New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-17
PACKARD no AUGUR.
HE COMPLAINS OF BAD FAITH
WHITE LEAGUE OPERATIONS IN DEFIANCE
OF MILITARY INSTRUCTIONS.
A Strong Case Against the
ReVOlutionists.
YET THE GOVERNOR RESPECTS THE
GENERALS WISHES.

Governor Packard has addressed the fol.
lowing communication to General Augur;
STATE or LOUISIANA
Executive Department }
New Orleans January I6, l817.)
To Brigsdier General c. C. Augur, Commanding
Department:
SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of communication from Brevet
Major Russell, aid-de-camp, Of this date,
as follows:
Hon 3. 2. Packard, New Orleans, Louisiana:
SR-Upon delivering to you a copy of
dispatch of the honorable the Secretary of
War of this date / informed you that Cen
eral Augur, commanding the department,
requested that you give assurance that the
Presidents wishes concerning the preserva-
ton OF the present status be respected. You
requested me to put the request in writing,
that you might make a written reply. l
have done 60, and remain aetc.
In reply, / beg to say that when this
morning received q verbal request,
through Major Russell, to consent to let
matters remain in statW quo, and to make
no effort to reinstate the lawful authorities
in possession of the court room and records
of the Supreme Court, and other positions
of which they had been forcibly dispOs-
sessed by the violent and revolutionary
action of the White League, felt that the
request would have been more appropriate
if made Immediately after my installation
branches of the government ha0 been
forcibly taken possession of by the opposi-
ton.
A majority of the lawfully returned mem.
bers of the General Assembly, in strict con-
formity with the laws and constitution of
the State, had declared me elected Gov
ernor, and on the eighth of January duly
+ he IN nha "a
and maintain the laws of the State.
My predecessor feeling, / presume, that
there was q difference of opinion in the ma
ton with regard to the election in this
State, as was made manifest by the pres.
ence of investigating committees of both
houses of Congress, permitted, with my
full assent, my contestant to go through
the form of an inauguration without at
tempting in any manner to interpOee.
had scarcely taken the oath Of office
when the White League were called to
arms. The courtroom and records of the
Supreme Court of the State Ia court whose
title no well infor med jurist ventures to dis
pute) were forcibly taken possession Of,
and the various precinct police stations
were captured in like manner by display
of overwhelming force.
Orders had been issued early on this day
| 1.-THE ninth instant) by the honorable the
| Secretary of War, directing that all unau-
| thorized armed bodies should be required
| to deslst. A dispatch of the same date from
| yourself to the Secretary of War conveyed
/ the assurance that General Nichols had
i promised the disbRndment of his armed
/ force. ] construed this order of the Seere-
tary of War as virtually commanding a
maintenance of the statue quo; consequently
| the State forces in charge of the different
positions outside the Capitol were directed
/ to make such resistance as would compel q
manifestation of force and breach Of the
peace on the part Of their opponents.
1t was my understanding that neither
side should be permitted to interfere with
the status of the other side, Yet it is a
matter of public nOtoriety that on the day
after this order was received, and this
| pledge was given, q force of several hun
dred armed White League ION the tenth in.
stant) repaired to the State arsenal, aud
took therefrom into their own keeping five
pieces of artillery, including two Gatling
guns; that q garrison of armed men was
/ placed in and around the Supreme Court
| buildings; that on the following day 1.-THE
eleventh instant) an armed company of the
White League broke into and took posses
sion of the Office of recorder of mortgages
in this city.
The dispatch of the President, of date
January IA, copy of which was commune
Gated by you to me, distinctly affirmed the il.
| l6gAnGy OF the pretended COURT rooms AnQ
records of the Supreme Court of the State
Since the publication of that dispatch the
unauthorized armed bodies by whom these
court rooms are held, and this pretended
court is sustained, have been openly rein.
/ forced.
In view of all these facts it seemed to me
that to give the pledge verbally asked Of
me this morning would be to sanction rev
olution and, by acquiescence, give it the
force of accomplished fact, and I therefore
| declined.
Inasmuch, however, as learn that it il
the Presidents wish that the present statuf
should be maintained throughout the State
until the congressional committees now il
Louisiana return; and feeling assured thai
the legal status of the existing State gov
ernment will speedily be recognized, and
that the wrongs committed in the last eight
| days will be set right, give the pledge re
| qnested that no effort will be made on the
| part of the lawfnl State government tt
forcibly disturb the existing state of affairs
without further communication with you
Very respectfully, your Obedient servant
s. B. PACKARD, Governor.