The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-26

\ Fatal BIundero

we have been handed the following copy Of
a letter from Senator Jno. B. Gordon, OF
Georgia. 70 Col. Frank G.. Zacharie, in refer
.nce 70 the latters dispatch wherein he. Sen
ator Gordon, was represented as advising the
acceptance OF the Wheeler terms of adjust
ment (facetiously so called.
il viii be seen that by Misrepresentation
on the par. OF Mr.. Zicharie, Gen. Gordon
was placed in precisely the position that he
wished to avoid While we can never cease
to gegret that Mr. Zacharie should have so
far misapprehended what the Senator
from Georgia really did say, or meant
to say, We can never forget that
Gen. Gordon, grill. !. scas yet time. and
although urgently pressed to state hi, position
on the matter By Dr.. Brickell, who in a teleo
gram informed hin. Of the fact that his name
had been used to carry the compromise, re.
manned silent and thereby enabled the com
promisers to carry they yoins in the caucus
BY on ".Jorty.
We can readily understand General Cor.
don's desire to aToi1 advising u people in
such extremity as were the people of Louisi.
ana. lest he might, no. knowing all the cir.
cumstances. counsel them to their ruin but
we cannot understand Lis silence after he
knew that he had been represented to :he
Cousery ttive G 4ucus az q !ysing CON promise
One word from him would have annlnilated
the shameful thin. and hare preserved the
State from this blot which cam ney.s be fully
.xpunged from her escut ;heon.
The fac: that KNOWN, he na,t bees. giaced
ia = false position KNOWN, tia: his en- !orse.
ment OF the measure would carry il, and his
opposition defeat it-he did not re.ly to the
telegram OF DIR. Brckel and promptly deny
having advised il the matter. places Gen.
Gordon in the predicament Of having per.
mitted his name to be used to carry sure
that he now declares he neither advised; nor
intended to be understood as advising.
| We cannot censure gentlemen FOR having
stated that General Gordon advise the
acceptance Of the compromise when he him.
self at the critical momen. declined to state
| that he iai 10. so advised.
| The whole affair was a lamontab,e and fatal
biundor. the fruits Of which the people of
Louisiana Will eat in silence and shame for
| many a year.
The copy Of the original letter which we
subjoin. was forwarded to Doctor Bricheil BY
Senator Gordon from the Senate Chamber
without remark, and evidently with the pur-
pose Of making known to the people his exact
status:
fCopy.1
WASHINGTON, March Il, 1875.
COY. i. c. Iacharie. Hoffman House, N. u:
Dear SRI am panied to learn by yours of
the 10th that there is any misunderstanding |
as to my position in reference to the Wheeler |
Compromise, and especially that it should
cause any unpleasant conflict between YOUR
self and friends in New Orleans. Ny posi-
ton was this : | could not and would not adj
vlse 1 sad i 1t ,rere ce1t0in that there "as
no cbeat IN 1t and that you ,could hare majority
on POINT b0l0t and thus elect Democratic United
Sates Senator, # It roud e,o5e y0u to secure
also certain re'oraatoay legislation aud Jrinq
peace and or}er to the State that it was probably
the best that could be done. But distinctly
added, as you remember. that | could not
undertake to advise-that the people Of Louisi-
ana must decide the mdttar for themselves.
| can readily perceive how, in your anxiety
to see some settlement made which would
save the State from turbulence, You might
have been so impressed as to place my name
among those OF other gentlemen mentioned
III your dispatch Had you stated that while
| would not advise, while was unwilling to say
anything which might influence the action Of
the people, yet if all these good results could
be secured by the compromise, that it might
be best, you would have more nearly repre-
sented me. The word ndrise was too strong
and was precisely what VII b ID to avoid do
ing; yet l was not willing that anything |
might say should be construed into dlsap-
proving any action which the distressed PEG
pie of Louisiana might see fit, under the du-
ress of uncomfortable circumstances to take
or as dissuading therefrom. SO that while YOU
have not placed me as | wished to be placed
before the people of Louisi ma it is plain that
YOU have not Intended to put me in wrong
light.
share in your regret that by the mention
ot my name in your telegram, and the publ
cation of my brief note to DR.. Brickell stating
IS my reasons for declining to answer tele-
grams that ! did not wish to influence the ;
acton Of your people" | am made to occupy
precisely The position was trying to avoid
Let me sum up IN one or two sentences my
position. | was not willing to advise or say
me word which could influence action by
he people of Louisiana: but if they reverse -
Dad legislation, secure peace and thus defeat
be designs OF bai men to produce disorder Z
u the State, ! would approve and support
whatever course ID their extremity they might
+ their own accord deem essential or best
Very respectfully, =
(Signed) J. B. GoRDOS "a