The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-05-12
NIGHT be a semblance of a government,

might be sem blance OF government,
which Mr.. Tilden, if inaugurated,
could possibly galyanize into life.
In a few days that followed, Gen.
Nichols and his adherepts were en-
couraged by the unexpected refusal
of President Grant to recognize the
State government, or to respond to
the constitutional call of tie Legisla-
ture, though he questioned the legal
ity of neither. On the 9th Of January,
when I had scarcely taken my seat in
the executive chair, the White Leagues
rose in armed Instruction and by q
coup de main, took possession of the
Supreme Court, the arsenals and the
stations of the Metropolitan Police, all
located at the capital. Then came
orders from President Grant, estab-
fishing a status quo, the practical eff
feet of which was to confirm the in
surgents in the advantages they had
gained, and to prevent any effort to
dispossess them. On the Inaugural
ton of President Hayes the State au-
thorities made preparation to organ
ize militia force for the defense of
the State government. Gen. Nichols
police seized upon the recruiting of
ficers and imprisoned them for treason,
without benefit of bail or writ of
h0beas corpus.
telegraphed this fact to President
Hayes, asking if this was violation
of the status quo, and if not, whether
the release of these men by force (all
civil remedies having heen exhausted)
would be so considered. The Presi-
dent replied:
Your dispatch of the 9th is received. The
Secretary of War has telegraphed to GEN.
Augur: Commission will shortly visit
Louisiana. In the meantime the President
desires that the situation remain unchanged
The Commission came. In the
peantime the Nichols government
had crystalized into shape. So far
from permitting " the situation to re-
main unchanged it had broken into
the Tax Collectors offices of the city,
had taken forcible control of State in
situations and had strengthened itself
on all sides. Notwithstanding this,
however, the Commission found the
legal Legislature still in possession at
the State House, and my title unas-
sailed and unassailable, excepG by
force. The result of their labors dur
ing the two weeks they remained here
is known Of all men. They induced a
of the members of the legal
House of Representatives to take seats
in the Nichols House, thus giving it
+" a Returning Board quorum"
Prior to the meeting of the Legisla-
ture the Democrats claimed to have
elected only sixty members-one less
than a quorum. One, at least, of the
members SO claimed by them was alb
sent on the LIST of January last.
No Republican or independent
member would consent to act with
the Nichols House, and consequently.
ia order to obtain even the appear
ance of an organization, they had
been compelled to call to their aid
three men, defeated at the polls,
whose election had not previously
been claimed.
The inquiry, therefore, seems per-
tinent in this connection, it ''Return-
ing Board quorum was so effective
for thu Nichols claimants, why was it
that such quorum was ignored while
it remained faithful to the legal gov
ernment of the State? That govern
ment held Returning Board quorum
from the day on which the General
convened, and the Legisla-
ture, duly organized, remained in le-
gal existence till disintegrated by the
direct act of the Commission.
This result having been achieved,
it is matter of record that congrat-
ulatory messages were exchanged
between the President and his Com
mission. On the following day the
President, by formal order made
public through the press, directed that
the United States troops, occupying
a building in the vicinity of the
State House, should be removed to
their barracks. Those troops had
been placed there by President Grant,
formal call of the Governor,
to project the Returning Board while
the vote for President was counted.
| firmly believe that, had the legal
government been recognized, it could
nave sustained itself without the inr
of troops. But the orde-
or their withdrawal, issued under
he circumstances and in the manner
That it was issued, clearly indicated
hat even the moral support which
he legal government of Louisiana
should have received from the ma
,ional administration would be denied.
Had the General Assembly continued
n session at the State House | should
lave deemed it my duty to have as
serted and defended the government
% tire last, Notwithstanding the
of the troops. But, with
he Legislature disintegra ted, and
10 prospect of present success, | can
lot task your tried fidelity by asking
rou longer to continue to aid me in
he struggle [ have thus far main
aimed. | therefore announce to you
hat / am compelled to abstain, for
he present, from all active asser-
ion of my government. | waive
zone of my legal rights, but yield
My TO superior force.