The People's vindicator., 1877-07-21
The Louisiana Commission
Col. VIM. NJ. Levy Explains in
Full
No Agreement It Would Have
Been DiShOnOrablo !

tcrmcd fellow-citixcn, Coz. VIM. NJ
Levy. cx-mcmber of Congress from
18th Congressional District, and prom
ineutly connected with the settlement
of the Iouis;aua Question last
Spring. The following is the re-
suit of our pleasant interview:
Colonel there seems to be some ex-
cittmcut upon the sub Iect of the recent
! indictments against the members of
The late Louisiana Returning Board,
and it isas>crted by some of the news
papers and politicians, tha! these pros.
ccutions are in violation of the I'M.
,lcr>tanding or agreement had with
Mr.. Hayes and other prominc cnt Re-
puhlcan>, that, on the recognition of
the Nichols government there should
he amnesty, or full immunity for all
past political offences committed by
the Republicans in Louisiana, and
that such agreement covered any of
fences committed by them in viola
! ton of the laws of Louisiana, where
such offences ennrcd to the political
benefit of THEN party. You were
prominently connected with the set
Element of the Louisiana question,
and VIC would be glad to have your
knowledge and recollection Of the
facts in regard to this matter, and
generally as to the settlement of the
Louisiana question.
Col. Levy.-In conjunction with
my late colleagues, Mcs>rs. Gibson
and Ellis, | took a very active part in
the endcavors to prevent Federal re-
cogultion and the upholdiug Of the
Packard government by the admins.
tration of General Grant, and in ef-
forts to prevent such recognition and
Federal interference by the adninis-
tration of Mr.. Hayes. In these efforts,
the Loni> i>iana Democratic) dclcsa-
tion had the valuable assistance of
many gentlemen in and oat of official
position. Among these were promi-
ucnt, Senators Gordon, Lamar, Gar
land and Matthews, Secretaries
Eyarts, SchurIz and Key, Representa-
tives Jno. Young Brown and Foster
Gov. Denison, Col. Jas. Casey, and
Charles Nordhoff Esq, whose scrvi-
ccs in our behalf were of great value
and efficacy. Shortly after the inau.
guration of Gov. Nichols, the real
contest for the State government OF
Louisiana Logan. On the one hand
the occupation and retention by arm.
ed police force under Packard, of the
State House, on the other the occupa-
ton and retention by armed police
force, under Nichols, of the Supreme
Court room; this gave tangible, sub
stantial evidence of such conflict OF
authority rs excited grave apprchcn
sions of collision, which woull pro-
badly cu|nlnate in hloodShcd and
other serious results. Packard and
his adherents and supporters relied
solely npon Federal interposltion tc
maintain their government and an
tholity. Nichols and his friends
asked only, that, the Federal am
should be stayed, and the maintcn.
ance Of the one or the other govern
ment established 10y the voluntary
support of the people Of the State, b,
whom the taxes were to be paid, and
without hch, the government fail
ing to obtain this support must die o
inariiion. The friends and advo
Gates of the Nichols goverumen
never asked for the aid of the fede.
raj power ; ON the contrary, protested
against the use Of the troops, ant
asked, only, that, they should be with
drawn from the State House, witt
their duties and powers limited b,
Executive order to the prevention Q
riot, tnmult and bloodshcd. Th
truth of history and strict justice dc
maud, that, a full statement of all th
acts and negotiations resulting il
the firm and uncontcstcd establish
ment of the Nichols governmen
should be given.
The most earnest and pcysistcn
appeals were made by the Packar
party to President Grant, to orde
the Federal troops to displace tn
Nichols Supreme Court, restore tn
Q Court building and Police Stations t
F the Packard authorities, and in short
disperse the Nichols government i
all its branches. This, to the credi
of General Grant, was refused. II
stated TO Messrs. Gibson, Ellis, an
, myself, distinctly, that he should moi
pending the electoral count, interfer
for, or against either of the claim
, ants, that the troops were instructed
and should remain instructed only t
t preserve the public peace, that as ia
, as tho armed occupation or posses
sion of the Court building was con