The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-01
PARsON OONWAY's CONTRIBUTION

The following interesting item of news is
taken from the New York Heratd of the
twenty seventy instant, in which 1t appears
as g. special from Philadelphia:
When Gen. Banks took command of New
Orleans in 1864 Gen. Thomas w. Conway was
made Superintendent Of the Bureau of Freed
men and Abandoned Lands. AS his head
quarters and official residence Gen. Conway
contiscated the mansion Of distinguished
refugee rebel, the Hon. Pierre Soule, ex-
United States Senator, and well known as
United States Minister to France under Pres
| ident Buchanan: Among the papers of the
| the ordinance of secession Of the State of
| Louisiana. By permission of his COM
mander, Gen. Conway kept the interesting
| paper as his own property. 1t was for time
| loaned to Horace Greeley, but afterward re-
turned to Gen. Conway in whose possession
| 1t still remains. Inquiry elected the fact that
| 1t was the only copy Of the memorable act ex-
| tant. The lithographic plate from which it
State government, and the proof struck for
Mr.. Soule is said TO have been the only i'm
preston taken, It is certainly the only one
now known to exist, for after the plate was
finished 1t was put on board the rebe priva-
teer Alabama to be brought TO this country,
and when the Alabama was sunk by the kear-
sarge the reasonable plate went to the bot
tom of the ocean with her.
The ordinance is beautifully engraved and
the document is o valuable piece of work
manship, aside from its historical value. Gen.
Conway has been offered largo sums for this
souvenir, but has always refused to sell.
Now however, he is about to dispose OF it for
tho benefit of the yellow fever sufferers In the
stricken South, and during next week it will
be publicly sold at the Union League Club
rooms, in This city, to the highest bidder The
paper, which has been mounted and framed,
will doubtless bring a high price, as well for
fx,y.
which it Is to be sold. Several historical and
political societies are anxious to secure the
relic, and there will oe O. lively competition.
A more striking ILLUSTRATION Of the strange
happenings which "the whirligg Of time
brings about it would be difficult to find
The very instrument which records the trea-
son of the Southern leaders, when they sought
to break up the Union in their pride Of
strength and ambition, is now to be used by q
forgiVing North as means Of sending food
and medicine to our erring brethren in their
time Of sickness and suffering.
There Is an old proverb which enjoins US
never to look gift horse In the mouth. There
is also great deal in our own calamities and
in the generous and humane consideration
they have evoked at the North that admon-
ishes us to be kind and charitable to those who
have remembered US in the days Of our affic-
ton. These are very handsome sentiments,
and for this very reason they should not be
abused nor used by unworthy people to secure
for themselves consideration to which they
are in no wise entitled. There are also some
few people in this world to whom Louisianians
can never consent to be under any sort Of
obligations under any possible circumstances,
and prominent among these is this same
Parson General Thomas W. Conway. More
particularly is his charity undesired when
it comes to us as the proceeds Of the sale Of
the plumber he accumulated by the robbery
of our State and people in his capacity of a
camp follower.
Exactly what this souvenir is that Par
son Conway desires, in his excess of charity,
to dispose of for the benefit Of the yellow
fever sufferers, we are unable to make out
from the statement of the Heralds intelli-
gent correspondent, who begins by making
Hon. Pierre Soule Minister to France I'M
der Buchanan. IT, however, it is the
original ordinance Of secession, it is
a part Of the archives of the State Of Louisi-
ana and belongs as much to her as does the
original draft of her constitution or OF any
act Of her Legislature, or OF any indictments
that might happen to be pending in her
courts against Parson Conway or any one
else. The proper disposition Of 1t would be to
return it to the State from which it was pill
fered. Certainly Parson Conway has no right
to retain it or to dispose of it for anybody s
benefit. How such an important document
came into Mr.. Soule's hands we do not know.
But it can be absolutely assumed that it came
thereby honest and honorable means. lift was
the original draft Of the ordinance Of secession
of Louisiana, it was doubtless taken posses
sion of by MIR. Souie as sacred trust to be
preserved from capture and restored to the
State. How Conway got possession of 1t is
detailed in the HeraIds dispatch. He began
by 'contiseating" Mr.. Soules house-which
fact is related as IL ''confiscating" was a
common, every day, informal sort Of an af-