The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-01-13
COUP D'ETAT.
The White League Redivivus as
Nichols Militia.
The Reins Of Government Seized by the
Democrats.

TENDER IA, 1874, with the exception
that no clash of arms or loss OF life
has resulted.
The Inauguration Of two State gov
ernmenrs was quietly accomplished
OF Monday, the Republicans perform
ing the ceremony at the State House,
and the Democrats at Odd Fellows
Hall. An immense mass OF people
swarmed the streets, but the nearest
to lawlessness was the
breaking of few windows at the
State House by crowd of boys and
rowdies on their way home from the
Nichols Inauguration. We have no
space for reference to the addresses
of the rival Governors. but shall give
them both attention hereafter.
On Tuesday the supporters OF Gen.
Nichols accomplished q coup Getat
intended to give their government
de taeto status, and which has been,
at least for the time, az completely
successful as the similar movement in
1874. The preparations were made
with secrecy and executed with mill
tary precision. About 40OO armed
men, designated State militia, assem-
bled at Lafayette Square, and after
passing in revitAv before Gen. Nichols
and his staff, proceeded to take pos
session of the Supreme Court, the
police stations and all other govern
ment buildings, excepting only the
State House, which was placed in q
state of seige for day or two, when
an order from Washington was re-
ceived by Gen. Angur to disperse the
beseigers. This being communicated
to Gen. Nichols he promptly removed
his militia from the vicinity of this
building, though espionage was main
tanned by his police and several per
sons emerging from the State House
were arrested and locked up on friy-
olons pretenses.
The Nichols militia accomplished
all the captures essayed without strik-
ing blow or firing shot. There
was no pretense of opposition, save
at the Supreme Court rooms and State
arsenal, where force of fifty Metro
politan police we're on guard. A brief
parley, however, resulted in the sur
render of the building, the vastly su-
perior force of the beseiging party
rendering resistance on the part of
the Police simple madness.
The State House is garrisoned by
a small force of Metropolitan police
and State militia, and the Republican
members OF the General Assembly, as
well as Gov. Packard and the promia
nent officers of his government, are
i'll the building, where they have re-
manned since Monday.
Governor Nicholls-as we may at
least designate him from courtesy, re-
| gardless of his right to the title-ap-
pointed five gentlemen as Judges of
the Supreme Court, and they are in
possession of the rooms and archives
of the tribunal, assuming to perform
the functions pertaining to legal
judges. Judge Manning of Rapidss
is Chief Justice.
A board of Metropolitan Police
Commissioners has also been APP
pointed, aud police force organized
with Mr.. Thos. Boylau as chief. Other
officers have been designated and are
assuming to act by authority of Gov.
Nichols commissions. Prominent
among these is Hon. John McEnery
as Recorder of Mortgages, who, find
ing the Office closed effected forcible
entrance.
President Grant has instructed Gen.
Augnr to give no recognition to either
the Packard or Nichols governments,
and to interfere only in case of the
occurrence of actual violence. This
is the situation of affairs ut present,
and it is unexpectedly serious. The
policy of The Democrats has been
missapprehentied to q considerable
extent, and it is not Improbable that
they are prepared to go to any length
to establish the government of their
choice or have the State placed under
martial law.
We are pleased to chronicle the