The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-03-15

New ORLEANS, March 1.-THE follow.
Ing is the correspondence between Hon.
Stanley Matthews and Governor Packard:
U. SENATE CHAMBER. !

AN6N SiiatsANot 4huICu III ne lullOW-
ing is the correspondence between Hon.
Stanley Matthews and Governor Packard:
us. SENATE CHAMBER, /
WARRINGTON, February 81, 1877. I
10 Hon. S. B. Phekard, Ncp Orleans!
My DEAR sIR-I received and read
with attention your communication on
the public affairs Of Louisiana, and the
subject has beeh carefully considered by
myself and others. In lis relation to the
general policy OF a Republican admin.
stration, have conversed at length with
-" and have given to him the
result OF my convictions, all Of
which'he can repeat to you more in de-
tail than can Al present merely in.
dictate the results Of my opinion without
reference to the rightfulness Of the origin
Of your title as Governor. am Of The
opinion that the circumstances are such
that twill be out Of the question for a
Republican administration TO maintain
1t, as ii must necessarily be by the force Of
arms. As soon as the existing
military orders are Withdrawn,
the Nicholl's Government will be-
come the only existing government and
will have to be recognized then rs such.
In the meantime il will be the duty Of the
Administration 10 take care that the re.
suits shall not imperil the rights and
equity OF the colored people OF Louisi.
ana, so far as it has the lawful power to
prevent ii, and also to take care that
staunCh republicans, like yourself, against
whom nothing disreputable can be al,
legged, should not suffer, and should re.
ceIvc consideration and position in some
way. These are in short my own indi.
vidual views. regret the condition Of
affairs, but cannot help 1t, and see no
better way to improve it.
Respectfully,
STANLEY MATTHEWS.
STATE OF LOUISIANA, !
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
New ORLEANS, March IA, 1877.
70 Hon. Stanley MattheFs;
My DEAR sIR:-Your letter of the
9th ult. was duly received. In my com.
munication 10 you, and referred to in
your letter, aimed to exhibit TO you the
reasons and sterling facts why the govern.
ment Of which l am the head ought to
receive prompt recognition from the Ma.
tional Administration, In your reply
you suggest the difficulties that you deem
exist, without reference to the rightfulness
OF the origin Of your ''my'y title, and say
that as soon as the existing military
orders are withdrawn the Nichols gov.
vernment will become the only existing
government and will have to be recog.
nized then as such. lnasmuch a. YOU say
that your letter only expresses 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 a Republican admin
istraion to maintain it (my titleJ IA that
is the subject which now engages the at.
tentiOn OF the President under tho
Constitution and laws Of the United
States. judge the purpose Of
your letter to have been, in
a friendly way, to accomplish the aban.
donment by me Of the office OF Governor
to the end that my defeated opponent
may assume, unquestioned, the Office to
which | have been elected. Admitting
the value Of the opinion Of one 30 learned
and Of SO deservedly great inluehce in
the counsel3 OF the nation, | am con.
strained by high sense Of duty to un.
qualitiedly decline to entertain any prop.
osition to relinquish or abandon the po-
sition which hold. | received major
ity Of the legal votes cast at the last
election have been declared Governor by
the loyal Legislature in joint session,
with an undisputcd quorum in both
houses, and having been lawfully vested
with authority as Governor, / cannot
with due regard to my oath OF office and
duty TO the 10000 voters who have elect.
ed me to the Chief Magistracy-though
l should receive consideration and posi-.
ton in some appropriate way-abandon
these faithful men to, the merciless ven
gence Of the White League Democracy,
| am the head Of government as per.
feet as that Of any State in the Union.
My predecessor, togel her with his Sec
retary Of State, Auditor OF Public Ac.
counts, State Treasurer, Superintendent
OF Public instruction and Attorney Cen
eral, with all the archives of their sew.
eral offices, surrendered these positions
into the hands Of those lawfully elected to
receive them. now represent this gov.
ernment with positive possession Of all Of
these offices. ! am opposed by an organ.
lied and armed mob OF men in this city
known as the White League, who
have maintained during my admins
tration farce held together more
by the encouragement given them from
abroad than by any other means by those
who apparently seem to measure the le.
gal existence OF the government by the
amount Of force it canEpresent. Were
this force removed, as it will be when the
legitimacy ofmy government is sdetermin-
ed by the President, nothing then will Sc.
riously impede the success Of my admin
istration. Personally, my position has
been, is and will be, until the general
government shall see fit to recognize
my authority rs Governor, most
perilous one and it would be
source OF satisfaction, did the response
bilHE rest on some one other than my
self. The hundreds OF Republicans who
have given their lives as sacrifice to
the cause ofliberty and free government;
the thousands who have deposited their
votes at the peril Of life, are even pres.
ent in my mind and demand that / faith.
fully discharge 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 better heritage to my childhood than
the plaudlts Of the White League Of the
State when gained by surrender OF both
manhood and duty. l am the Governor,
and no armed force or violence can give
my competitor legal title.