New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-19
4 LETTER FROM SENATOR BLACK.
BURN
Colonel NcEnery's speeches In North
Louisiana.

HOMER. La. September II. 1874.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
When ! saw Colonel John McEnery's note
n your columns "for tho Northern mar
ket," denying that he had said anything
out of the way in his recent speeches
.hroug ghout this portion Of the State, fe':
it my duty at once to .eply to it. but as !
had addressed the gentleman letter ASK
ing him to state in writing wha lie really
did cay of me in his speech at Ho!ner-l
being absen: ut the :ime-i considered It
proper to wait until he should have full and
ample time to respond. That time has now
long since passed and no response having
been received. naturally conclude that he
does not intend to reply at all. but desires
his published note in your columns to stand
as general denial: This being the case. l
have something TO say. both for home and
foreign consumption.
l charge, then. upon Colonel John
McEnery, and can prove by gentlemen OF
his own party, that he did make harsh
and vindictive personal speech. both at
Homer and at Minden. on his recent harang-
ing tour through North Louisiana-declar.
ing that certain leading white Radicals
were not only thieves and scoundrels, but
should and must be gotten rid OF. ''legit'
imately if you can. illegitimately x you
must" Such was his precise language at
Homer, unless he was totally misunder'
stood by the entire community here who
heard him. And he is charged point blank
with having said many things even worse.
In fact. his speech at Homer. as applied to
myself and other white members of the
Republican party. has been alluded to by
some Democrats as having been SO out
rageously, and mean!y. and even foolishly
personal and vindictive, as to have
thoroughly disguised them-so much so
that they have said :hs: ''if such is Democ.
racy they want nothing more to do with it,
I can not say so, particularly as to his
speech at Minden, but have heard that It
was even worse than at Homer. and was
at Minden when his note. as published in
your columns, was received and read there.
and know I am not mistaken IN saying
that I heard Democratic there and then
publicly declare that he had ''gone back"
on his speech as delivered in that town Oh
the occasion alluded 20. They declared
that he did there make violent and per.
sonally vindict;ve speech. advising very
harsh measures toward Republicans, etc.
think there can be NO mistake abou:
this. and :hink !. very clear that Colonel
McEnery may justly be charged as directly
and mainly responsible for most OF the hor'
rid muroers committed in No rth Louisiana
since.
Still, if he is really innocent I am open to
conviction; but, with the home proof a.
hand, from the lips of his own party friends
it will take something more than his pab.
Iished note. above alluded to.
And. in this connection have this 20
say for myself. viz: That any one who
charges anything dishonest to me in politics
or otherwise. or says tina; have ever will.
fully cast vote or advocated a measure
that l did not think best for the public
interest, utters that which is not true. and
which both the public record and nay pri.
vate character brand as false.
And upon this issue am ready at any
time to meet any gentleman on the public
stand. or with the pen or the sword. And
if any so-called ''leader' Of the chivalrous
Democracy thinks that should be put to
death for my political opinions. trust he
will lead the way himself in the bloody
work and not seek to hiss on his whelps. II
l am to die for my devotion to my country
l do not wish those who cowardly plot my
death to skulk into safety and live to profit
by nv assassination. THAT is all
w. JASPER BLACKBURN.