The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-18
A CARD.
THE T0wROAT ASSOCIATION AND IT'S.
ASSAILANT.

The various letters and statements published.
by you leave the controversy bstween the Tow
boat Association and Capt J. w. Black In thiss
position:
Black charges that whilst he one of the
managers Of the association the other managers
approved and directed measures to obstruct
Eads in his operations at the Jsttfes: that they
considered and discussed propositions to block
the channel by grounding ship therein. This
charge is emphatcally denied by the managers
over their own signatures, and the coun er
charge is M de against Black that he was the
only party In the Board Of Managers who obs
jected to the jetty contractors having use OF the
telegraph Of the association. and that he with
drew from the association because he was thus
opposed and voted down
Blocks last communication In the DEMOCRAT
Of Wednesday admits the truth Of these aver
ments Of the managers. This admission should
be coupled with the professions, In his first let
ter of friendship for and interest In the jettles,
These kindly feelings Of Black towards Capt.
Eads and the iettjes are further exhibited In the
interview published in the DEMOCRAT of yester-
day Therein he quotes from O pretended
diary In which reference Is made to talk with
one Of the managers about grounding q ship In
the jettes. and mentions the ship selected to be
grounded. The managers deny that any such
proposition or talk ever occurred. In this state
of the issue the case will stand thus: The at
frmation Of four responsible citizens 10 op-
posed and denied by the unsupported assertion
of u man who confesses that he was partysto
and approver OF the nagitious proposition TO
block the Jetties.
This is q confession, the strongest evidence
In law OF q criminal intent. 1t is conclusive
proof Of his own guilt. There is con6rmatorY
ff,fu int
mitigate the enormify of the proposition By
stating that the public are making noun
tain Of mole hill about this blockading OF the
ietties." and that when such a proposition was
talked about. 1T was in what you might call q
TESTING way"
| man who could consider a proposition to
! obstruct the principal channel and access to our
port as 80 insignificant as to justify Jest
| ing about it ia far enough advanced In deprav-
| ity and insensible to crime to be quit capable
! Of carrying out the design imputed to Black. In
the statements Of Capts. Mcclellan and Riddle
Whether the unsupported testimony Of such
man would carry the slightest weight to I'm
plicate old citizens Of long established good
reputation in this community, In what all
honest men will regard as agrage crime. put
which he treats as a subject for testing ana
frivolity, may be safely left to the Judgment Of
. IL
by the court as an incompetent one against any
acknowledgements by reason OF his confess
sion equivalent to q conviction. OF criminal
design To such testimony the language OF an
eminent Judge would apply: The producing
such q witness is perfectly Intellectual. because
the credit Of his oath Is overbalan ced by the
stain of his iniauity."
In this view Of Mr.. Black 1t would be quite
superHuous and unnecessary for the m anagers
to take any notice OF or make any reply to the
slanderous title attle and the other charges
which he has thrown into his communication
and his answers In the interview published In
the DEMOCRAT. The controversy between MIN
and the Towboat Association is foreign to the
} subject now before the public. which will not Dc
called on to adjudicate these issues as long as
there are courts to determine all such questions.
Suffice 1t to say that with the denial OF the
managers OF the truth Of his charges and
averments. In whole and In every part. MIR. }.
r W Black will be subjected to the necessity OF
I producing very powerful evidence. and wit
t nesses Of the highest credit to supply his OWE
utter lack Of credibility and competency as
, witness. to testify against the humbest citizen
and save himself from the responsibility and
punishm ent of an INSCRIPTIONS and reckless
defamer. .
TOWBOAT ASsOCIATION1sT.