The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-24
THE VACANT SEAT.

It appears from an editorial arti-
Gle in the Picayune, Of yesterday,
that Judges Rogers, Tissot and
Rightor, and Mr. E.. Bermudez, as
chairman Of the examining commit
tee Of the Supreme Court Of Louisi:
ana, have recommended Mr., W. H.
Hunt to the President for appoint
ment to the vacant seat on the Uni
ted States Supreme Court bench.
The very bungling manner in which
our contemporary refers to Mr.. Ber-
mudez in this connection as an ap-
pointee of "Chief Justice Manning
and his associates" is calculated to
convey the impression that the Chief
Justice was in some indefnable way
responsible for Mr.. Bermudez's &C.
tion or party to it. Any such i'm
preston would do Judge Manning,
we are sure, great injustice. In the
first place Mr.. Bermudez was not
appointed chairman of the examin-
ing committee Of tho Supreme Court
by ''Chief Justice Manning and his
associates" be was the appointee Of
the late Court. But even if Mr.. Der.
mudez were the appointee of the
present Court neither the Chief Jus.
tice nor his associates could possibly
have any responsibility for his ac-
tion in this matter.
10 the general criticism, passed by
the Picayune on the course OF the
public functionaries who have in
their official characters recommend.
ed Mr.. Hunt for this high Office, we
cordially concur. ALI of the = gen
tlemen owe their positions to the
Democratic party and they must
know, as we'll as we do, that Mr.. ".
H. Hunt is not only not represen-
tatiye Of our people, but That he is
more repugnant to them than any
other man in the Republican party.
He has pursued the same end that
Packard, Kellogg, Wells and Ander
son pursued, and be gave to their
wicked schemes what no other man
Of the party could give, the prestige
OF his high social position, his al,
most historic name and his very
large abilities. He was indeed the
Moloch, if not the Lucifer, of thai
IStygian council in which the Nam
mons, the Bellals and the Beelzebub'
of .Radicslism debated and organized
their war upon the best interests ant
most sacred rights of Louisiana
| But the objection to Mr.. Hunt Il
not only that he has been, or is now
a Louisiana Radical. There are gra
YER ofenses resting upon his head
which we wish our legal friends VIII
recommended him had called to min
before they gave him the high ia
dorsement Of their official signs
lures. There is now standin
!, against the taxpayers of Louisikn.
as part Of the funded debt, nearly
million dollars of consols for wkic
the State of Louisiana never receiFe
one cent of benefit.
II These consols represent the bond
9 which were unconstitutionally an
9 fraudulently issued to the Mort
Louisiana and Texas Railroad Con
8 pany. Part Of these bonds WEI
q issued by Warmoth when he was
! the Widest era Of his reign
y corruption, plumber and debaucher
J. Toward the close Of his Administr
q ton he even refused to issue Il
n residue of the bonds. When Kellos
Is entered upon his term, Ludeling al
J. his associates demanded the balan
y of the plumber. Kellogg hesitat,
a and asked the opinion of Mr.. Hur
It who WAS, at the time, Acting
> Assistant Attorney General, and N
N Hunt advised him that he was Col
g. PEELED under the law to sign and q
70 liver the bonds.
re This is an imperfect history Of I
= transaction, but il gives a corr,
y idea Of its nature. Kellogg imme
: ately complied, and that debt stan
against the impoverished and pl,
dered taxpayers of Louisiana nc
., We defy any living man to show Il
Os the State ever derived one cent
= lbenefit for the bonds Hunt sitter
he up Kellogg's backbone to sign i
, q deliver and we defy ang living n
" to prove that the whole transact
q from the appropriation to the &
4 delivery of the bonds, was moi
fragrant fraud.