The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-07-16

( gnt while claim for Mr.. Wiltz no
exemption from error, / do claim that,
young though he be, his politlcai ana
official record is as invulnerable as that
Of any public man In the State.
Since the campaign OF 1872, III
which Mr.. Wiltz was elected Mayor
of New Orleans. until TINS US
sault upon him by Citizen, = he hos be y
the target of attack in all sections OF
the State. His action i'm organizing the
city administration has been. In some
cases. misunderstood. in others misTep-
resented, while he has been charged, III
some quarters, with being little, II any,
better than traitor. Under obloquy
and denundation, he has remained stu,
diously silent; he has uttered no word
! OF explanation, no word OF reproach IN
return. Has this silence resulted from
n sense OF guilt, or from noble ana
generous spirit Of forbearauce? The
facts will prove that Mr.. Wilt has been
actuated by the latter motive.
Every era of revolution and excite
mept has it's secret history, and 1t IS OF
ten difficult to understand the actions ot
prominent participants in them without
understanding fully and clearly all the
facts Of that secret history. / believe
that much Of the secret history. not Oh
the canvass of 1879. but OF the plans 10
secure the control Of the government.
had best remain untold not because
they would reflect dishonor or even dls-
credit upon any Of our leaders, but
because they would expose many errors
of Judgment and many mistakes IN
action. Mr.. Wiltz had nothing
to gain and very much 10
lose by permitting these facts to remain
in obscurity; but he has done SO, SUD
mittinq patiently to misrepresentation
for what he believed to be the interest
of the Democratic party and the
e welfare Of Louisiana. Now, now
ever. that Mr.. Wiltz's silence has
been interpreted. in effect, MS
7 an admission of the truth of the charges
I against him: now that his generosity
has been ignored. and his forbearanGe
: made the groundwork for an assaul,
upon him. which must ruin him, no'
s only as u public man, but us q citizen
and a gentleman, unless he squarely
! meets and refutes it, his friends, al
i least. cannot longer remain silent. and
o I shall show before the conclusion o
,, this letter, that in all the transactions
. of 1872 Mr.. Wilt acied upon NE Hgltes
plaue Of patriotism that he consulted
, Mt every step the great cause In whict
/ he was % leader, and that no acteo
throughout rs an honorable, patrlotl'
:. and sagacious man.
g seeking the POSITION.
:, /" The first charge made against Mr.
y Wilt is, that he IS seeking the nomlna
Q ton for Governor; and upon thl'
= ground. IL is assumed that he has mad'
3 combinations and promises for the pur
o pose OF obtaining support. winch VII
9 necessarily embarrasS him with 1in
~ proper obligations, if he should be nom
o mated and elected If Mr.. Witt il
n unfit for the nomination Tor Gov
. crnor because lie has sought J.
y then is every man now prominently.
y before the people for that honor equal.
g unfit There is not one of them wh'
= has not solicited, in one way or tn
q other. support for the nomination.
/. do not consider this reflection upol
Z the rivals of Mr. Wiltz. 1t ha
y y rarely been the case, in the .po
!, lifical history of the Republic, tina
h n man has been nominated for hlgI
fs office that he did not seek it. Nearl
" all the quarrels of our greatest states
men, in the past, originated in thei
p personal aspirations Tor nominations
n Only few days ago Mr.. Iilden, tn
~ great reform Governor OF New Iorb
.. sought. by all the means that his grea
d. and sagacious intellect could devise, tn
nomination of the st. Louis Conventio
and obtained it. If Mr.. Wiltz is to b
ruled out Of the list Of worthy aspirant
because he has presumed to Indulge
h. high but laudable ambition, then mus
}, every other candidate be ruled out, an
"a we must confess, in the face Of the enem.
~ that the Democratic candidate for til
~ Presidency, the Great Reform Governo
~ ~ the man who has aroused the uubouuf
~ ed enthusiasm OF the country, an
a, gathered about him the hlghei
80 hopes Of the American people,
=, - an unworthy candidate-a man vi
- fit to bear our banner or TO be OF
81 President. There is no direct chars
II that Mr.. Wiltz has made improp'
+ promises, or that he is party to an
,na corrupt combinati cns. But IL Is ASSUME
ie that he could not seek q nominate
,ia without being guilty of these thing
,r Upon the same ground almost evel
= man who has ever received % nomln
II ton, can be similarly charged with gull
= The inference is illogical, in fact, sill
at and unworthy the intelligence ard fai
be ness Of Citizen" But while "CitizeI
hmo m only infers that Mr.. Wlltz has MAJ
~ promises and combinations, Mr.. Wilt
.ct personal and political friends unequi
nd ocally declare. that he has done
,st such thing They demand proof OF ii
'ot charge; they demand specifications al
~ evidence, and they affirm without fe
a Of refutaton that, the Hon. Louis
ho Wiltz goes before the Baton Rouge Go
Ir vention unimbarrassed by any lmpro
,s' or combinations, and that if nominat
~ and elected, he will have no promis
on whatever to fulfill. His friends bold
ii. challenge refutation Of this broa
no clear and emphatic affirmation.
rs Record as Mayor.
,u "Citizen" next arraigns Mr.. Witt
OF his record as Mayor. To meet t
Ia charges made and insinuated would
va auire full history of his administ
he tion, and statement at length OF t
ar facts which the accuSer OVerlOOkS
not ignores. Two-thirds of the voters
lck this city elected him for the seco
de- time as Mayor, expecting him to be
ion impartial, law-abiding chief magistrt
! is of the people, and not of party:
On was exDpcted to be the agent OF