American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-11-01
Southern Republicans.

Ex-United States District-Attorney
Beckwith, the only prominent politician
in New Orleans during the Kellogg
troubles who kept his reputation tintar'
/ nished, is here. Since he retired from
office he has devoted himself entirely
to law practice and has become some
thing of cynic politically, a. he was
personally before he got through with
Kellogg. In desultory conversation
/ this evening he expressed opinions quite
freely upon the political outlook in the
South, which he believes to be gloomy
almost beyond description.
"How did it happen 1 asked, 'tthat
the clause was inserted in the ConSti-
tuition providing for the choice of Pres
idential Electors by the Legislature?''
Nothing was more natural. The
Louisiana politician can't be judged by
anything in the political line you have
this way. There are no Democrats and
no Republicans in Louisiana in the
sense that they are Democrats and
Republicans in the North. Like the
Irishman, they are 'agin the Govern
mint 1t is anything to subvert the
present condition of affairs. There are,
/ suppose, 10000 people in Louisiana
who live in the hope of office. In
State elections candidates with two of
fees at their disposal in event of cleo
ton promise them to 1900 people.
When elected and but two people get
the appointments there is naturally
great discomfort, and plans are laid
forthwith for new order of things.
The new Constitution will open great
possibilities for Legislators. That is one
reason why it was SO framed. Every
Legislator will expect to retire from of
flee in Presidential year well cared
for. Another reason was that it pro-
vides for more offices than the present
one. Those of the 10000 for which
places are not found or made under it
they will comprise nearly all of them
will be bowling for reform in a year or
two longer for the purpose of getting a
new chance at the plumber. The State
is worse, if anything, morally than it
was in 1876, and, as then, it will 90
with the party that pays the most for
it,
ITO what do you attribute such
condition?''
1.-The trouble lies very deep. The
French population of Louisiana does not
mean to stay there. All the French live
in the expectation of ending their days
in France. 1t is evident that people
who do not love the State that sustains
them, who regard it rs a transient stop
pingover place, who are not at heart
American citizens and have no desire to
be, can never become so. Consequent
ly public financial operations run wild.
Believing that they will be away soon
and will thus escape paying public obi
cations, the people are willing that the
State should be numbered with debt
without limit. With such people
there can never be a good Govern
ment. Ordinarily State of that
kind would be a paradise for office
seekers and jobbers, but it is already
overrun with them. Wells and Ander-
son have come to the top in Federal
affairs because they were in position
at the time of the election of the wretch
who now holds the chief office of the
Nation to go to further extremes than
any others could. Others would have
done the same thing probably with the
Same opportunities. L was Il KepubIi-
can, but l was never SO partial to my
party that l could not see wherein it
failed to be what it should be. l sim
cerely believed in 1876, as | believe
now, that Wells and Anderson did
right. / mean that l believe the Re-
| find with those two men is that they
had to be induced to do right by con-
siderations that outweighed the induce
ments to do wrong. Wells was retained
in the Custom-House as Surveyor and
Anderson was appointed by Sherman
Deputy Collector. 1t would have been |
to make Anderson Collector
and Wells could never have |
been confirmed as Surveyor. When |
MS term expires next year another |
place must be found for him, as no |
Senate would confirm him. King was
made Collector. He talked too much |
ior simple figure-head and so was re-
moved. The trouble with Smith, his
successor, was that he really imagined
1t times that he was Collector. OF
course Anderson couldn't stand that
md Smiths place fell to Badger.
Badger is a clever, good fellow, and is
Wiling for the sake of the salary to sit
n the office. He was volunteer dur
NO the war and afterward became
Chief of Police. That covers his expert
,nce in public AFFAIRS
g You knew, didn't you, that John
Ray had been here trying to get Badger
,utp''
.Yes; but 1 don't believe Ray was
ent by Wells and Anderson. Rays
on was removed from the Custom
House in the summer, and Ray, labor
ng under the delusion that Badger was
collector, and hence was responsible
or the removal, tried to retaliate. A
natter like the removal would fully ac-
cunt for Rays opposition. The re-
noval was made probably to open a
lace for one of AndersOn's relatives or
laquers. The Custom-House is full of
hose men, and Anderson is simply paw
no way for himself to some State of
ce when Hayes and Sherman and that
rowd are through with him. The
people viii then carry
ut their part of the bargain and sup
ort him. AS for Wells, he will always
e ready for trade, as he always has
cen. Yet 1 don't attach much impor-
aEceto these men, for the Federal and
tate powers in Louisiana clash in the
natter of patronage, which is every
hing there. If I wanted State office
n a new ticket / should ask nothing
etter than to have q thousand peoplea
ay apply for positions under the old
cket officers. for all who were disap-
onted would thereat become enemies
f the governing powers, and in that
Yay my supporters. The Federal and
tate patronage is almost invariably
ispensed for personal gain and not for
arty gain, and SO official influence is
lerely personal Influence. The BRAIN
ess oflice-placers up here in Wash
l9ton seem to think that the
,-called conciliatorY policy will
lure to their benefit and that
re party in Louisiana is gratc-
Il and united. That is sheer idiocv.
1n1.,. hCI ln1. and l,llinn- GOO IInl L,