The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02


COL. JAMES LEWIS.
For a great many years he was employed on
the Mississippi River boats. and he still has
a number OF passes, issued TO him by the
Mayor of st. Louis. dating back as far as
1867. without which he would have been
grabbed up by the police every time he left
the boat and went into the town. He has
been president Of Louisiana for over fifty
years. and considers himself a Pelican Of the
Pelicans. and we'll he may. for his life is u
part of the history of his adopted State.
Mr.. Lewis's services in the war began upon
the arrival Of Gen. Butler in New Orleans in
1862. He promptly petitioned Gen. Butler
permission to raise n regiment of FREQ men Of
color. as they were then designated in 1862.
said to have been the first of the kind. The
permission was granted. and the regiment sub
seauently did effective service to the Union
cause. in 1865 Mr.. Lewis resigned from the
army and was appointed travelling agent in the
educational department OF the Freedman's
Bureau. in which he did splendid work in help
ing to lay the foundation of the educational in
stitutions whioh have since done so much to
elevate his race to \ higher scale of manhood
and citizenship. Indeed. that manhood and
citizenship would to-day DO in a worse plight
than It is If 1t had not been for the educatlonh
work planted by the Freedman's Bureau. in
which Mr.. Lewis and other men of his race rem
dered inestimable service.
In 1868 Mr.. Lewis was appointed Sergeant
in the metropolitan police forco OF New Or
leans. and was soon after promoted TO be a Cap
tain for meritorious services. In 1870 no was
elected as administrator of the New Orleans
police. and in 1879 as administrator of Public
improvements. defeating no less n person than
Gen. p. q. I. Beauregard. Some of the best and
| rpnat 1aatfnr I m oyar nm . In NJ NJ nr1aap n. N o.
due to Mr.. Lewis's integrity and devotion to the
public interests. and in the discharge OF the
duties of his responsible office he won the conf.
dence. respect. and esteem Of all citizens. with
out regard to party.
Col. Lewis has always been classed as a stall
wart Republican, and as such repeatedly elect
ed as a delegate to the National Conventions
of his party. In 1879 he was Chairman OF the
delegation to tho Philadelphia Convention.
When Gen. Grant returned from his trip
around the world Dy way of New Orleans. Col.
Lewis rendered him q reception at his home.
In 1880 he was a delegate to the chicago Con-
%vention. and was one of the famous 1906" who
stood BY Gen. Grant to the last. He has n let
ter from Gen. Grant which he prizes very high
ly. The following is a copy OF the letter. which
has not heretofore been published:
NEW YORK CITY, Nov. 81, 1880.
DEAR SIR: ] have your favor OF the goth inst. 1t
has been o source CT deep regret that 80 many per.
sons have been mado to suffer for the crime OF
having been my friends. At present II 10 impossi-
BILE for me to repair what I deem an unjustinable
wrong. but I shall hope that under the Incoming
administration the same policy will not be pursued.
1t will afford me pleasure then. II In my.power. to
help you and others who have been made TO suffer
for tho same reason, II in my power.
I feel proud OF my friends IN the Chicago conyen.
tion for their steadfastnesS. and shall ever rcmem.
Der them. Very truly yours. U. S. GRANT.
JAS. LEWIS, ESQ.
1t may DO necessary to explain that Col.
Lewis was Naval Officer at New Orleans; that
Hayes was acting President; that the Hon. John
Sherman was Secretary OF the Treasury; that
Ter. James A. Garfield had been nominated
over Gen. Grant by the Chicago Con ~vention,
and that Col. Lewis was removed from his po-
sition fifteen days after the adjournment of the
Chicago Convention for the crime of sup
Mr.; Lewis was also a delegate to the. ma
tional conventions from 1884 to 1892. and was
leyite OF tho Warn 9th faction.
was ele,ted as a United States Senator FOR
the short term. by tho Packard Government.
was turned over to the Democrats in order to
save tho miserable Hayes and the federal
gssr HAYES TO sn app HIRegl kim S Sarty' od i" the e, f S.%
Orleans. Secretary FolGer, appointed HIN SUI
perlntendent OF Bonded Warehouses In lSS2,
and President Arthur appointed him Survey
$,drHf fsssi IN t re ;s%s G iSssi %H'i MAIDS DC f Sim
Deputy Collector OF Customs and inspector OF
II will readily be seen that Col. Lewis has
made the best of his opportunities. Above all
he has retained through all the changes that
have taken place since 1875 the respect of tho
bent people OF New Orleans. In conversation
with TGE Sun reporter, Col. Lewis said:
TO d.iine the present condition OF parties
cause of the 'DDBitiOu TINT Major MpEinlnv
took when he visited New Orleans in IsDI, tho
tantt, question OF nigh and low tarIr. II was
really the straw tina: broke tho Demo.
cratic camel,s back in Louisiana, where
than in any other State. Our sugar
interests cannot prosper without such II
tariff. The wealth., intelligence, and commer-
cial activity OF the State demand such n tariff.
This, when NIL ha 30 awakened 10 tho fact. will
eventually swing Louisiana In line under tho
banner OF protection; am very sure Of this.
CORRUPT, and does more than anything else IN
keep the state back in MI ways. The poll list
in the city OF New Orleans Is VIGOROUSLY stuffed
In the interest OF corruption and bad govern
ment generally. In April, 1895, for Instance.
IN the state ard municipal contest, the Repup-
leans cast upward OF 90. 900 votes. In thu fol.
10 ing November Mckinley received only "a
900. through the tricky methods OF the Repub-
lican MACHINE. which soli out To the Demo
Gratis. The Republicans should have elected
three congressman, but did not elect even one.
Our only hope is In bringing the tariff before
the people az a positive issue. or In overthrow
ing the present Republican machine and reor-
ganizing the party from top to bottom. II
this could 90 done, and l think that H. can be
done, Louisiana could easily be made a Re-
publican State.
lit is to the interest OF the Democratic party
TO force a con stitutional convention upon the
people people OF ths tate for The purpose OF disfrSn-
Lewis. They will certainly do so. unless the
Republican party shall be reorGanized before