The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-21

visedly; for that q great stretch OF courtesy
is required to employ the word testimony
without qualification in describing the recent
utteranees Of our de fGCto Senator before the
Potter committee. In some particulars the
course pursued by Kellogg before the COM
mittee was disappointment to me. But, |
reading between the lines, could easily dis |
cover that the fault was in the person or per- |
sons conducting the examination as much as
In the witness. It Is by no means my inten- |
ton to apologize for Kellogg or to extenuate
the short cOmings of his evidence (so-calledl. |
say at the outset that his appearance in the
role of witness was chiefly remarkable for
WHAT HE DID NOT SAY,
but It must also be recorded that the examin-
alton of him was mainly notable for the ques-
tions which were not asked. That perfect
understanding exists between Gen. Butler
and Mr.. Kellogg, and that the examination OF
Thursday and Friday was conducted In exact
accordance Herewith may, think, be stated
as fact which neither Butler nor Kellogg
will venture to dispute. Now the fine point
OF this business speaking, as 1t were, by the
card, is right here: Kellogg was not entirely
ready to testify There are
machines which have wheels within wheels,
and this investigation seems to be. one OF
them. SO far as Kellogg is concerned, 1t is, In
one respect, at least, machine having very
small and delicate wheels still within the
wheels that are within the wheels. Naturally
enough, machine of such exceeding mechan-
icaI completely must be started with great
nicely of adjustment and operated with in
finite delicacy of touch Therefore. being, as
| shall hereinafter show, started out Of time,
it inevitably happened that the machine
Jared, cIogged and finally refused to work
altogether.
Briefly put,
THE POSITION OF KELLOGG,
when he went before the committee, was this
1. Nothing was to be gained by attempting
a labored defense or exoneration of John Sher-
man O. lG the jerks.
Q. Kellogg has an anxiety to stand In as
well as he can with the Democrats In conse-
uuence Of the exceeding shakiness OF his seat
after the next fourth of March.
Here were two reasons why It was expedi-
ent for Kellogg to come to the front, not
necessarily as q swift or even as q willing wit
ness, but still as truthful one and without
reserve. But there were other considerations,
to wit:
/. Some weeks ago,
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WHITE HOUSE
TOUCHING KELLOGG
underwent an entire change. From being
member Of the despised race OF carpet-bag-
gers, who could find no favor and hardly re-
spectful hearing at the White House, Kellogg
suddenly blossomed out into q Senator OF
much consequence and great influence. He
was not merely called In as counsel, but the
tleshpots of
PATRONAGE
were held temptingIy near his nose, which, as
is currently known, has weakness for the
SAVIOR of such morsels He lost no time IN
pulling in his share. He captured the Dis
triet Attorneyship for Albert Leonard,
which was +ba really gR9od Sn9g e
orship for Morris Marks, which, was not
so good thing all round but which was
still better than the old thing as It stood.
Then he went for the postotfice for Badger,
which would also be ratable as very good
thing by comparison with the present incum-
bent. Whatever Badger may be or may not
be-and shall not make any extended analy-
sis of him just now-it does not appear that
he would be under any obligations to manage
the New Orleans postOffice as tender TO the
lottery which seems to have been its princi-
pal usefulness under the incumbent. At
all events, without discussing the char
acter Of the appointments which kel-
lopg was laboring to secure and treating
them solely as from his own standpoint 1t is
notorious that his whole influence at the
White House hinged upon the fear OF him as
q Witness which dsquieted the Fraudulent
nerves and made the dreams of John Sher-
man hideous But for this fear, Kellogg would
have remained in outer darkness and War
moth and George Sheridan would have re-
manned, as they were at the outset, "repre-
sentative men and refOrmerS OF Louisiana
In the eyes OF Hayes.
Nobody will blame Kellogg for making the
most of his opportunity. The darling object
Of his life had become that OF getting even
with Warmoth for the untoward events OF the
early winter, and with that peculiar class OF
patriots, the means is usually held quite
IN To 4hn and AtIff1 IN al
Kellogg attained his end He used the power
which his knowledge of the situation gave him
to get the control OF the patronage he wanted
His original request for an extension of time
was simply another form OF saying to the
committee: "Wait awhile! haven't quite
got through with Hayes yet and consequently
It will embarrass me to testify just now.s
presume, to those who are at all initiated,
It would be superiuous for me to say that
the tenderness of Kellogg's testimony was
due mainly to his fond soltcitude for the safe
ty Of the newborn official heads Of his bant'
lings Leonard and Marks. He knew the dis
II he appeared before the committee In the
role Of willing witnesS-not to speak OF 9
swift one-the puerile man in the White
House. would instantly revenge himself By
removing the men who had just been ap
pointed on his recommendation.
On the other hand, however, Kellogg hat
received notice from responsible quarter
that there was but one earthly show for hin
to hold
HIS SEAT IN THE NEXT SENATE,
and that was by toting fair with the Pottel
committee And right here | may as vel
indicate what show Kellogg has for retaining
his seat as Senator from Louisiana: Ii tn
question were to come before the next Senate
Democratic by at least twelve majority, sim
ply as an issue Of fact whether or not he hat
any real right to the seat and vote could b.
reached on the point of declaring the sea
vacant for want Of original titleto it, hewoulC
be ousted as soon as the roll could be callet
on the first day of the session: But ther
are a number OF Democratic Senator
and for the sanctity Of its precedent
is stronger than their instincts of partyism
AS I am at present advtsed-and get my ad
vice from first hands-these Senators vii
strength Of which Kellogg holds his seat, /
solemn act of the Senate, and as such can
hEnr Er-n zcILr 81