The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-06

An EXPLANATION, NOT A DEFENSE

On the 18th of June the following Associated
Press dispatch, from Washington, was pub
lished throughout the Union:
In the mosaic of Whartona display of his
suitableness for the Ntarshalahip, the Republic
can finds that the following gentlemen explicit
~ recommend Col. Wharton's appointment as
United States Marshal, viz: ES-Gov y. b. Pack
ard, Judge Alexander Walker. Hon. II. G. War
moth Hon. l.. A. Sheldon, ex-Gov, p kel-
logg, ex-Gov. n. b. Penn, w. H. Roberts. Of the
Times: w. II, Fish, editor Of tho Republican:
H. j. Hearsey editor of the DEMOCRAT. George
Nicholson. editor of the Picayune; Isaac N.
Stoutemyer. editor Of the New Orleans Times ;
NJ f. Bigney, editor Of the New Orleans Advef-
tiscr: A. ID. Battle, editor of the Shreveport
Times J. Hassingor, editorof tho New Orleans
German Gazette; Hon. T. B. s. Pinchback j. G.
Dents, Administration Of Finance. Charles Cav
anac Administrator of Commerce; Gen. ]. D.
Hood; L. II. wheelock. President of the New
Orleans Pacific Railway, and others,
The Natchitoches lThdicosor has deemed it
proper to make the fact that the name Of the
editor OF the DEMOCRAT is included in the above
the text Of bitter attack upon him. The ed
itor OF the DEMOCRAT has also received num-
Der of letters expressing astonishm and
regret at seeing his name associated with those
OF Packard, Warmoth and Kellogg; besides
this. several papers outside of the State have
had some quite uncivil things to say on the sub.
lect Under the circumstances we deem II
proper TO correct the error in the foregoing tel
agram and to explain just what the editor Of
this paper did in the matter.
In the first place. he never explicitly recon-
mendcd COL Wharton's appointment rs United
States Marshall" and in the second place he
never signed recommendation of any char
acter for Col. Wharton in company with Pack
ard. Warmoth, Kellogg or any one else.
When the appointment of Marshal was mar
rowcd down to a choice between J. II. q, Pitkin
and Col Jack Wharton, and every man in the
State understood that no Democrat would be
appointed to that or any other Federal office,
the editor of the DEMOCRAT addressed a letter
TO the President expressing n very decided
preference for Wharton over Ptkin. or any
other Radical in the State in that letter he also
expressed the opinion that Col. Whartons ap-
pointment would give more general satisfac-
ton than that of almost any other member of
his party in Louisiana, The editor of the DEM
oCRAT wrote this letter at the solicitation of Col
Wharton, but he does not hesitate to say that
III he had been vain enough to believe that his
views in the matter would in the least influence
the action of the President, he would have writ
ten the letter of his own accord in the interest
of the public service and the public good And
for these reasons: Pitkin is a narrow, vrulent
and fanatical agitator; he belongs to the Jim
Blaine bloody shirt class of Radicals and had
he been appointed. would have used his Office
to keep up the bad blood between whites aud
blacks in the State; to manipulate con-
ventions and 10 thwart the beneficent
influences of the Presidents Southern policy
In short, had Pitkin retained the Marshals
A.. ~ n -. II u
all the worst. most bitter and relentless enemies
OF Louisiana and the South would have had. In
an Influential station in our midst, tireless
and INSCRIPTIONS agent, who would have used
his power and influence to reorganze the Rad-
cal party on the color inc and the hloody-shirt
basis. The editor Of the DEMOCRAT believed that
We had had enough of this sort of agitation in
the State, and that the general good would
be served by getting rid Of al such poll
acians as Mr.. PitSin. Wharton. upon the other
hand, is very different man. and the editor of
the DEMOCRAT believed that he would do all in
his power to carry out and make the Southern
policy success: and he has had no reason vet
to change his opinion.
These are. in brief, the motives which
prompted the editor of the DEMOCRAT To write
n letter recommending Col Wharton in prefer
cnce to Pitkin. He is entirely satisfied with
what he did: he never regretted the publicity
given to his recommendation and he does not
hesitate to say that he would pursue again
precisely the same course under similar cir
cumstances.
4 The editor of the DEMOCRAT makes this state
ment. not Is defense Of what he did. but sim
ply to explain what he did. He does not him.
self regard the matter as of any public interest,
and he would not have imposed the subject
upon the readers of the DEMOCRAT had not
gentlemen in different portions of the State
and a number of newspapers deemed his action
Of sufficient consequence to make 1t the sub !
iect of private remonstrance and public denun- |!
citation. /