The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-22
UyHEEDEB ADVICE,
PACKARD REFUSES TO ABDICAIB
AT MATTHEWSS DICTAlION.
Declines to Take a Fat Office in Lieu
Of The GOVGrlOTSllp.
New 0LEANs, March IA.

Following are the letters OF Hon. STAN
ley Matthews, Hayes's brother-in-law, to
Governor Packard and reply:
UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMBER,
WASHINGTON, d. c.,
February 9th, 1877. }
TO Hon. s. B. Packard, New Orleans.
MY DEAR SIR:--I received and read
with attention your communication on
the subject of public affairs of Louisiana,
AMI the subject has been carefully and
anxiously considered by myself and 9TH
ers in relation to the general policy of a
Republican Administration towards it. l
have conversed at length with -
-, and given to him the result ofmy
convictions, which he can report to you
more in detail than l can at present. I
merely indicate the results of my opin-
ions, without reference to therightfulness
of the origin of your title as Governor l
am of the opinion that the circumstances
are such that il will be out of the question
for Republican administration to main
tain it, as it must necessarily be maintain
ed by force of Federal arms. AS soon as
the existing military orders are with
drawn the Nichols Government will be-
come the only existing government, and
will have to be recognized there as such.
In the meantime it will be the duty of the
Administration to take care that results
shall not imperil the rights and equity of
the colored people of Louisiana so far as
it has power to prevent it, and also to
take care that staunch Republicans like
yourself, against whom nothing disrepu-
table can be alleged, should not suffer,
and should receive consideration and
position in some way. These are,in short
my own individual views. / regret the
condition of affairs, but cannot hel p IL,
and see no better way to improve it.
Respectfully.
STANLEY MATTHEWS.
The Reply.
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
New ORLEANS, March IA, 1877. }
TO Hon. Stanley Matthews:
Ny DEAR SIR Your kind letter of the
9th ult., has been duly received. In my
communication to you, and referred to in
your letter, aimed to exhibit to you the
reasons and sterling facts why the Gov
ernment of which / am the head ought
to receive prompt recognition from the
National Administration. In your reply
you suggest the difficulties that you deem
exist, without reference to the rightful-
ness of the origin of your my" title, and
say, that, "as soon as existing military
orders are withdrawn, the Nichols Gov
ernment will become the only existing
Government, and will have to be recog-
nized then IS such" lnasmuCh as you
say that your letter expresses only your
own individual views. it is not necessary
to attempt to correct your opinion, that
the circumstances are such that it will be
out of the question for Republican ad-
ministrati0n to maintain it my" title.
As that is a subject which now engages
the attention of the President under the
Constitution and law Of the United States
l Judge the purpose ofyour letterto have
been in friendly way to accomplish the
abandonment by me of the Office of Gov
ernor, to the end that the defeated oppo-
nent might assume unquestioned the Of
flee to which | have been elected. Ad-
mitting the value of the opinion Of one so
learned, of so deservedly great influence
in the councils of the nation, l am con-
strained, by high sense of duty to un'
qualifedly decline to entertain any propo-
sition to relinquish or 10 abandon the
position which hold. l received a ma
jority of'the legal votes cast at the last
election, have been declared Governor by
the legal Legislature in joint session, with
an undisputed quorum Of both houses, and
having been lawfully vested with au-
thority as Governor, l cannot with dne
regard to my oath of Office. and duty to
the 10000 voters who have elected me to
the chief magistracy, though | should re-
ceive consideration and position in some
appropriate way, abandon those faithful
men to the merciless vengeance of the
White League Democracy.
l am at the head of q government as
perfect as that of any State in the Union
My predecessor, together with his Secre-
tary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts,
State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public
Instruction and Attorney General, with
all archives of their several offices, sur
rendered these positions into the hands
of those lawfully elected TO receive them.
l now represent the government with
positive possession of all of these Offices.
| am opposed by an organized and armed
mob of men in this city known as the
White League, who have maintained,
during my administration, a force held
together more by the encouragement
given them from abroad than by any 9TH
er means by those who apparently seem
to measure the legal existence of govern
ment by the amount of force it can pre-
sent. Were this force removed, as it will
be when the legitimacy of my govern.
ment is determined by the President,
nothing then will seriously impede the
success of my administration. Personally
my position has been-is-and will be
until the general Government shall see
fit to recognize my authority as Governor
"a most perilous one and it would be a
source of satisfaction did the responsible
ty rest upon some one other than myself.
The hundreds of Republicans who have
given their lives as a sacrifice to the cause
of liberty and free government, the thou
sands who have deposited their votes at
the peril of life, are ever present in my
mind and demand that | faithfully dis
charge the duties devolved upon me.
Should exhibit less devotion than these
faithful people, though the effort cost me
my life, still that devotion would be a
better heritage to my children than the
plaudits Of the White League of the State
when gained by surrender ofboth man
hood and duty. am the Governor and
no armed force or violence can give my
competitor lawful title.
Respectfully, S. B. PACKARD.