow1
words, Immediately upon arriving had al
interview with Morton and the Attorney Gen
eral to concoct plans for securing recognition
of this scandalous fraud.
He was proflse in his correspondence will
Kellogg, and labored hard to show him ov
faithfully he had earned his fees, even whe1
compelled to lie over on the ronte 10 the CAPT
tai by COMPULSORY detention. In one of hi.
latest letters, dated " Wizards Hotel, Wash
ington, Dec. 3, 1873" he says:
"Dedr GOuernor-I arrived here duly on
Monday morning at 6, having been detained
at Harrisburg for twelve hours; that time
however. improved with Wayne MacVeagh,
my old friend and classmate. I had written
to him, and he has taken, and does take, g
great interest in the Louisiana case, and has
done much to get Cameron, who is his father.
in-law, to take such decided stand for us"
Nothing could be more positive than this
assurance, and the zeal of Billings doubtless
recon- mended him to Kellogg for an addi-
tional retainer. It is clear the letter was
written with that object in view. Unfortu-
nately for the energetic Billings, who was thus
arguing his case all along the route from New
Orleans to Washington, and improving
every opportunity to gain adherents by the
wayside, his gushing correspondence fell
under the eye Of Mr.. Macveagh, who did not
care to be used as stool pigeon in such bus
mess. So he writes letter which speaks for
itself:
II suppose Mr.. Billings COMPOUNDED, per-
haps not unnaturally, my personal interest in
him as friend and classmate at Yale with his
professional interest in the cause Of his clients
in Louisiana; tor everybody who knows any
thing of my views on the latter subject, but
especially Gen. Cameron, with whom had a
standing difference of opinion about it, knows
that was wholly unable, after an examination
Of the facts. to see that Judge Durell's order
had any validity, or that President Grant was
justified in installing and upholding the Kel-
logg Government"
After this fiat contradiction, We submit that
Kellogg might make deduction from Bill
ling's fee, and turn the difference over to the
firm of Cushing, Carpenter, Chandler & Co.,
who, according to his own account, worked
nobly" for the usurper. Mr.. MacVeagh puts
it mildly when he says "Mr. Billings con-
founded perhaps my personal interest in him
as friend and classmate at Yale, with his pro-
fessional interest in the cause of his clients,
in Louisiana" This confusion was by no
means accidental. Billings desired to i'm
press Kellogg with the value Of his services,
and to do so effectively, he told him Wayne
MacVeagh, my old friend and classmate, has
done much to get Cameron, who is his father
n-law, to take such q decided stand for us :"
These conspirators had got so much in the
habit of Justification that, even among them
selves, they made lying part of their daily
7ocation.-N Y. Sun, 12th Inst