The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-01
LETTER FROM HON. CmAs. GAYARRE.
LOuIstanians i'm JeHersOn's Time" DO
Not Care for louisiana
Nrw 0pr rA NC Tina 90 1877

LOuisianians i'm Jefferson's Time" DG
Not Care for louisiana
New ORLEANS, June %, 1877.
Mr.. Editor Having seen in the press
OF New Orleans, and In newspapers out
OF the State, some kindly meant but In
correct statements as to the position
applying for the naval Office In this city,
L beg leave to declare In your estimab1e
journal that received no "polite init
nation from any source whatever as to
the Improperly Of that position, In
consequence of the character of my
competitors" If it can be of any in
terest to anybody, here is all that oc-
Cured:
Before my arrival in Washington, my
friend Mr.. Bancroft had asked q special
audience of the President, and had re-
commended me !, to the executive patron
age, purely on literary grounds. When
/ saw the President on the first day of
my arrival, he informed me of that fact
himself, before had seen Mr.. Bancroft.
and I knew that I was supported by
many other distinguished friends. I
thought that 1t was proper for me to
leave my claims in their hands, and
therefore, In a long interview which I
had with the President by appointment,
! made no allusion to my aspirations.
During my stay in. Washington, / was
treated with much courtesy by the Presi-
dent and the members OF his Cabinet.
When I departed, 1 addressed to him
the following communication
WASHINGTON, May Is, 1877
To the President of the United States:
iSa--On the eve of my return to New Or
leans, have the honor to renew my thanks
to your. Excellency for the policy you have
pursued in relation to Louisiana, and to ex-
press my ardent hope that it is to be contin-
have ventured to apply, merely on the ground
of it's being intended, Ii granted, as an en-
enlargement to literature in my person, and
to the pursuit of intellectual distinction in
the position referred to, have felt some alarm
Mt my. presumption, IL such man as Lieut..
Gen Sherman had not written to me, with
kindness never to be forgotten a letter, on
file In the Office Of the Secretary of the Treas
ury, out OF which extract, from memory, the
following PASSAGE:
Il hope that my brother will appreciate
your high character. and | rejoice at
your Willingness to serve the United States in
q sphere SO far below your abilities and ante
cedents." Many other distinguished, but
propably too partial friends, have expressed
the same opinion.
In conclusion, Mr.. President, when taking
respectful leave of your Excellency, 1 think
citizens OF Louisiana, to say that l would not
have applied for the office i'm your Gift if T
had not been under the sincere conviction
that my appointment would not have exposed
your Excellency to blame, but, on the con-
trarg, would have been generally approved
by the Republicans and by the conservative
Democrats OF the State, without distinction
OF party and color That conviction, be it
said, In justification, Ii necessary, of the step
have taken, was strengthened by the
assurances of Representatives Ellis and Glib
som and OF others supposed to be equally
well informed, whose impressions were that,
under the policy you intended to pursue, 1
happened to be precisely one of those men
whom the President would seek to make the
South. 10y
Thanking your. Excellency for the favor
done me In accepting copy Of my " History
pages. which show the singular difficulty
President Jefferson and Gov. Claiborne had
to encounter In the formation of the terrific
rlal and OF the State government. The Louis
ianans almost universally refused to be office
holders. They. had TO be solicited and coaxed |
into being official dependents. Such was their |
original and native dignity OF character | II |
that character has been since Modified. it is
due to circumstances which they have not |
been able to control and to influence which
they could not resist.
Whatever be your decision In relation to |
my aspirations / do not hesitate to give you
the assurances, Mr.. President, that it shall be /
accepted with the utmost Difference
This was followed by another letter
written to Col. W. X. Rogers, the Presi-
dents private secretary, and dated New
Orleans, June IL, 1877:
Dear Sn-Seeing the appointment of Mr..
Lewis to the Naval Office in the newspapers sr
OF to-day, and having had yesterday con-
versation with Hon. John Ellis, one of our
representatives in Congress, who assured me
thlat, from his knowledge, acquired during
10 be pursued by the President, I could not
possibly be appointed to the office desired.
Ind the same impression having been
made on the mind of Hon. Randall Gibson
IN this subject, there remains to me but
ny name from further official consideration.
therefore beg you to send back to me Mr.
Bancroft's letter which left in your hands,
md also q letter from the New Orleans
Used to refrain from being too precpitate,
would have. acted as I do now, be-
ore | left Washington; for, on a visit
which | paid at the Executive Mansion
With Gen. Gibson, | heard the President say
mistaken; my determination is to appoint +.
one but Republicans to office. My appoint
nents may not be the best, but must choose {
m. ig the materials which | have at hand. 1
or instance, | have appointed Judge King |
made more acceptable nomination. He !
;, however, native and a Republican. I
l INC that your people are not . .
leased They say that it is Anderson Il !,
g. they say II is the Returning Board |
shat Oh that? Suppose it is the Returning 6
oaru. We'll ! my friends elsewhere will say +
nat It Is right After all, do not care for /
louisiana; ! care for conciliating more i'm I
of the country, etc / wish =
converse more at length. with you, General, :
NJ these Louisiana DDnnintmputo | l.
de with me ct 4 o'clock to-day, and we will
llk on the subject" When Cen Gibson and
lyself went out / looked at him steadily in
le face without saying one word. He under
,ood me, / suppose, for he said: Il am ex- n
'emely panied at the Presidents language" "
replied, 81 am also much grieved- grieved "
n Louisiana, grieved for myself, and even q
r the President" Mr.. Bancroft, and a
.essrs,, Shelley. Hutcheson and Durant, G.
the law firm Of Durant Il Hornor. are the "
ally persons in Washington to whom men fl
oned this conversation, and they seemed to II
}, all OF them, sadly Impressed by it, After n
liS pcelsrrenpa pppplIr5a5 tbat ,,,,x~a.. |