The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-10

Editor Democrat-I am constrained by d
sense Of duty to my children. and to my
| friends, to make public statement in reply
| to the article published In the DEMOCRAT TO-
| day to which my name is placed as a head
| Ing.
| ! accept the prevailing custom among
| Americans, and do not notice public criticism
| of my political course on conduct. But
ought not 10 permit my name to be blaeksned
| by unanswered charges Of personal or pro-
| fessipnal dishonesty.
| Considering al Of the surrounding Glreun-
stances. considering that you and your polit-
| ieal associates are triumphant. and that l
/ and mine are defeated routed. I cannot
but say that this attack upon me is unjust
and ullgenerous. still, am willing to believe
| that you believe that you are aettiated by the
highest sense Of public duty. But suppose
| that you are mistaken? Suppose that can
can satisfy tho world that | am not an nd
vanturer, as you seem to believer Am | mis-
taken in surprising that you will do me the
| justice to publish my statement? | think not.
| | have been resident Of New Orleans for
| fourteen years. | came here q lad In the
army, and was discharged here because Of
my wounds. | made this my home / TO-
suned my studies and was admitted to the
bar when | came OF age, twelve years ago
| was married here. | made me d home NV
children were born here; | have no other
| home | have no property elsewhere. / am
not going away from Louisiana. have taken
an active part in politics / have been called
e m s1sg1 HnReah Rgse i P'es Which hfv9 5a1s sways a
| apology to make. ] have done what could
to sustain my party in its unequal struggle
[ have rendered some service to my asso-
ciatss, and | have dealt some hard blows to
my opponents. Therefore it is that any attack
upon mo finds ready response among my
| political enemies. But during these years
| have not oppressed any man. have light
| sned the burthens upon thousands Of shoul-
ders, and my family have never asked the
| politics Of any one who eatne to my door for
| bread.
| an not q criminal. have not plrnJersd
the state. nor any one else. ] have not avaiIed
| myself Of the political power which have
welded to aeelmuats n fortune / have
sought at all times to be just in my dealings
with men.
You answer me that / was yesterday ar
rested upon q eharge Of anbezzling public
moneys, and that therefore, you were justi-
| fed in your attack
| When q number of prominent citizens Of
our city, Of your own party. were arrested
before the Federal courts upon the charge of
defrauding the government, did you insist
| that they should he s'landsd in the Penite,t~
| tiary2' Did you PREJUDICE their cases?
| Did you not consider that a person ae-
Gused Is entitled to the presumption Of in
noeenee? Did you then think it the duty of u
public journalist to prejudice the community
| against u person whose guilt or innocence
was TO be determined by q jury to be chosen
| from the body of the public2 I do not make
| these inquiries to be offensive, but only 10
convince you that your unkind attack was
aetuated by political feeling.
Now as to the pending charges At the
close OF last year | accounted to the State for
| some thirty odd thousand dollars, balance Of
moneys received by me from the sheriff
paid into the treasury all special funds in cash
and q part Of the general fund.- but there was
o balance in warrants These warrants had
cashed for the government, and the profit
which suppose was made, was used in the
political struggle then pending. | did not g
ceive the money. ! had Q settlement based
upon these facts. Before had concluded nv
settlements the Treasurers office was closed.
Since the new government came into power,
the Treasurer would not and could not accept
the warrants from me. There the matter has
| rested. No demand has been made upon me
by the new officials.
That ! held these warrants was no secret.
That did not personally use the money,
will have no difficulty in establishing That
the State has not lost one dollar is apparent.
sincerely believe.
Whatever I have done politically, have
not been engaged in plundering the State or
the people, as you charge. / have held high
offices, and | have controlled and disbursed
several millions Of public money during times
OF almost universal corruption throughout
the whole country / could have made a
large fortune, and in that event, as the injus-
tice OF the world goes would probably have
been exempt from these attacks which arc
now made upon me. But | have only OBJ
tanned such rewards in salaries and fees.
while in office, as go to men Of industry and
public usefulness Except my books ard
household effects and u few works Of art /
have not q dollar either here or elsewhere.
In conclusion, permit me to express the
belief that | will not be convicted Of crime,
as you predict; that will not be driven from
my home, as so many desire; and that will
not starve, as my friends fear.
Respectfully,
HENRY c. DfBBLE,