The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-06-26
SMITH AND LEON 4 r D..

Albert LeODarQ mas Ueeu COuHi Ill
ed as District Attorney for the Uni
ted States, notwithstanding the ad-
verse report of the Senate judiciary
Committee against him, and so we
have the precious couple, above
named, as the fruit of Hayes Civil
Service Reform promises. George
Smith, the Collector Of the Port OF
New Orleans, is one of the most dis
reputable of the Radical thieves that
infested our State during the recon
struc,ion days. He did not pretend
to be anything more than an adven-
turer, who saw in this State 8 good
chance to make money by protesting
repubIicanism, and he accordingly
never failed to profit by the oppor-
tunity circum stances afforded him.
1t is notorious that he has embezzled
school funds to large amount, and
that he never missed a chance to
swell his purse at the expense of his
honesty. That such a creature
should have been nominated for 80
responsible an office is marvel, but
happily for the good people of Lou
isiana, it is no longer marvel how
he was confirmed.
1t is now known that Smith could
not have been confirmed unless Mr..
Eustis had consented to it. Hayes
had sent in the name of George Will
Hanson for the Collectorship, and
the Democratic Senators were eager
to confirm him, and thus give TO
New Orleans a gentleman for the
most important Office there. We can
never forgive Williamson for his
treason to bis party and his State
when he threw himself in the arms
of Grant, but be would have made
by all odds the best Collector that
Hayes could appoint. He would
have had every inducement to do
right and justice, and the CONNER
cial community of New Orleans
would have been glad to have bad
him in the Office, with which they
have so much to do.
Mr.. Jas. B. Eustis, using his infu-
ence as Senator, prevented the con.
firmation of Mr. Williamson, it is
believed, because he feared that the
latter as Collector would prejudice
his chances of re- election to the Sem
ate. If be could prevent the confir-
nation Of Williamson he could also
prevent the confirmation of Smith,
and we have therefore the strange
spectacle of the first Democratic
Senator we have had since the war,
foisting upon US the meanest repre-
sentative of carpet-baggery that
could be found.
A fit companion is the scalawag
Leonard, who has been "everything
in turn, and nothing long," and as it
is well known that Mr.. Wheeler felt
himself morally bound to get Leo.
nard place, because he had ruined
him by entrapping him into his cele
brated compromise, so it is also
known that Mr.. Eustis, who was
Leonard's coadjutor in that affair,
had reason on that account to think
him marvellous proper person for
reward.
What does the Democratic party
say, what will they say, to this
strange result, brought about by
means so little to be expected And
how is it that the appointment of
Leonard, whose unftness for the
place he has got is well known, and
whose treachery to his party during
the last winter was observed BY eve
~ one, is passed over in silence by
the New Orleans Democrat, that
claims to speak for great party on
political matters. Even when Judge
Spoford had secured the caucus
nomination for Senator, and there.
fore bis election was sure, when the
balloting came on in the Legisla
ture, Leonard did not vote for him.
Can any one say that a pair of po-
litical shysters such as Smith and
Leonard are the proper persons to
ill the two most important Fed
eral Offices in this State. The res
possibility of their nomination Is on
the electoral Fraudulency of the
White House, but who is responsible
for their confirmation?
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