The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-29
INVESTIGATION OF THE STATE
PRINTER.

months ago grand jury on the er parte
evidence OF hired perjurer. presented a
special report, calling the attention OF
the Governor to alleged overcharges
against the State by the State Printer.
A second grand jury, also on the
one-sided testimony on which such bodies
act presented a report damaging to
the Printer. From the time these reports
we're made until the assembling of the pres
emit Legislature the State Printer sought, by
every means In his power, an investigation,
or by trial or by civil suit an opportunity to
have the charges against him fully exam
ined-but In vain. During that period the Times
and Picdympe were active and industrious in
circulating the charges; they twisted them
into every possible form and shape, and
spread them broadcast over the land Who
ever had lie to tell. or Misrepresentation
damaging to the character of the State
| Printer, or to the reputation and influence
Of the DEMOCRAT to circulate, found ready
means for Its dissemination through the col
umns OF the Times and Picagune. In all those
months there has been nothing to tell In rela-
ton to these charges which has not appeared
In these sheets, either as communications,
editorials, interviews or local reports. Those
chivalrous journals In this case ignored their
duty to the public to give all the facts and to
| render justice to all parties. With meanness
and malevolence that has no parallel in New
Orleans journalism, they constituted them
selves the prosecutors and s.anderers Of a pub
lie official and Of rival journal, Of whose char
acter and influence they were envious, and
whose business they were eager to destroy.
Up to the assembling of the Legislature
the case stood, with such explanations as we
deemed 1t proper to make ourselves, on the
grounds on which'the reports OF the grand
juries, based on one-sided testimony, and the
ISLANDERS and falsehoods disseminated through
the Times and Picdy,tne had placed it. Very
soon after assembling the Legislature APP
pointed joint committee of the House and
Senate to investigate the charges against the
State Printer, go that the real facts of
the case might be brought out. That COM
mttee was composed OF Senators Mitchell.
Bowden and Delahoussaye, and Represen-
tatives Hammond, Landry, Nettles, Ross
and Parmelee, gentlemen whose social
and political standing In the State cannot be
questioned, and whose integrity has never
been impeached. There was not fact or
Islander offered relative to this matter with
which these gentlemen were not familiar.
They heard testimony in the case, and with
two experts, Col Stith, foreman of the Plea
y,1,e. and Mr.. Walker, a printer employed on
that paper-both gentlemen of well known In
tegrity, and printers who stand at the head |
OF the craft-they examined the work of the |
Printer and his accounts and they made |
a report to the Legislature which |
completely exonerated the State Printer |
and virtually pronounced the charges against |
him baseless ISLANDERS. In the course of |
their investigation they examined the witness
Green on whose evidence the grand juries
had chiefly based their reports, and he adj
mtted to them that he had been procured to |
make the charges and testify against the
State Printer; that he had perjured himself
and that the parties who instgated him in
this villainous business had not the manhood
to come to the front.
1t was clearly proved before the committee
|. That Green had been procured by unknown
parties, for malicious reasons to accuse the
State Printer and swear away his reputation,
and, Ii possible, ruin the business OF his ASSOC
ciates. 2. That Green had perjured himself
In his zeal, In carrying out the instructions of
his masters. g. That the accounts of the
State Printer we're correct 4. That not dol
lars worth Of printing was done, except on
The order Of constitutional or other compe-
tent public officials. And when this report
was presented, did the Times and Picayune.
which for months and months had flood
I'D the community with the ISLANDERS
against the State Printer; which had
opened their columns to every
charge or insinuation against him, print that
report They did not. 1t was a document
of great importance to the public; right or
wrong. the people had a right to hear it. No
lie, however mean, cowardly or improb-
able. was refused q circulation by our chiv- .
slrous and public spirited contempora.
ries. But this document, official In its char
icter, and made by gentlemen whose oharac-
5ers no man will presume to assail, was not
)nly excluded from their columns, but I
)asely and grossly misrepresented. Nay, {
worse. These papers not only refused /
% print this report, they not only misrepre-
'ented 1t, but they also opened a war OF abuse /,
lpon the gentlemen who composed the COM
nittee which presented the report Their
policy has been, not only to SANDER and de-
III
'ut to blackguard and outrage every official
n citizen OF the State who may venture to
question the charges against them. Eomore
,old and infamous scheme Of SANDER has ever
,een organized and carried out In civilized
n decent community. But what is to be
expected OF a sheet like the New Orleans
'tcdyune, which only exists to-day because it
vas panderer to Kellogg In his day Of
ower, or like the New Orleans Times, whose
proprietor Legislative committee Of investi-
alton charged with having defrauded the
ospital fund of six thousand dollars This
} the character Of the sheets which are now
ombined with the Louisiana Lottery Com
ANY In work OF abuse and vituperation of
his journal. There Is not an intelligent A
nan In this city who does not know
hat this crusade against the State Printer
nd the DEMOCRAT was provoked by our