Year: 1876

note from Mr.. VIM. II. Hunt, the Radi-
cal nominee for Attorney General, In
which he deems 1t necessary TO deny
that he ever passed eulogy upon Cher
| Justice John L. Ludeling and You took
occasion to compliment Mr.. Hunt for
| this, and mt the same time denounce
Judge Ludeling in very severe and Bit
ter terms.


Now, this is perhaps none of my bust
ness-it is perhaps legitimately no
| funeral Of mine--but then have that
within me which ever impels to the de-
fense OF those l deem unjustiy assailed !;
aud I'm this instance, having known
Judge Ludeling intimately for at least
twenty years, and with almost my en-
tire section of the State having recently
supported him for the nomination for
Governor--a section of the State which
must give the Republican majori-
ty, ii it is given at ALL must
say in his behalf, in the first
place. that do not think his character
in any respect needs special eulogy at
the hands Of Mr.. Vim. III. Hunt. or mt
the hands of any other gentleman, in
all the land, of however high social
standing and in the next place, | must
protest that your editorial aIlusion to
Judge Ludeling does him the most
cruel and burning injustice. You say
|
as, / am well assured that many of
those who have known him intimately
always, and who are perhaps now us
earnest and devoted Democrats as
Yourself. would testify under oath that
they believe him as pure and patriotic
gentleman as can be found on or off
the bench OF our country, or in the
ranks Of any political party. And sure
| ly. however honorable and pure Mr..
| k. nd hon xxy..p
conscientious, the mere fact that he
may never have in any special way
passed eulogy upon Judge Ludeling,
should not, even in your es-
timation, detract anything from
| his character and good name,
when 1t Is Of so recent memory that Mr..
Hunt did pass special and premeditated
eulogy and compliments of love
upon some who are now with him on
the Radical ticket OF this State; and
whose records are certainly well known
to most of us, IL not to Mr.. Hunt.


know Judge Ludeling is amply able
to defend himself from any assault in
any proper way; but how is he, situated
as he is, to get at a thing OF this sort
or course, / do not wish to take up the
personal points Of dispute or controver-
sy for any man, but as the friend of
Judge Ludeling, having Nompiimented
him in my editorial columns, and re-
commended him for high position, /
feel in this case really called on
to speak for his purity of
sonally. l think / know you well
enough to feel safe in saying that it is
not really in your heart to do any man
an injustice, and must therefore con-
clude that you think yourself correct
and within the bounds of justice in
your expressed estimate of Judge
Ludeling; but / know you are mistaken,
| for l know Judge Ludeling much more
intimately and we'll than you do, and /
could, If necessary, name the very best
material OF the opposition-from the
ranks OF your own party-to sustain ME
in the yindication of the good character
and incorruptibility Of our distinguished
| Chief Justice; gentleman, permit me
to say, belonging to that class of Re-
publicans which you should sustain
rather than denounce il you really hope
ever to see the State redeemed from the
CALLING ring rule Of heartless political
knaves and harlequins which has dis
graced and enthralled the land for the
| past eight or ten years. | think see
bare CLEAN Of hope to 'redeem the time
while the days are evil" and save our
State from the well organized disgrace
and humiliation upon the continued
success of which some among us so evil
IDENTIFY rest their hopes in the future as
they have in the past; but this deliver
ance from evil and triumph over
wrong can never be brought about
or reached by or through such denun-
Citations as you see proper occasionally
to indulge against such men as John L.
Ludeling. l am willing to join hands
with any one to help quelch the itinerant
political tricksters and local bummers
and sell-outs OF my own party; but can
never quietly consent to a crusade that
would crush out the last vestige OF
decency and honor left in the Republi-
can ranks of this State. / am more
than willing to combine efforts with the
best elements of Louisiana for her re-
demption in the pending contest; am
willing that the virtue and intelligence
of the State, il we have any, should
rule this was my thought and determi-
nation when l bid defiance to the at
tempted thraldom Of party tyranny and
voted for Mr.. Eustis for United States
Senator in the last Legislature; and
| il your party can now finally bring to
the front better and more reliable ma
teriaNhan my party shall finally present
upon the State ticket. shall certainly
in good faith join you and support your
ticket; but will never join any one in
the attempt to crush out such man as
John L. Ludeling, though he fail of the
eulogy of Mr.. VIM. III. Hunt, while soft
phrases Of honied praise and throes of
flowing kindness echo in linked and
pearly sweetness from the eloquent
gentleman's devoted lips upon the
perfumed record of some whose
names now grace the State ticket
which disgraces his proud and
honored name-so for the moment,
but not reasonably expected to be 50
long. For surely, il the Republican
State ticket is not in some respect soon
remodeled, VIM. II. Hunt cannot allow
his name to 1emain upon it. / should
John T. Ludeling where Mr.. Hunts now
stands.


Very respectfully, etc,


W. JASPER BLACKBURN.