Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-25

LOUISIANA.
A compromlse propoeItlon.

Isr~~~-~1>~4~~r.~
LOUISIANA.
u A Compromise Proposition.
Il State of Louisiana, Executive De
Partmcnt, New Orleans, April Il
lS77.-TO PRESIDENT HAYES, Wash
ington, d. C.-Dear Sir. It is evi
dent that the commission sent here
by you instructed, among other point.
to secure removal Of the obstacle
to the acknowledgement Of one gov
ernment, and, failing in that, to &C
complish tho recognition of q siugl
legislature, as tho depository of th
representative will of the people o
Louisiana, will fail to effect either Q
these results. A fair proposition cal
be obtained only by the abandon
ment of one or the other of the claim
ants to the gubernatorial chair. TIL
second proposition, involving tn
unification of the two bodies eacf
now claiming to be the legislature o
the State of Louisiana, is possible
The plan suggested by the commits
sion that one hundred and four mem
bers of the lower house and thirty
three members Of the senate, who's,
election is not disputed, should b,
brought together in one body, ant
the general assembly thus constituted
should pass upon the qualification
OF contested members and thus re.
organized should compose the con.
ficts in the coordinate branches o.
the government was acceptable to III,
republicans, but is said to have beer
rejected by the democrats. This plar
was understood to emanate from thu
President and to embody his ideas o1
what was just and equitable. The re-
publicans have indicated q willing.
ness to accede to reorganization OF
the legislature ON this basis, in defer.
encc to the Presidents wishes, ever
if in so doing they should waive un-
doubted legal rights. 1t is presumed
that from the Presidents standpoin,
that any other legislative settlement
would work injustice to one or the
other Of the contending parties, and
it is not believed that the administra.
tion would sanction injustice. Re.
publicans were willing to submit tie
claims of their state government to q
legislature thus constituted. 1t il
clearly indicated that General Mich.
oils and his adherents have rejected
this proposition, mainly because OF
their fixed belief in the truth of the
statement repeatedly made that the
Foster Matthews agreement Is event
ually in some way to give the govern.
ment of the State to the democrats
Were this belief removed from their
minds, perhaps they would not be so
defiant, and would accept the adjust.
ment you offer. The reported pur-
pose Of the administration to carry
out the suggestions of Messrs. Foster
and Matthews by the withdraw OF
the United States troops, is a stand.
ing menace to the republicans in this
state, and encourages the democracy
to emulate the arrogant policy OF
General Hampton in South Carolina.
l have received no reply to my letter
of the 9th inst, requesting that the
instructions of the commission should
be SO amended and enlarged as to en-
able them to enquire and report
which of the contending governments
is legally entitled to recognition,
whether q legal supreme court exists,
and who compose It; and whether OF
not there Is an armed insurrection
against the lawful government ]
therefore most respectfully renew
that request, in Wow of tho rejection
by my political opponents of the
reasonable proposition above REFER
red to, made by the President through
the commission. Your cxcellcncy can.
not fail to perceive that in thus ex-
pressing my willingness to submit
my claims to the commission appoint
ed without solicitation on my part OF
without either myself or any of my
friends having any voice in its sclec.
tion, it at least manifests confidence
in the justice of my claims.
Under the present instructions the
commission is charged with the in.
vestigation of matters not essential
| Why should instructions be withheld
which would enable it to report up.
on matters essential to the ascertain.
ment Of the legality of one or the
other of the governments claiming
recognition from the President-one
of which must be entitled thereto un-
der the provisions of the conststution
of the country. The commission thus
far in its relations to the republican
party has only suggested methods
which directly tend to the abandon.
ment of the contest, irrespective ol
right or justice. I respectfully SUBJ
nit that tho questions at issue in
Louisiana cannot be disposed of by
mere expedients. The claims of in.
dividuals to office are of little conse-
quence when weighed against the
rights and liberties of majority of
the people. If a lawful government
in Louisiana can be overthrown by
democratic violence with the consent
of the federal government, originally
called into existence for the express
purpose, what state in the union may
not hereafter be subject to similar
revolutions? Are the American
people willing to see this precedent
established?
Earnestly requesting your immedi.
ate action on the facts presented,
have the honor to be, very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
(Signed) s. B. PACKARD.
Members of the Nichols house arc
in caucus tonight considering the ad-
| justments proposed, which are thai
the present organization of the legis'
lature shall remain intact, the roll to b.
called by Clerk Trezevant on the frs
day of the assembling Of the Mich
oils legislature at st. Patrick's Hall
omitting the names Of seven members
who have since been seated subject II
contest. The house roll will include
siXty-two democrats and fifty-sever
republicans, one democratic member
having died. It is understood tina
this arrangement is satisfactory to tn
commission and to the conservative
of the house caucus and adopted b,
the senate to-day.
The commission, it is stated, adyis
ed the president Of the acceptance o
this plan by the Nichols governmen
and will await the presidents approx
al before submitting the matter t
Packard.
The White-League Prepesitiel
In the Republican Caucus.
The Caneus Resolves Net to Ae
cept the One.Aided Pre-
! posal.
l NEW ORLEANS, April lS.-Botl
hOueoa of tho Packard le1islAfure mn