New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-27
GOVERNOR PACKARD ISSUES AN
oUTsPoKEN ADDRESS,
Which Punctures MF. Nichols Pre-
pOsterOus Claims,
AND REBuKES THE IMPERTINENT INTER
FERENCE OF UNNATURALIzED ALIENS.



State of Louisiana, just made public, con- ]
tains gross misstatements which deem it
my duty thus authoritatively to refute.
Mr.. Nichols, who asserts that his govern
ment is a fixed fact, complete in all its
is destitute of one shred of legal
title to the office he attempts to usurp The
pretended Legislature which canvassed his
claims to the office of Governor had not be
fore them any legal returns of election as
pre- essribed by the constitution, and lacked
two of quorum in the Senate and twenty
of a quorum in the House. The Secretary
of State, refusing o formal demand made
upon him by partisans of Nichols, placed
the only legal returns of the election before
the Legislature recognized by Governor
Kellogg. That Legislature, meeting in the
State House as required by law. and having
full legal quorum present in both houses.
opened and canvassed the returns and de-
ciared me elected Governor.
The vote of the State of Louisiana was
further passed upon during the recent con-
test over the presidential election by the |
highest tribunal in the nation. That tri- |
bunal declared the vote of the State to |
have been cast for Hayes and Wheeler, and |
by ss doing, proclaimed, in effect, my cleo |
ton, for the vote cast for me exceeded by |
nearly seven hundred that cast for several |
of the presidential elec:Ors. The con-
etitution names as executive officers
of the State, a Treasurer, Secretary
of State, Auditor, Attorney General
and Superintendent Of Education. Not one
of the important branches of the govern
ment is in accord With or under the control
of General Nichols. The State Treasurer,
elected in 1874 for q period of four years,
refuses to recognize the authority Of Mr..
Nichols, or to eign any tax papers that he
may attempt to issue. The Secretary of
State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Attorney
General and Superintendent of Public Edu-
AL oka1 TTrffh ma nd nn0 NfyaA hTy
the out going government, are in posses
sion of all the records and archives of the
State pertaining to their respective Offices
These include the machinery for the assess
ment aud collection of taxes.
The Supreme Court appointed by my
predecessors recogn zes me as Governor
Outside the city of New Orleans the great
majority Of the district judges aoknowl-
edge my authority. In neatly all the
peaceful, prosperous and productive par.
fishes of the State the authority of my gov
ernment and its officials is unquestiOned.
The few country parishes which assume
to recognize and support General Nichols
are mostly those where turbulence pre-
walls, as it did during the late campaign,
and where political assassination is still
practiced and approved, and general law
lessness banishes prosperity.
Mir. Nichols, in his proclamation, thanks
''the patriotic citizens who, on the ninth
i QAY OI UhuuhIY1 1Ot IbBpOuOou W buo DhlA
| of the civil authOrtit Of this State to pre-
vent illegal attempts to Oust them from
| their legal possession of the court build
| inRs." It is notorious that the "patriOtic"
service thus rendered consisted in several
thousand armed White League, with artil
lery in battery, taking violent possession of
the courtroom and archives of the Supreme
Court of the State Ia court of unquestiOned
legality, and installing in its stead a pre-
tended tribunal, commissioned by Nichols,
and officially declared by the President of
! the United States to be devoid of any legal
| authority.
The harsh and arbitrary proceedings and
| illegal arrests and iDcarceEstiOns without
benefit of bail, which have since been iu-
tlcted upon supporters of the State
government by the judicial tribunals thus
| temporarily usurped by Mr.. Nichols and
his adherents, are efficient proof of the
insincerity of the pledges alleged to hGve
been offered that, under his rule, If his gov
ernment should be allowed to stand, the
rights of all citizens would be respected.
II revolution be made successful under
Mr.. Nichols, what ia to prevent some other
chiettain, with an equal right, setting up in
turn another Cover nment in our midst, thus
completing the resemblance to Mexican
customs which the White League initiated
by its action in 1874, and again this year.
The so-called Nichols government reets
|
from the rich and aristOcratic classes in this
city. 1t is threatened oligarchy of wealth
and q menace to the middle and poorer
classes, who form the majority whose right
to rule this minority would deny. A gov
eminent established on such q basis would
tend to make the rich richer and the poor
poorer. 1t would be a violation of the
principles which underlie the very founda
lions of republican government. The mid
die and poor classes, white as we'll as black
are interested in stamping out once for al
the theory that revolution can be success
fully relied upon as mode of reaching
power in opposition to the will of the ma
jonty Of the people.
1t seems to me the true course, even fol
those who voted for my opponent, is to give
to the legal government their aid and sup
port in restoring order and enforcing tht
laws, lest the anarchy now prevailing il
, New Orleans and the disturbed parishei
should extend to other parts OF the State
disOrganize labor and'destrOy the prospects
of the valuable crops upon which ever
members of the Cotton Exchange, and Othel
! wealthy corporations of the city, rely TO
subsistence
If force instead of law is to determinl
; the rightfulness Of the government, tn
great body of producers who voted for mt
can hardly be blamed should they prove a
; ''patriotic" as the aristocratic citizens o
New Orleans and abandon their Legitimate
pursuits to defend the government of thei
choice. If they leave the plow Rt my cal
there will be no harvest for either COttol
Exchange or cotton picker. Both alike vii
suffer. And here it may not be inappropri
ate 20 recall the fact that the $65, ,0OO, ,0O'
added 10 the wealth Of tho country by the
. staple crops of Louisiana last year were
! mainly produced by my supporters
: and that the Cotton Exchange an'
Z Z other organizations which now under
I take to decide upon the lawful governmen n
Of the State are largely composed of aliena
whese business in the State is to handle tn
crops which these native-born citizens hAv
raised.
MI, Nichols urges payment of taxes {
his unauthorized collectors. Il is due {
. propeFty holders who may be misled by tn
! speoious representations 80 constantly mad
I with regard TO the pretended Eicholls gov
ernmenb that / should warn them that X
ceipta given for taxee, paid other than :
the legal tax collectors, will not be vGli
Y against the State.
Its hardly necessary for me to reiterat
my determination to defend 70 the last e1
tremity my title to the office to which
have been declared elected, snd tne rignl
and privileges Of those By whose votes
have chiefly been called 70 the execntiY
: chair. / am daily IN receipt Of letters an
messages from North, East aud Wel
assuring me Of the active Hympathy and
need ~. the support Of the great part
whick has 60 long and 20 suoeeaeiuily a
: mjl. .fterea the ahaiu Of The country.
The keiau Of poliiieal tsrEofiam and dn
order In tate State lq, trust rapidly dreY
lag p e.1se 1nlelai Nf9s..'At.on rr.ens
~ ias. q iee aeya erstean' c'aai.