Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-01-18
Affairs in Louisiana !
THE SITUATION.
PICTURE OF GLOOM AND DEPREs-
SION.

NEW ORLEANS, January II. Gov. Packard
having been asked to promise that no effort will
be made on his part to disturb the existing state
OF affairs for the present, reluctantly consents anc
says 10 letter to Gen. Augur, after reviewing the
history OF the past few weeks: "ln view of al
these facts it seemed to me that to give q pledge
virtually asked of me this morning, would be tc
sanction revolution, and by scquescence give il
the force Of an accomplished fact, and therefore
declined: lnsomuch, however, as l learn that il
was the Presidents wish that the present status
should be maintained until the Congressional Al
Committee now in Louisiana return, and feeling
assured that the legal status of the existing State
government will speedily be recognized, aud that
wrongs committed in the last eight days will be
set right will give the pledge requested that no
effort be made on the part of the lawful State gov
ernnent, to forclbly disturb the existing state of
afalfs without further communication with YOU"
The Republican, referring to the present condi-
ton of affairs, says: In the meantime the process
nj law IS paralyzed, no business is transacted in
the courts, and but little is done in the markets
The people are excited and weary. Mercantile
houses are failing and othess ar e in financial
straits Scarcely any produce is coming to mar.
ket, and stocks OF goods in store find no buyers.
The following is Gen. Augur's reply to Gov
Packald's letter of last night;
Headquarters of the Department of the Gulf,
New Orleans. January II.
Dear Sir Your letter, dated the 10Th inst.
which you had published in the newspapers and
tsegraphed north before it was possible for me to
see it, is received. Though addressed to me. Iun.
derstand very we'll that il is not intended for me
particularly, and but for some errors effectng me
personally, should not think it necessary to make
any reply. You state that orders had been issued
early on this day, the 9Th, by the honorable Sec'y
of War, directing that unauthorized armed bodies
should be required TO desist, &C. Considered this
order OF the Sec'y of War as virtually command
ing maintenance of the ststu quo, consequently
The State forces in charge of different positions
outside Of the Capital were directed to make such
resistance as would compel a manifestation of
force and breach of the peace on the part of
their opponents.
1t was my understanding that neither side
should be permitted to interfere with the status OF
the other side. In reply to this would state that
the time OF day at which this order was issued i.
immaterial. II was not received here until some
time after the sure nder without resistance of the
supreme court room, the arsenal and all of the
police stations, and it is quite a new thing to me
TO hear that you ever considered that order as
commanding a maintenance OF the statu quo
Yourself and the officers in command immediate
ly under you have repeatedly stated that it was
your intention to seize any favorable opportunity
to recover the court room and you have repeated
ly sent your sheriff to demand that room and have
twice since that time made written application to
me for troops to assist in such recovery.
This does look as though it was your under
standing that neither side should be permitted to
interfere with the status of the other side, 1t was
the fact of these threats to recover lost ground
whenever favorable opportunity presented itself,
that has furnished excuse for the Nichols par
~ to keep force in readiness to resist them and
II was in view of this very condition of affairs
that yesterday morning directed two of my staff,
one to see you and one to see Gen. Nichols to in
quire, not request, if some agreement or under
standing could not be entered into by which the
-tatu quo could be guaranteed until such time as
the president should make his decision.
Such an arrangement would do away with the
supposed necessity of keeping up body of armed
men on either side, and diminish very greatly the
chances for violence and boosbed. ! made no
request in the matter. l had no right to make any
request. 1t was simply suggestion in the inter
est, as thought, of peace, and to give moments
Of quiet to the citizens of this excited city. Nei-
ther Nichols nor yourself thought it advisable to
adopt it, and there it ended An error was made,
too, in the form of memorandum left you by
Mayor Russell, last night, though of no particular
moment, still prefer it to be reported correctly.
In directing the staff officers last Aiaht to deliver
TO you and Gen. Nichols each a copy of the des-
patch Of the 10th, from the Sec'y Of War, he was
told 10 say to each that hope they will give as
surances that the Presidents wishes shall be re-
spected. | made no request for such assurances.
Very respectfully, your obedent servant
(Sgned) Z. c. AUGUR, Brig. Gen. Comdg.