The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-14
F,onisauna.'

..a,d tb.t. the commissions session, WIicn
ssUo n,,til o'clock this morning, was
E ,aS,e the message to the president.
Thn tenor OF the message is not positRely
tnown. but it is believed that 1t notihes lne
President that they Ind concluded their IN
xasti aatlon under. the present instructlons'
and suggesting that they were ready 20 re.
ceiye any further instructions the president
might desire to give.
WASHINGTON, April ia New Orleans
dispatch says: cit appears that the mem m
beers Of the commission arc very puch ul-
yided In opinion as to what course TO pur-
sue. The more conservative tn,nK tney ule
| not expected to examine into any matters
save the situation in Louisiana. Others re.
card the commission in the light OF board
OF arbitration. Two Of them deem it hlghiy
important that work should be expedited,
and the commission return to washington
os soon 'as possible. Messrs. Harlan ana
Hawley think they should remain on the
ground until the whole affair Is adjusted:
These gentlemen still cling to the fusion OF
the Legislature project, and express the
opinion taat no United States senator VIII
| be admitted who is not elected by n iuil Lc-
rislature consolidated upon that basis"
Tbe Tribune'S New Orleans dispatch
saws. 8. It NAV safely be stated that malo-
rifv If not all Of themembers have been led
nv their INQUIRIES to the following conclu-
sions go ----.--.....
has tTIe best, il not the only de juretitle OF
The Returning Board to constitutional part
Of the machinery Of elections; then Pack
ard, his court, his officers, and his Leglsla-
turc are the legitimate products OF that ma
chinery. There Is room for far DOUBT as
TO the constitutional power OF the Board
to make I'D the Legislature and to act judi
cially on toe Supreme Court decision deny
| inr il the power. Its return was binding,
and the Nichols party had, therefore, no
right to build up government on their
own doubts rs to the constitutionalitV OF
the statutes under which the Board acted.
| Tbc question goes to the President, how
ever, not as a legal, but as political one,
and he may fairly satisfy himself and be
governed by his conclusions as to whether
| the Boards action was constitutional.
"Second. That Nicholls's government eX-
ercises complete de facto authority through
:. out the State, and on every acre OF ITS SOIL
eyceDt within the walls OF the old hotel
Eusod bv Packard as his State-House. The
assertions by Packard that in certain heavy
negro parishes he is recognized have not
been verified, reputable gentlemen OF both
part,es having come in from those parishes
to assure the commission that Nlcholls's adj
ministration meets with no more opposi-
tion. in these localities than i'll New Or
leans. Packard's statement that nearly
all the circuit judges in the State 'recog-
niZc him has been found to rest solely on
the fact that these judges were commits
stoned by Kellogg, and is disprQyed ny
oaths OF Office filed by them with the NICHOLS
Secretary of State. 1t Is literally true that
Packard is prisoner III the State-HouSc,
and that his claims are actually supported
By nobody in Louisiana except the number
| Of his government and tEo or three hun
dred guards he is feeding and paying; and
no doubt the negro population believe in
his right and want it enforced, but they will
not raise ainger to aid him while the white
| population is in active and determined hos
tility to his pretensions. -.
Third. That Nicholas administration is
maintaining order throughout the State and
protecting the rights Of both races, and that
peace and prosperity would result from its
continuance. t-.+
Fourth. That Packard's administers
ton cannot be established by the simple
recognition on the part OF the President, but
only by the Use of Il large force OF Federal
troops to crush out the acting government,
and the maintenance, of q garrison in the
State during. the whole OF Packard's term.
Further, that ii his course were practicable
it would involve continuance OF the race
conflict, social and industrial disturbances,
and the business depression which charac-
terized Kelogg's administrations.
| GNote.-It is thought that the above is the
substance of the communication to the Pre-
sident. ... -..-. .ui5:t. .'..
| The Nichols party are not disposed to
make any concessions, but viii maintain
their ground in the belief and hope that
| ultimately, as in the case OF Hampton IN
South Carolina, they will have full and TN
INSTRUCTED possession OF the Louisiana
State House. Ri ....+ ..5... d,
The Packard party are ready to enter into
arrangements for a joint Legislature to de-
termine the pending question, but this be-
ing rejected by the Nichols party, the
Packard party ask the, President to deter
mine which is the legal State government.
The President declines to act upon the
request, as under pl esent circumstances lie
would not be justified in forming deci-
Esion, owing to the disagreement Of the Nj
cholIs and Packard parties and the un-
promising prospects of an accommodation.
The commissioners ask for further lnstruc-
!, tons. The telegram from the commission
ers was laid before the Cabinet and read at
:, length, and gave rise to a general inter-
change of opinion during the day. AS the
result OF the Cabinet deliberations further
:; instructions will be semitic the commission
ers. G. e.. ..s.i f. : = H'. ---.. - % .
4 , A, H1y1T. RIGIrrs q SE TIE OTHER Way