New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-20

parish, in 1867, under tue reconstruction
measures of Congress.
The Denocracy-tha. is, the iebe! ele-
menI-"swore upon the point o: knife
tina. they would have no candidates. They
would 40: that far recognize the "infamy"
OF the reconstruction i0easUies: and az to
recognizing or submitting to NEGRO suf-
frage." that was ont Of the question:: was
too preposterous and degi adm. for any
white man" to think Of or even 'i.eam
Of
Therefore. IKE 'ciivaisy." By tiat:ery and
false promises. Induced two very clever and
talented colo,ei men-Jeff Stal.io. and
Stokes S.eel--to :un as Independent: Re
publican candidates against Meadow. and
Blackburn.
Blu. now. mark the iup.;city and
.reao:,ecy o: the "oides: and best Of
the ch.va!!v. ec-caI!ed, who possess CT
profess. t. posses. az the Old Wing party
ono. Drctt.sed 10 possess and combine
al! the talent and a.. IA. .iecency o: ,he
!auI. After promising these sample minded,
bu: TOO ambition. colcreG gentlemen. Stall
lion and Steel-rathei Oni;aous lames-that
the: should have The support o: the Democ.
racv. they were thrown OF and lef: cuc in
the cold. They received but about twenty
votes each. the honest and intelligent
'chivairy" bringing GU. white candidates
of their Own a few days before ;he election.
But Meadows and Blackburn we've elected
by abou: 1850 majority.
This campaign was a funny one. combin
ing Nc small degree OF real romance. The
independent colored candidates did not
pretend TO meet the Republican nominees
in debate, but bushwhacked Oh genera;
principles-as the Indian wenr to the war
while Wilbur +. Blackmau and Nelson J.
Scott were hired" by the Democracy 20
stump the parish agains. Meadow and
Black burn.
And it wa. rich anu ya,e canvass.
Blackman was perhaps the best speaker IL
the company, and had the ear OF the white
element ito an - alarming" extent; while
Scott was an old stager, having some sense
and mOre tact, and still more impudeHce.
They went for" Blackburn especially. They
tried to prove that he had favored the Con.
federate side in the war; but the best proof
they could bring forward were some obit.
uary notices he had written of Confederate
soldiers who were slain or had died in the
service. in which notices the poer soldiers
had been accorded honesty OF purpose. and
written to Heaven. This OF course had an
influence the wrong way. and only increas.
ed Blackburn's majority; for whatever may
be the political prejudices Of men. they
will appreciate personal honesty and per.
sonal kindness and sympathy. especially
when bestowed IN behalf Of the dead OF the
afflicted.
Blackman and Scott SOON discovered
their error. acknowledged their little poll
teal Meannees. ana virtually abandoned
the contest many days before The election.
But it is worthy OF remark that United
Statee soldiers had 30 be detailed 90 accom-.
pany the canvassers in thi. contes. 70 save
the Republican nominees from being
mObbed. They were frequently iasu!ted
on the stump. On one occasion. when
Blackburn publicly declared: that lie loved
and revered the American flag and the gov.
ernment, OF the United States. a grea: big
Ped faced and red-headed. pork eating Bap-
fist preacher tumed and foa,ned and roared
and ranted, and ''swore' he fell. like
- smashing his fist" in the poor country
editors face. But the 'pioas soul did not
smash his foul and sinking ''eovn stealers''
in any such way or manner. But the very
idea, coming from a preacher. was Jas:
little romantic. to say the least.
l have heretofore alluded to the persona;
appearance anG traits OF Wilbu. Black.
man. and should perhaps here make
similar alluson to Nelson Scott. as he wa.
one of the distinguished canvassegs in this
race for the Constitutional Convention.
Scott Is = peculiar man-one among ten
thousand il nc: altogether lovely. He has
natural ability of no ordinary character.
and a physique which. for look. and dur.
ability. is not to be surpassed in the present
epoch. In the way OF 4uisicai anecuote he
excels. and can tell 5: tale" III the most
entertaining and interesting style: and al.
though somewhat deficient in education and
polish, is withal a Natural wit and humorist.
Scott will excuse me for saying this, for the
truth Of history demands it. His defects,
however. do not set him back much as A
stump speaker" particularly with vulgar
and unthinking crowds. With MS fine per.
sonal appearance and his glibness of speech
the common crowd cares but little whether
what he says has any particular sense or
grammatical euphony: which 1t generally
has not. particularly the latter.
Scott is a lawyer. bu: not much 70 hurt,
and is at pr sent judge OF Claiborne parish,
and can not better portray his rea! char.
acter and legal acumen ana literary taste
than by relating the manner and STYLE of
one OF his decisions. A very nice lady hal
sued her very worthless husband FOR a d.
vorce. Scott at once granted it. with Che
remark. ''tha: he knew of no law which
compelled decen. lady to live with a
damned drunken dog"
This is told OF him, and beli.se il i. i:.e.
rally true. and have been long in:eaI:n. 10
send it to ''IfarpeI's Drawer
These illusions are made. no: 70 cr:tie;-e
Scott vindictively, but simply il !ena:o of
the truth of history. and to show what con.
stitutes the romance OF politics in the back.
woods. He will himself, am sure. appre.
cate it, for no man living knows bette. how
to take a joke" than himself.
will in my next number give a. account
of the campaign for the ratification o. the
new constitution. relate the assassination 81
W. K. Meadows my colleague in the Const.
tutl0nal Convention and also allude to the
massacre o. coIo:ed men in Bos..e: parish.
COURT RECORD.