The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-04-26
They Review the Claims
of the Two Governors
And Advise Immediate
Removal of the Troops.
Packard's Farewell Address
He Yields to Supe-
rior Force.
Packard's Farewell Address
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

EXECUTIVE IMPAIRMENT,
NEW ORLEANS, April 25th, 1877.
To the Republicans of Louisiana:
On this day, the fifteenth anniversary
OF the surrender of New Orleans TO the
forces Of tho United States, it becomes
my duty to announce to you that the aid
and countenance OF the National govern
ment has been withdrawn from the Re
publicaps of Louisiana, and that gov
ernment, revolutionary in form, Is
practically on the point Of usurp.
ing control of affairs In this
State. I recall the circumstances OF the
last electoral campaign only to thank
you for ..the fidelity to principle you
then displayed. The Republican party,
as you know, entered upon the canvass
united and stronger than ever before. 1t
had enlisted under its banner an infuen
tlal Eclass of native born citizens of
old Wig antecedents, who, to their
honor be it said, still remain faithful to
the principles they espoused, and the
government they supported. l was fur
ther strengthened by the absence from
the' State or opposition of that element
whose previous adherence 10 party.
had brought it into disrepute
These causes com bined to bring about the
remarkable success achieved by the Re.
publican party in all the doubtful
parishes, without one exception, ever
where the white popuiatlon preponder-
ated, and which gave US 4 majority In
the legislature. Except where organized
violence prevailed our State ticket car
rled every Republican parish, and also u
number OF parishes which IN the iast
legislature were represented By Demo-
cratic members. l will briefly sum-
Marie the history of events that have
since occurred: The General Assembly
met on the lst OF January last, and organ
lied with full legal quorum in both
houses, passed laws which were approved
by the then executive of the state, and
on the I'd OF January last canvassed and
declared the vote for governor. AT this
time the nation WAS ayltated by doubt rs
to the result of the presidential election.
With the expectation tharSamuei j. Til
den might probably become President OF
The United States, and with no hope of
success otherwise, my opponent in the
late campaign established a mock
legislature and went through the
farce OF an investigation, in order
that there might be semblance
of a government which Tilden, if finaugu-
rated, could possibly galvanze into vital.
ity. In the few days that followed Gen.
Nichols ard his adherents were encour-
AGED by the unexpected refusal OF Presi-
dent Grant to recognize the State gov
ernment or to respond to the consLitu-
tionsl call of the Legislature, though ho
questioned the legality OF neither. On
the 9th of January, l had scarcely taken
my seat in the executive chalr,
when the White League rose in
armed instruction and, by coup de
main, took possession OF the Supreme
Court. arsenal and the stations OF the
metropolitan police, all located at the
CAPITAL. Then cane orders from Presl-
dent Grant establishing a statue quo, the
practical effect OF which was to confirm
the insurgents in the advantages they
had gained, and to prevent any effort to
dlspossess them. On the inauguration
of President Hayes, the State authorities
made preparations to organize military
force for the defence of the State gov.
ernment. General Nichols police seized
upon the recruiting officers and imprisoned
them for treason. without benefit OF bail
or writ OF habeGs corpus. l telegraphed
this fact to President Hayes, asking i,
this was \ violation Of the statue quo, and
if not whether the release OF these men
by force, all civil remedies having been
exhausted, W, uld be so considered The
President replied: "Your dispatch o:
the 24tn is received. The Secretary OF
War has telegraphed to General Augur
A commission will shortly visit Loulsi-
ana. In the meantime the Presl-
dent desires that the situation
remain unchanged" The Commission
came, and IN the meantime the Nichols
government had crystslized into shape,
and so for from permlttltg the sliustlon
to remain unchanged it had broken INTO
the tax collectors offices of the city, IL
had taken torciole control et the Stste
institutions and had strengthened itself
on al! sides. Notwithstanding this,
however, the Commission found the
leEsl legislature still in session at the
State House, and my title unasssiled and
unassallabIe, except by force. The re-
suit Of their lsoors during the two
weeks they remained here is known
to all men. They induced q
number OF the members OF the
legal Aouse Of Representatives
to take seats in the Nichols House, thus
giving it returning board quorum.
Prior 10 the meeting of the Legislature,
the Democrats claimed TO have elected
only sixty members OF the Hou; ;e-one
less than quorum. One, at least, OF the
members so clslmed by them was absent
on the first OF January last. No Repub-
licsn or Independent memoer would
consent to act with Nichols, and conse.
Quently, in order to obtain even the sp.
pearsnce of an organization, they had
been compelled to call to their AID three
men defeated at the polls The whole
selection hal not been previously
claimed. The inquiry, therefore, seems
pertinent in this connection. II Re-
turning Board quorum was so effective
for Nichols claim, why was it that
such quorum was ignored while 1t re-
msined faithful TO the legal government
of the State. Ths. government had a
Returning Board quorum for the day on
which the General Assembly convsn cd,