The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-26

THE VIRGINIA pENITENTLARY OR AN IN
FAMOUS CRIME COMMITTED IN ORANGE
COUNTY-TuE WAR IN THE EAST-SK1R
INSISTING. &C., &C.
T. REPORT OF THE LOUISIANA COMMISSIONERS.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-The following il
the report of the Louisiana commissioners
submitted to the President Tuesday:
Ne,o Orleans, L., April 81, 1S7T.-It
the President Of the United States: Sir
In accordance with your request the under.
signed have visited this city and passed the
last sixteen days in ascertaining the politi-
cal situation in Louisiana, and endeavorinS
to bring about peaceful solution OF its
difficulties. In view OF the declaration in
the letter Of the Secretary OF State that we
should direct our efforts to the end of sccrl-
ring the recognition of single Legislature
as the depository OF the representative will
OF the people Of Louisiana, leaving, il
necessary, to judicial or other consti-
tutional arbitrament within the State
the question Of ultimate right, and in
view OF your determination to with
draw the troops OF the United States to
| their barracks as soon as it could be done
without cndangering the peace, we adj
|
common Legislature of undisputed author
| ity, competent to compose the existing po-
| Ftical contentious and preserve the peace
without any aid from the National Govern
ment. To this end we endeavored to as
suage the bitterness and luminosity we
| found existing on both sides, so us to Sc
cure a public opinion less unfaYorable to
such concessions as were indispensable to
our success. In obtaining such a Legisla-
ture and such general acquiescence in it's
authority MS would insure social order
we have had full conferences with the
two gentlemen who claim the gubernatorial
office and with many other members OF
their respective governments in their eXecu-
tive, judicial, and legislative departments.
We have also converse2 very freely with
large delegations Of men Of business, with
many OF the district Judges and with hum
dreds Of prominent citizens OF all parties
and races, representing not only this city,
but almost every parish IN the State. We
have also received many printed and writ
ten statements OF fact and legal arguments,
and every person with whom VIC came in
contact has shown an earnest desire to give
Us all possible information bearing upon the
political divisions in this State. The actual
condition OF affairs on our arrival in this
Governor Packard 1--WE shall speak OF both
gentlemen by the title they claim was at
the State-House with his Legislature and
friends and an armed police force. AS there
was no quorum in the Senate, even upon
his own theory OF the law, his Legislature
was necessarily inactive. The Supreme
Court which recognized his authority had
not attempted to transact business since
it was ulspossesseu OF its courtroom and
the custody OF its records, on the 9th day
OF January, 1877. He had no organized
militia; alleging that his deficiency in that
respect was owing to his obedience to the
orders OF President Grant to take no steps to
change the relative position OF himself and
Governor Nichols. His main reliance WAS
upon his alleged legal title, claiming that it
was the constitutional duty OF the President
to recognize it, and to afford him such mill
tary assistance as might be necessary to en-
able him to assert his authority as Gov
ernor.
Governor Nichols was occupying the
Odd-Fellows' Hall as State-HouSe. His
Legislature met there and was actively en-
gagged in the business OF legislation. All
| the departments Of the city government OF
the city of New Orleans recognized his aIl-
thority. The Supreme Court, nominated by
him and confirmed byghis Senate, was hold
ing daily sessions, and had heard about two
hundred cases. The time for the collection
OF taxes had not arrived, but considerable
sum OF money in the form OF taxes had been
voluntarily paid into his Treasury, out OF
which he was defraying the ordinary eX-
penses Of State government. The Nichols
Legislature had 4 quorum in the Senate
upon either the Nichols or Packard theory
of the law; quorum in the House
on the Nichols but not on the Pack
ard theory. The Packard Legislature
had quorum in the House on its own the
DRY of the law, but, as already stated, not
in the Senate, and was thus disabled from
any legislation that would be valid even in
the Judgment OF its own party. The COM
mission found it to be very difficult to ascer-
tain the precise extent to which the respcc.
tive governments were acknowledged In
the various parishes outside Of New Or
leans, but it is safe. to say that the changes
which had taken place in the parishes after
the organization of the two governments
on the 9th OF January, 1877, were in favor
of the Nichols government. The claim tt
LEGALITY Of the Supreme Court, composed
of Chief-Justice Ludeling and associates,
who were nominated by Governor Nj
chollS and confirmed by his Senate
rests upon the same basis as The
title Of Governor Nichols and his Sen
ate; the claim to legality OF the Supreme
Court, composed of Chief-Justic Ludeling
and his associates, rests either upon their
right to hold over in case the Nichols
court is lllegal,--or upon the legality OF the
Kellogg-Packard Senate, which confirmed
the judges upon the nomination OF Cover
nor kellogg, and while it had Returning
Board quorum, the Constitution Of the State
OF Louisiana requires that returns or al
elections for members of the General Assem-
bly, shall be made to the Secretary OF State
1t also provides that the qualified electors
shall vote for Governor and Lieuten
ant-Governor at the time and place o.
voting for representatives. The returns Of
every election shall be sealed up an(
transmitted by the proper returning
officers to the Secretary Of State
who shall deliver them to the Speaker o.
the House OF Representative on the SECOND
day Of the General Assembly then to bt
holden. Members OF the General Assem-
bly, shall meet in the House Of Representa-
tlves and examine and count the votes. l
will be observed that this provision Of thu
Constitution requires the returns OF tht
votes for Governor and Lieutenant-Gov
ernor to be sealed up and transmitted b!
the proper returning officers to the Sec
rotary of State, and the same provision i
made in substance as to members Of tht
General Assembly; but in 1870 the Legisla
ture passed an act, amended in 1872, which
created body called q Returning Board
consisting OF five members to be appointed
by the Senate, and to be Returning Boar(
officers for all elections in the State