New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-27
MYSTERIOUS RUMORs AND KNOWING
WTNKSu

| Lug tCuystNe accuses the REPUBLICAN
OF undertaking, "rather disingenuously, to
place the Ptcdylne in the attitude of in
dorsing the statement Of the Cincinnati
Commercials Washington correspondent
IN reference to the existence of a whisky
| ring in New Orleans" We intended no
such thing, but rather accused our con-
temporary of INDUCING in mysterious in
nuendoes and pretenses of information on
this head, which Western rivals will gladly
seize upon as proof of their own vague
| and inconclusiye accusations of law break
ing by New Orleans merchants and manu-
| facturers.
Our contemporary even proceeds to re-
affirm:
We did, indeed, declare that rumors of
that character had been mysteriously circu
lated. 1t ID just possible that such reports
have never reached the ears of the REPUg.
LICAS, but well informed people here have
known of them for long time past.
This is repetition of the offense of
which we complained-an ofense that
slurs the good name socially, and materi-
ally damages the business standing of
prominent citizens, on the weak and
generally wicked authority of "mysteri.
GUS rumors." The Cincinnati and st.
Louis journals which make unfounded or
unproven charges against our dealers may
find sufficiently potent, if not very moral
defense in the old adage, that 'all is fair
in war" but without the Picaytne has en-
listed under the banner of these Western
crusaders against New Orleans interests,
it can lay claim to no such excuse for its
course. Has it not its domicile here, its
STAFF of inquisitorial reporters, and must
not the substantiatory proof exist here
together with the distilleries, the stores
and the wrong-doers, if any such exist at
all! 1t is poor encomium upon its own
Wanted pre-eminence in Southern Jour-
nalistic enterprise, that the Picay.t,e
should seek for allegations concerning a
local topic in newspapers printed half q
continent away, even were the facts not SO
vital as to many in this case they must
prove.
In word if the Picayme knows any
fact derogatory to the honesty of New
Orleans distiller or whisky merchant or
revenue officer, by publishing the same it
may win the earnest approval of all good
citizens and that Of the REPUBLICAN.
But until it gives US facts or, as the reve-
nue. laws used to put it, probable cause"
for accusation, We must denounce as in
the highest degree reprehensible publica-
lions whose inevitable tendency is to pre-
JUDGE the minds adversely of the very
people from among whom jurors must be |
drawn, should these now merely ssmyste- |
rious rumors' and 'knowing winks" be
brought to the notice of federal circuit
court.
We believe it is several months more
than year since the New Orleans distil.
leries, without exception, had to succumb |
owing, mainly, to the floods of crooked |
whisky from Peoria and other Western
localities which deluged our market. Yet,
the St. Louis Republican maliciously
prints this falsehood as special dispatch, |
and although the number containing il
has been on the news stalls for days the
REPUBLICAN only has denied its asser-
tons: -..
few nights since the office of one of the
largest dlstilleries in the city was broken
open lat least that is the statement made
oy the proprietary and all of their internal
revenue books carried off with a number of
revenue stamps. No other property was.
however, taken. As yet the government
have taken no action in the matter
'f crooked whisky in this vicinity.
No distillery has been robbed here.
This sensation is based wholly upon the
he burglary Of a rectifying establishment,
copy Of every record of which, officially
terrified, is in the possession of the GOV.
as could have been learned east.
enough by inquiry. Il
Can the Picayune now begin to see the
Inference between its stupid self-sufi.
iency-which ignores proof-and the
REPUBLICANS honest inquiry which de.
hands il?