National Republican., 1876-03-07
AFRw THIEGs RRMEMBRRKD.

Our correspondent can Old Soldier"
propounds in his letter in yesterdays issue
the following question: "Where were the
honorable men selected by the honora-
BILE House Of Representatives to conduct
the prosecution of the Belknap case dur.
ing the years of 1S6S-'642"
Our correspondent refers to the managers
that were announced as having been select.
ed to prosecute the case, comprising the
names of Blackburn, Knott Tucker and
Robbins We understand that Mr.. Black
burn is to serve, but as to the rest we are
not prepared to speak. The name Of
Blackburn will therefore be the subject Of
this reply. He was born in Woolford
county, KY, October 1, 1888, studied law,
was admitted to the bar in 1858 and prac-
ticed until 1861, at which time he entered
the Confederate service and served through
out the war. Looking at the time he was
born and the time he was admitted to the
bar, and comparing it to certain require
ment in the statutes of Kentucky, we dis
cover a notable feature in the existence of
this Democratic statesman. The Revised
Statutes of Kentucky approved by the Gen
eral Assembly 1878, page 131, provides
that mo person shall be licensed to prac
tice as an attorney who shall not be at
the time twenty-one years old" The
statutes also provide that "no person guilty
"of treason or felony shall be permitted to
practice in any court as an attorney-at-
"law," and it is further required of
candidates for admission to the bar that
they shall swear to support the Constitu-
ton Of the United States. This is rather a
peculiar condition of things for the honor
able Representative. Ifthe dates be cor
rect, Mr.. Blackburn violated the law of
his Commonwealth in accepting the license.
If the dates be wrong and his record right,
then he violated his oath. But if both
record and dates be correct, then both the
law and oath are violated. Will the hon
orable member from Kentucky arise and
explain the mystery which doth 50 thickly
hedge this epoch in his history. Certainly
something is in sore need of amendment,
but whether it be dates, record or Mr..
Blackburn it is very difficult 10 say. This
is but one of the distinguished features in
the honorable members existence. There
is smother, of which he is more proud
another of which he delights to boast. He
wss guerrilla, bona fde bushwhacker.
and his friends say he was very Industrious
in the business The Congregational
Record says he was in the Confederate
army, but, of course, it did not have room
to go into details respecting his notorious
career as partisan ranger, and it is better
for the honorable member that such is the
case.
We would gladly overlook another prom
inent thing respecting the character of the
gentleman from Kentucky, but it would
leave just the gap open in this narrative
which ought in justice to be filled. He is
a brother of the DR.. Blackburn who at
tempted to, and in a measure succeeded, in
introducing into the Northern cities and
among our brave men in the field the con-
tagious and terribly fatal yellow fever.
Loyal men of the North well remember
the execrations which poured in upon the
name of Blackburn then. They cannot
forget that awful crime which aroused the
spirit of the North in righteous indigna-
ton. Nothing in history can be compared
to the enormity of it except the inexecrable
assassination of the martyred Lincoln.
This was its twin brother in abou!inable
wickedness, and had it not been for the
prompt action of the authorities and the
close surveillance ofall imported articlesthe
infectious contagion would have filed the
North with loathsome disease and death.
A guerrilla and contagion -spreader in one
family Oh but it is too awful to con-
template. Drop the curtain.