The daily gazette., 1874-12-07
'l From the Nsw Eork World.
Secret History of DurelI's Mid
Mont Order.


Secret History of Durelys MID
Night Order.
The Presidency a public trust, not a
private perqstisite; no third term IN. Y.
Democratic Platform.
President Grant, in message to Con.
gress in regard to the affairs Of Louisi
ana, delivered February 25, 1873, after ft
was well ascertained that the Senate
would not recognize McEnery, said;
am extremely anxious to avoid auy
appearance OF undue interference in
State affairs, and if Congress- differs
respectfully urgeits immediate decision
to that effect;r otherwise II shall feel
obliged, as far as can by the exercise
OF legitimate authority, to put an end to
the unhappy controversy which disturbs
the peace and prostrates the business of
Louisiana by the recognition and SUD-
Port OF that government which il recog
nized and upheld by the courts OF the
State" ,.
The. Presidents partizans have fire.
quently quoted this message as an in
stance OF the perplexity in which the
condition OF Affairs in Louisiana plunged
him, and u proof that not he but Con
gress was responsible for the continu-
% %ance OF that unhappy controversy"
They could not, of course, exonerate the
President from responsibility for Great.
ing the unhappy controversy through
sustaining Durells midnight order: but
they have been loud in their professions
OF faith in General Grants good inten
tions, and their belief that he did not
wish to participate in the Louisiana i'm
broglio. This view of the case is fur
ther sustained by the Presidents reluc-
tance to act in Arkansas, and his refusal
to act in Texas.
The fact is, however, that the Presi-
dent, who hates trouble, is usually loath
to meddle in State politics on general
principles; but he was eager to meddle
in Louisiana affairs because he had a
personal enemity to serve out. The secret
history Of DurelPs midnight order and
OF the Kellogg usurpation turns upon
two hinges-his purpose to bring broth
er-in-.aw Casey to the United States
Senate, and his purpose to be revenged
upon Henry G. Warmoth, formerly Gov
ernor OF Louisiana. The Casey business
is well understood. The proof of the
Warmoth business is plain and palpable,
and we adduce il as curious corrobora-
tion of that which has often been re-
marked, that the President is extraordi-
narily tenacious and inveterate in his
dislikes as we'll as in his likes. We
| scarcely feel inclined to condemn Gener-
al Grant for not liking person of Gov
ernor Warmoth's character, but to pull
down State Government in order to
punish such man is, we submit, carry
| ing spite to an extreme like that Of the
negro girl nurse last week, who tried to
burn, up her employers house and des-
troy his family because an infant child
Of his had spit in her face.
Governor Warmoth is bad authority
| under ordinary circumstances, but he is
neither a prophet nor q son of o. prophet.
| Hence, he could not know in February.
1879, what Grants intentions towards
him in November, 1872, would be, except
from actual information. Yet, on Feb
ruary 5, 1872, Governor Warmoth testi-
fed, before an investigating committee
| OF Congress (whose report was printed
February %, 1922, that Grant meant to
get rid of him at all hazards. Judge
Henry O. Dibble, good authority in
Republican eyes, said at the same time
that the President, in permitting Pack
| ard to use the troops in organizing the
Custom House Convention of August o.,
1871, and Casey to use the revenue cut
| ter Wanderer to prevent quorum of
the Senate from getting together, must
"have known that it was in violation of
republican institutions, and 1 think he
"milst hare been Of the opinion that almost
| "anWhino 1oas justifable in Operthro,cing
Gorernor Warmoth."
Ono Butler, Senator of Louisiana,
swore that s. B. Packard, the United
States Marshal, told him that it was of
no consequence if Warmoth succeeded
in getting himself reelected or not in
November. 1872; "for in that evsnt they
had the guarantee Of President Grant that
"he mould at once declare martial lap and
"gise his political friends all the o6icss."
Packard, of course, denied making any
such statement; but Warmoth believed
it anyhow, and for that reason declined
to run for Governor again in November,
1872, when the Kellogg and McEnery
fight occurred. Packard is further re-
ported as telling Swords, another Sena-
tor, that the President was in entire
sympathy with him, and, if nothing else
could be done, a Congressional commit,
| tee would be appointed which would re-
port in favor of more reconstruction,
and on enabling act to form now State
government. United States Senator,
afterwards (Grant's) Governor w. p.
Kellogg, told Senator jerks in 1871 that
the President was in entire sympathy
with the movement against the Govern
| or, and that "Grant would take War
moth by the collar Of his coat and the
"seat of his breeches and put him out
"of that chair"
1t is noticeable that all these declara.
tions express a hostility to Warmoth
personally. Now it happens that Du.
rell's midnight order is directed against
Warmoth alone. The making of Kel-
long dc .fact0 Governor was of course
the object which the conspirators had
In view, but Antoine's petition, on
which Durell's order was based, aimed
Immediately at Warmoth's overthrow.
1t enjoined him from acting as Go
vernon for few hours, until the Kel.
log Legislature could meet, impeach
Warmoth, and seat Pinchback in his
place. That was the order which Pre-
sident Grant sustained, and sustained
1t regardless of all its other conse-
quences, because it overthrew War
moth. -
Why did President Grant hate H. G.
WarmothP The story is soon told.
On May 22d, 1858, the siege of Vicks-
burg being just formed, General Grant
ordered an assault upon the enemy's
troops along the entire line. The
L x.xo. x,xtxl L. 4.