New Orleans Republican., 1877-02-17
Especial Correspondence of the Republican,
FROM WASHINGTON,

IL EhELy spleen ana fGfBO1aL hatreu OIL |
OniOnists-His Miserable QuaPters-
Results of Law ms Applied to the Prcsi- |
Dental PrObIem-DemOcratic Denun- |
ciatiOns-The Law DenOunced-Threats |
to Violate IL.
WASHINGTON, February -, 1877.
Down in the crypt Of the Capitol build |
ing here, in the capital of the nation, is IN.
carcerated one who almost laid down his
life that our Union might live. Ex-Gover-
nor Wells, of Louisiana, is the political
prisoner thus alluded to- and he ia charged
with being in contempt of the lower house
of the national legislature by order of a
majority in that House whose lives and 80
oial honor was pledged to the destruction
Of the indissolubility of the United States
His offense is refusal to produce official
papers Of the State of louisiana which
have passed beyond his control. By some
hook or crook some disreputable hanger-on
of the Democratic party has stolen one of
the original papers which Governor Wells
is in contempt of the House for not produc
ing, and is in the hands of that astute Tam.
many lawyer, David Dudley Field, and
while in such hands it bears the ear-marks
of erasures and alterations the inevi-
table touch of Democratic political
managers, the truth of which history
is replete with illustrations. The fact
that these erasures tend to reduce
apparent Democratic votes is only illustra-
tive of the cunning of the Democrats aud
their confederates who came into question
able possession of this original paper. The
prepOnderance of evideI CO is, that out of
the half dozen men who had the original
and lawful possession of it, the alterations
were not made while the paper remained in
the possession of the Louisiana Returning
Board, a part of whose archives it is, when
those who stole it perform an honest act
and restore it. Besides the fact that these
Congressman, like Field, of Tammany noto.
riety, incaroerate Governor Wells in loath-
some cell because he can not turn over more
original papers into Democratic hands,
there is an almost pent up passion nearly
ready to burst forth upon him from hot
headed ex-Confederates in Congress, whose
statesmanship consists and can not go be-
yond determination to "get even" with
| Southern men like Governor Wells who
stood by the side of the Union. They are
the men who hound on Northern Bour-
bons, like Sunset Cox, who have not
sense to see they are being used
as cats paw and get them
to cry out ia the House, ."Wells is well
enough off, his accommodations are too
good for him; put him in the common Jail
and give him bread and water"
The other day took occasion to visit the
quarters of the ex Governor on. a pass Sc
cured from the Sergeant.at Arms. Passing
down the stairways into the dark passages
along by the damp stone walls, the musty
and malarial air free circulation, l reached
the room of the prisoner. The light of day
never enters it. The walls are black with
here and there streaks of green mould,
causing the paper on the walls to fell and
the plaster TO crumble into decay. The gas
was GIFTED, and the flame hokered from
the draft of musty air that swept through
the cell by reason of the door remaining
ajar. A common single bed was in one
corner, upon which lay the loyal old Gov
ernor under the covers. A similar cot was
in the opposite corner, which at night was
occupied by General Al dersOu, Of the Re
turning Board, Governor Wells partner in
exile. As the Governor recognized friend,
was struck by the wOnderOus change in his
manner. Ia the committee rooms, facing
his accusers, he was like tiger at bay. Ia
his cell, as he put OUT his hand TO welcome
friends, there was a cordiality in his man
uer and tender expression that at once
awoke sympathy for this grand old man
IOw seventy years of age, lying there {
prisoner Of STATE at the mercy OF thOet
whose political eumIty has eliminated il
personal hate and party vengeance. Thei
unwarranted acts will gain their party
nothing so far as their political prisoner il
concerned, and am not quite certain bu
what they will rebound against them. AL
ready the protest of the people to the treat
ment of this man has caused them to re
cord their intention to better his condition
The Louisiana committee tMorrison'sl hav
ing in lukewarm order directed bette
quarters, q power in the House highe
than it has seen to it that he shall remain
in the miserable cell, and there he DWELL
to-day.
A Democratic wall of denunciatioI
against that part of the Electoral Commits
sion that carried out the will of the peopl,
of Florida as expressed at the ballot box
by deciding that the State had elected
Rutherford Hayes for President, goes u
here in congressional circles long and deel
and oft repeated. A more disappointed
looking set Of men can scarcely be fOunt
than those who have built up false hope
on Mr.. TIlden's ascending to the presiden
tial chair of state. A few weeks ago the,
cried for law-the majesty of the law-tha
: it should be invoked in the settlement of tn
all-absorbing presidential queetiOn, and lik
truly loyal subjects they expressed will
, ingness to bow to it's mandates. Now, Obe
dienoe to the laws decision in the case o
Florida is not to be tolerated without
: murmur. We have been deceived" erie
the Democratic statesman. "It's the out
rageous assumptions of partisans," echoe
his adhere nts, who are closely allied TO hin
and all along down the ranks of the NOR
plebeian followers is heard the muttering
, and discOntents, ready to eliminate in II
sistance and overthrow of the judgment Q
, this great tribunal should the order
, given.
Yesterday there was not one single voic
I uplifted in the Democratic House to the ii
, | timation that il was the dutv of that hons