The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-06
WHO rs HE i?

The Times, in long article on that
very stale incident Of political history
relating to the circumstances Of the
failure Of Gen. Grant to withdraw the
United States troops from the support
of Packard's usurpation, has the follow
ing allusion to Don Cameron's conduct
in the affair:
"There happened to be an old Louisi-
ana college friend and classmate Of
Cameron's in Washington. 1t was
known that the friendly relations be-
tween the two had been maintained al
though the one was Republican and
Secretary Of War, while the other is one
Of the most sagacious and far-sighted
Of Louisiana politicians"
The Times has grievously taxed pub
lie credulity by failing to give the
slightest hint Of the individual to whom
reference is here made. This Is decided
ly cruel on the part of our neighbor. To
PROFOUND conundrum SO vexatiously
difficult OF solution at this unprece-
dented virulence Of Sirius rabies ought
to be treated as one Of those brutalities
which the society for the prevention of
cruelty to animals was created to arrest
and punish. TO discover and establish
beyond all doubt or cavil who is even
zone OF the most sagacious and far
sighted of Southern politicians" and he,
a citizen of Louisiana, will impose as
severe a task of perquisition, inquisi
ton and experimenting as ever
devolved upon the Laputian philoso-
pliers OF Dean Swift, who devoted all
their lives to similar. il not 80 difficult
problems.
The difficulties besetting the search
for zone Of the most sagacious and far
sighted of Southern politicians" are 80
vexatious and multifarious. First there
is the bewildering multiplicity Of those
from whom to pick this peculiarly emil
nent person-of candidates and as
pirants at least, even in our State,
which has never boosted Of any super
fluffy of this product, there is legion
who will shout a response similar to
that which Phoenix received from the
crowd on the wharf at San Francisco,
as his boat was leaving, and he shouted,
"Good-by, Colonel" There was a loud
and affectionate reply from every mas
culine of the crowd, "Good-by, old
fellow"
There was not chap among them
who did not regard himself as Of this
high regimental rank in some service.
And so in any large assemblage Of the
politicians of the State and city, we be-
lieve that there would be an almost uni
versal showing Of hands to any invita-
ton for the most sagacious and far
sighted statesman Of the South to sig
nifty his presence and declare his esti-
mate of his own qualifications. But
this would only perplex and embarrass
the search for "the one" for whom the
Times puts us on the quest.
"Who is he? ?"
Here Is so darkly referred to the very
man we have so long been in search of,
the man in the iron mask, the mysteri-
ously vanished son of the Dauphin, the
little Charley Ross Of our section and
State. And If we are to be driven to
the awful duty Of distinguishing and
determining, in judicial way, between
so many candidates and aspirants, by
which rule and standard shall we shape
our decisions What are the proofs of
title to this prominence
Exhibit them each and all Of you.
First, show what have been your
achievements in craftsmanship. Have
you nominated and elected your candi
dates? Have you carried into success
full operation any of your programmes
and policies? Have you controlled and
influenced large followings, and led
them to great victories? Though rather