New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-05
speaerA :. Model sea,esmanship.


The Picayune publishes the following as an
extract from his speech delivered at Shreve-
port on Saturday, October 81:
How would the bones of Potter end Liv-
ingstOn shudder in their graves could they
be made aware that, after forty years Of
pretended progress in civilization. one OF
the Senatorial seats they formerly enn0bled
and adorned was occupied by J. Rodman
yellow and uneubstantial as nOonshine--of
Percy Bysche Shelley Pinchback9
Why didn't judge Spoflord institute his
comparison twenty Years later, and match
our present Senator with the then incum.
bents, Benjamin and Slidellg We suppose
our Senators are not entirely perfect, but
their record was never stained with such
corruption as attached to LouisiaDa's two
last Democratic Senators, who capped the
climax of an Infamous record by their con-
splracy to rob four hundred families OF
their homesteads under tho name Of tho
Houma land claim.
Of Mr.. Livingston, data is not go readily
at hand; but Mr.. William Fl. Sparks, the
historian Of the New Orleans Times, gives
us an insight into the character of Judge
Spotford's model statesman:
Edward Livingston was 3 citizen at the
time OF the cession, having elnigrated from
New York in 1901, where he HAD already ac-
qnired fame a. n lawyer. lis was the
brother Of the CT LIBERATED Chance llor Llv-
ingetOn, and had. rs an officer Of the general
government in the CITY of New York, de-
faulted in large amount. To avoid the
penalties of the law he came to New Or
leans, then o colony OF a foreign govern
ment, and there commenced the practice vi
his profession. After the cessiOn he was
not disturbed by the government. and
continued actively to pursue his profession.
He was the intimate friend of Daniel
Clark, who was the frat Territorial Repre-
sentative 10 Congress, and il has been sup
posed that, through the instrumentallty of
Clark, the government declined pursuing
The claim against him He first emerged 10
public view in Q contest with Mr.. Jefferson
relative to the batture property in the city
of New Orleans. Livingston had pur-
chased q property above Canal street, and
claimed all the bat,ure between his prop
erty and the river as riparian proprietor.
This was contested by Mr.. Jefferson rs
President Of the Uaited States. He claimed
this as public land belonging to the United
States under the treaty OF purchase. The
question was very ably argued by both par
ties, but the title to this lmmt ely value
able property remained unsettled for many
years after the death of both Jefferson and
Supreme Court of tho United States to be-
long to the citv OF Nav Oilssns.
Sotn after the war Livingston was elect
ed to represt mt the New Osleans or first
congressional district in Congress. Hs
continued for some time to represent this
district, but was finally, about 1929, beaten
by Edward D. White. At the succeeding
session Of the Legislature, however, he
WAS elected a senator to Congress in the
place Of Henry johnson. From the Senate
be was sent as minister to France, and was
afterward Secretary of State during the
administration OF General jackson. IL
was IN HE case that Jackson exercised the
extraordinary power of directing the
Treasurer Of the United States to receipt
to Mr.. Livingston for the sum of his tetal-
cation thirty-tour years before. At the
time this wAs done, Tobias Watkins was
10 prison in Washington for detalcation
Of only o few hundred del ars to the gov
eminent. These two events gave rise TO
the ludicrOus caricature, which caused
much Amusement a. the time, OF General
Jackson's walking with hia arm in Living
stOn's by the jail, when Walk ms, looking
from the windo~, points to Livingston,
saying to the G6nersl: "Yo1 should turn
me out or put hun in"
Immediately upon this receipt being re-
corded, Livingston presented an account
tor mileage and per diem for all time ne had
served in Congress, and received it. SO
long as he was defsulter to the govern
ment he could receive no pay for public
service.
Livingston never had the full confidence
of his party. and perhaps with the excep-
ton of Gene raj jackson, that Of any indi- |
vidual. In moneyed matters he was emi- |
nently unreliable, but all admitted his |
great abilities. In social qualities he was +!
entirely deficient. He had no powers of |
attraction to collect about him trends, or |
to attach even his political partisans
These were proud of his talents. and felt |
honOred in his represeptatio and with the |
rest of the world henored and admired the |
while they despised tie man.
He was illibersl, without generosity. unso- !
,ixl, s0ullees, with every attribute OF |
mind to be admired, without one 91alty of |
he heart to be loved.
Can the bitterest enemies Of Pinchbsck |
md West say anything of them worse than
he above!