Year: 1872

outside proceedings of the last convention,
the dragging of the Governors carriage
through the streets by the populace, on the
departure for Turner Hall, which resulted
in eliciting nothing new in the shape of in
telligence.


The examination of Colonel Charles w.
Lowell, postmaster, was first directed to-
ward ascertaining the interest OF the wit
ness in the Ship Island Canal bill, which
the Governor had said died by popular
strangulatiOn." The witness said he owned
stock in the law and had advocated it on
the floor of the House, leaving his seat as
Speaker for that purpose in the session OF
1870, at the same time announcing his in
terest in the law and using no influence
| with members to induce them to vote for
| it. The witness said that he had taken
breakfast with the Governor at his resi-
| dence; and there were present beside him
self and the Governor Mr.. George +. BrOtt,
president of the Ship Island Canal Com
pany. In this interview the Governor had
said that he could not sign the bill, but
would let Mr.. BrOtt write the veto and
| then, as they were all friends who were
| interested in the bill, he would advocate
! the passSge of the law over his own veto.
| When the bill was vetoed the Governor was
| in the Speakers room and on champagne
| being introduced after the House adjourned,
| confessed his satisfaction that the bill had
| been passed through. This was not the
cause of the disagreement between tie



friendly relations for fifteen months after
ward


Mr.. Lowell had been entreated not to re-
sign from membership of the General AS
sembly when appointed postmaster, the
Governor saying he intended to bring
articles of impeachment against Wicklitfe,
and would require his assistance.
Mr.. Lowell went into an explanation of
the political convention of August: 1870, and
of the resolution of censure on the Governor
for not signing the civil rights bill. He
said at that time the colored people We're
rapidly losing faith in him; that Governor
Dunn, whom Mr.. Lowell recognized as the
head and front of the colored wing of the
party, mstrusted him; that Mr.. Plnchback
was in the same category, and that the Gov
ernor himself had said according to their
statements) that 'the niggers were asking
too much" Governor Dunn had been
elected president of the convention, and Mr..
j. Henri Burch was then the Governors
candidate for temporary chairman. When
the convention had gone into organization,
the question of not signing the bill was
brought up; he did not introduce the reso-
luton. and three speakers, one after the
| other, expressed their dsapprobation of the
Governor on this ground. He was asked,
after the Governor mad spoken, TO reply,
and he did. The expressions made use of
by the Governor at that time against him
self were such as to put an end to their ac-
quaintance which had not since been re-
newed.


A discussion had taken place in his office
on the militia bill, in which the Governor
made use of some profanity.


Colonel Lowell desired that the Governor
should sign the civil rights bill if only to
satisfy the clamors of the colored people,
and test its constitutionality afterward.
But the Governor did not agree with this
view of things.


In reference to the recent August, or Cat
ling gun, convention, Mr.. Lowell denied
that there had been any secret meeting in
the Customhouse of the federal officials in
which they had agreed upon the course to
be pursued. Mr.. Lowell's history of the
convention was much the same rs had been
given By Marshal Packard, though he had
not been able to find out that any letter
carriers in the Postotiice were mixed with
the crowd of deputy marshals that thronged
the corridors of the Customhouse. He him
self had telegraphed for the use of the ST.
Charles Theatre to use as a convention hall
The reason why he did not 90 to the Me-
chancs' Institute, was that the convention
would be controlled by the Governor
Asked in what manner, he said the ap-
proaches to the building would have been
lined with police, and they would have ex-
ercised intimidation. He had been opposed
to holding the convention in the Custom
house.


He announced his conviction that he did





been a blatant" reformer; but, though he
had favored the election and registration
laws, he was in favor of their notification
The Governor, he said, was responsible for
the late frauds" under the registration
law, as, in his manner of executing it, the
people who had not been returned as mem
bers of the Legislature had been injured
He then proceeded to state what he had
learned in his capacity as attorney for con-
testants to seats in the Legislature regard
ing frauds in De Soto and Bossier The
way in which the laws had been carried
out was the reason why he was opposed to
the Governor. He admitted there was no
proof o. the responsibility of Governor
Warmoth tor the election frauds, except
the class of appointments he had made
under the laws, to carry them out.


The State committee had examined, but
did not pass upon the credentials of dele
gates to the last convention.


The witness went on to animadvert ou
the employment of the police to influence
the election of ward delegates. He was
asked if there is any law preventing the
police from attendance on elections Of the
kind, and said he believed not.


He could not say whether in his legis-
lative career he had ever been identified
with any reform movement, but he had op-