New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-04
Senator Anderson.

Senator Anderson.
During the past few months there has
been no public man SO vilely and unwar-
rantably abused as Senator T. c. Anderson.
His public career has been attacked by mis-
representation and unfounded vituperation,
his private character vlllifed by malicious
falsehOod; every act misconstrued, every
unworthy motive conceivable ascribed to
him, and the whole man presented to the
public in so false light that every manly
virtue seemed, through the jaundiced rays
cast on it, most sbominsble vice.
An eloquent lecturer, comparing Napo-
leon and his victim, TOussaint L'Ouver-
ture, said in substance that if he wished to
penetrate the life of hero he would seek
among the narratives of his friends; for
Napoleon the material is voluminous, for
Toussaint only the faint glimpses of truth
hidden under the partisan accounts of his
enemies.
Apparently to learn Senator Anderson's
character, life and record the seeker for
truth would have only Democratic partisan
journals to search, and he would, did his
patience last, have to bore deeper than the
deepest artesian well. But there has been
time when such organs did Senator An.
derson partial justice, and in 1879 the Ope
lousas Journal, the leading Democratic
newspaper of St. Landry, contained the
following:
Senator AndersOn's election is curious
anamoly in politics, and shows the great
personal popularity and wonderful strength
of the man. The Liberals supported him,
but he was, strictly speaking, an indepen-
dent candidate, running on no platform but
that of I. G. Anderson. All the machinery
of both the Democratic and Republican or
ganizations In this parish, and in all the
other parishes of the district, was against
him. Each of these parishes had their can
didate in the field. Mr.. A. F. Riard, Of the
parish of Lafayette, was the regular
Republican nominee, and Joseph M. Moore,
Esq considered one of the ablest lawyers
of the OpelOusas bar, was the regular Dem
oeratio nominee. Knowing that Senator
Anderson had great strength with the col
Ored voters of this parish, il was the policy
of the B0uTbOns that Riard should be
candidate to draw off the colored vote; and
we have heard it said that they prevailed
on him to run and remain in the field, the
BOurbOns of this parish assuring him that
they preferred his election to that of Ander-
son, and that the chances were in his favor,
as the white vote would be divided between
Anderson and the Democratic nominee,
whom they would run to help elect Riard.
And the BOurbOns of Riard's own parish
promised him, we understand, direct sup
port.
With the colored vote thus satisfactorily
disposed of, the BOurbOns went to work
cOntriving plans for depriving Anderson of
the bulk of the white vote in favor of their
own nominee. To accomplish this his poll
tical record was falsified, perverted and dis
torted, publicly and privately, by the tongue
and IN PRINT in newspapers and circulars,
which were sent in a food over all the par
ishes of the district. Great reliance was
| placed, also, on the Democratic sentiment
| of the district, Lafayette was under con-
troll of the Bourbons, Calcasieu had al
ways been intensely Democratic, and
this parish was considered ditto. The
BourbOns expected 500 or 600 majority
| in Lafayette, 400 or 500 in Caleasieu,
and majority, at least, in this parish. Be-
| tween a colOred Republican nominee on
/ one side, and Democratic nominee on the
/ other, Anderson was to fall through and
get nothing. A Bourbon catalogue of his
rascalities had been conoocted and indus
triously taught to the people, who were
called upon to rally under the Democratic
banner, or the country would be lost. TIT
is lost and won at every election. The cry
was, Anything to beat Anderson All
the anti-AndersOn tickets were headed
"Low Taxes" People who pay no taxes
can well afford to vote for ''low tax, or who
did pay taxes, scratch out the 'lOw," and
put mo" in its place. The people
understood perfectly well that it was sim
ply trick-an appeal to prejudiee-for the
/ purpose Of beating Anderson. To the
BourbOns Everything seemed lovely and
the goose hung high" when election day
arrived. But mountain waves of political
trouble have, since rolled over their souls
| The parish of st. Landry, his own home,
has reelected Senator Anderson. He beat
both of his regular nominee opponents
| combined, in this parish. about go votes,
| and he beat the Democratic nominee here
over 900 votes. Even if he had been de-
feated by the vote in other places, the
993, which he received at Opelousas and
| Washington, the two chief towns of the
| parish, in which places he has resided for
| twenty-five years, where he is best known
and understood, and where the motives of
those attacking his political record are also
well known and understOod-such q vote
as this, out of about 1900 ballots pOlled at
these places, with both parties and their
nominees against him, is compliment that
any man might be proud of, and is full
Endorsement of his senatorial career dur
ing the past four years.