New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-16
ACTION
REPUBLICANS In COUNCIL
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION

evening. The meeting was designed to be
one of white Republicans exclusively, with
the intention of cooperating with that of
the COlored Republicans, whose address has
already been placed before the people.
At seven o'clock the hall was comfortably
full, many present being unable to find
seats.
Captain Charles Il. Merritt called the
meeting to order, and in accordance with
the unanimous wish called Hon. T. A. Rou-
ton to the chair.
Eloquent addresses were made by Cap
tain Charles H. Merritt, who was unani-
mously elected secretary, Judge B. L
Lynch, Colonel A. j. Whittier, Hon. o. II.
Brewster, Hon. B. H. Dinkgrave, Judge
w. L. Evans, Judge w. W. Mccullough,
Senator E. L. Weber, Hon. G. w. BoOthby,
Hon. William ]. Moore and F. A. Glover,
Esq.
Some speakers regretted that 1.-THE meet
ing had been called as white meeting, and
| desired that there should be no class meet
ings. Considering, however, that there
had been cOlored meeting previous to this,
it was less Objectionable.
1t was resolved to meet again on Thurs.
day night.
A committee was appointed to draft an
address.
| Thursday evening there was still larger
meeting, Senator Burch and other promi-
nent colored Republicans being present.
An article from the Chicago Inter Ocean
and the letter of the late D. A. Weber,
murdered in West Feliciana, published in
Sundays REPUBLICAN, were read.
Hon. B. H. Dinkgrsve read the following
address:
Te the Citizens Of the United States;
We, the undersigned citizens of the State
of Louisiana, who have suffered perseou-
ton and ostraoism on account of our ad-
herence to the principles of the Republican
party, and who have patiently awaited the
action of the government of the United
States to restore to US the boon guaranteed
by the constitution of the United States, of
republican form of government, now, in
our distress, appeal to the citizens OF the
loyal States to raise their voices to demand
the speedy relief needed to protect us in
the enjoyment of our sacred right to be gov
erned by officers elected by majority of
the legal voters of the State, without re.
gard to color or previous condition.
The intimidation, violence, Outrages and
murders perpetrated upon the Republicans
in different parts of this State, by the White
League Democracy, to prevent a fair and
free election, are now matters of nOtoriety
throughout the civilized world. And, as
the policy of that interruptions party (dis-
closed by the secret circulars of the Demo
cratic Executive Committee of Louisiana
during the late eleotiOnl was to boldly and
confidently assert what it was wished
should be believed-sO, since the election,
their policy has been to mislead the people
in the other States, by repeating daily what
is known here to be false, that they have
control of the whole of the territory of the
State of Louisiana, except ian acre OF
ground" in New Orleans, on which stands
the "St. Louis HOtel;' and that their au-
thOrity alone is recognized throughout the
State, and they ask to be "let alone" in
order that "the people" may enjoy "lOcal
self-governmentm
The facts are, that an illegal and armed
military organization, known as the White
League or rifle clubs, existed here during
the late election. They threatened the ex
istence of the lawful government, and al
soon as the General Assembly convened, II
) January, joint resolution OF the two houses
, was adopted calling upon the President o.
. the United States to furnish assistance Il
put down the instruction, which was toe
| pO"OLAAA w w ouPpASNoSN ~ Wan SsessS 80
thorities.
To this demand for aid, President Gran
| replied in substance, that the military
| forces in New Orleans would be used, fOl
= | the present, to prevent breach OF thu
1 peace on the part of either of the contest
a ants for the office of Governor Constituting
this order to mean that neither should u.s.
force or violence to gain an advantage
Q Governor Kellogg and Governor Packard
: relied upon the implied promise to preservt
/. the peace. On the eighth of January, Gov
ernOr Packard was inRugurated. On the da.
following, an unsurrectiOnary, armed fore
numbering thousands suddenly marched t.
the building IN which the Supreme Cour
g held its sessions, and they captured tn
& building and the records of the court an'
they have ever since had the said building
garrisoned by armed men night and day
Q and defended by artillery. About the sam
n time they captured the armories of tn
f milton of the State. They then cspture
j. the police stations and the office of the re
8 cOrder of mortgages, in the city of NeN
}. Orleans. About this time the Presiden
d sent the following telegram;
: WASHINGTON, January II, 1877.
q To General G. @. AuguP New Orleans, louisiana
1t has been the policy of the ADMINISTERS
J. ton to take no part in the settlement of th
t question of rightful government in the Stat
: of Louisiana, at least not until the cOngre
y | siOnal committees now there have mad
# their report, but it is not proper to stan
T quietly by and see the State goveTnmer
i gradually taken possession of by one of th
}, claimants for gubernatorial hOnors by
= legal means. The Supreme Court set up b
d Mr.. Nichols can receive no more reoOgI
If ton than any other equal number of Law
K yers convened at the call of any other cit
3 zen of the State. Returning Board exis
It ing in accordance with law, and having jud
d cial as we'll as ministerial powers over tn
count of the votes, and in declaring the r
g. suit of the late election, has given cert
10 Gates of election to the Legislature of Il
If State. A legal quorum OF each house hol
II ing such certificates met and declared NJ
Of Packard Governor. Should there be a n
r cessitv for the recognition of either it mu
m be Packard. You may furnish copy
IN this dispatch to Packard and Nichols.
le U. S. GRANT.
ar "Should there be necessity for the reeo
If milton of either, it must be Packard" IL
or General Assembly which President Ora
to recognized as the legal Legislature has
an clared that an insurrection existed in q
ne State too powerful to be suppressed wit
b. ont the assistance of the United States, a.
nv called for such assistance; and surely
necessity for ecognition" can not be denl
when the only pretensiOn for the exero
of power by the insurreetionary organli
ton of which f. T. Nichols is the head,
that their power can not be successfully
A, sisted by Governor Packard. 1t is VIII
M the insurgents are too powerful to be
.u0 down BY the State authorities that the l
no contemplates that the United States sh
interpose it's authority, and, strange to q
es the very exigency which alone autnori