Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-04-13
louisiana.

government, headed ny e& justice W yile, vi
the Kellogg Superior Court. The commission
declined to state whether they had received
any supplemental Instructions from the Presi-
dent They also declined to indicate any time
for the close Of their investigations
Messrs. Ray. Leonard and Burch, in the in.
tcrest Of Packard, handed in to the commission
pouderous list of officers who had qualified ut
the Packard Secretary Of States Office, accom-.
panied by the certificate Of Emile llonorc,
Packard's Secretary Of State, showing that oil
1888 officers commissioned by the Governor
62S whose names are given 10 the accompany
ing list have filed their oath OF Office according
to law. The remaining 405 are justices OF the
peace and coustables, who have not made
practice of filing 40 oath of Office with the Sec
rotary of State.
1t understood the commissioners session,
which lasted until o clock Yesterday morning,
was consumed in considering the message TO
the President. Gen. Augur, who was present,
reduced the message to military cipher. Inc
tenor OF the message Is not positively known,
but it is believed notifies the President that
they had concluded their investigation under
present instructions aud suggesting they were
ready to receive any further Instructions the
President might QeSlrc 10 give.
Adyices at Washington from the Louisiana
commission are not encouraging for settling the
difficulties existing ia the State The state.
ment is made that supplementary Instructions
will be given 10 the commission to meet the
difficulties that have arisen. II Is also stated
that the President is willing TO agree to reor-
gaDization Of the Legislature on the basis Of the
original parish returns without regard to the
| protest which Packard Is understood 10 have
| made against such action.
| The Louisiana commission yesterday sent 10
the President long dispatch III cipher, tLc
| FIRST OF any consequence from them 1t came
directly to the executive mansion, and was re-
ceived by the Instrument there in private
room. The President up TO a late hour last
night had not decided whether he would make
tho contents public.
A special from New Orleans to the Baltimore
Sun, under date Of last night, says
In the last three days the commission have
been ir private telegraphic communication with
the President aud the result has been that
they consider themselves authorized to enlarge
| the field OF their Investigations To-day they
addressed numerous questions Us to the social
aud political condition Of the State to the dele
| cations which waited on them. One member
Of the commission said to the Nichols side that
| they were too stiff, and that they must concede
something. 10 all suggestions the Nichols side
| answer that they cant conccdc anything which
will leave the final result in doubt, and that
they are firmly resolved 10 have either Nichols
or military government.
! Up to to-day the only suggestion formally
| thrown out by the commission Tor the adjust
ment OF the Two Legislatures involved repub.
cau majority of fourteen 10 the House. This
the conservatives would not listen to, because a
| House SO constructed would undoubtedly seat
Packard and aunul all tho acts Of the Nichols
Legislature.
The commission have today been busly co.
| gagged 10 preparing new proposition tor Leg
islature adjustment, which will he submitted to
both sides as soon as completed. 1t has been
strongly urged upon the commission that the
basis of the new proposition be to seat all the
members elected according to the original re.
turns before they passed into the hands Of the
supervisors. This would give the conservatives
four majority in tho Senate and two in the
| House. IF this proposition is agreed 90 by the
commission it will be accepted BY the ccnser.
| vatives.
1t may be safely stated that majority it
not all the members Of the commission have
been led by their Inquiries to the following con-
illusions:
First. That the Packard government has the
best, If not the only, de jurc title. II the re-
turning board be a constitutional part OF the
machinery Of elections then Packard, his court,
his officers aud his Legislature are the lesiti
matc products of that machinery. There is
I room for a fair doubt as to the constitutional
power OF tho board 10 make up Legislature,
and to act iudiciay on the Supreme Court de-
| cisiou, denying it the power, It's return was
binding. The Nichols party had, therefore,
| no right to build up government on their
| own doubts as to the constitutionality Of the
statutes under which the board acted. The
question goes to the President, however, not
as legal but as a political cue, aud he may
fairly satisfy himself and be governed by his
conclusions as to whether the boards action
was constitutional.
Second. That the Nichols government ox
ercises complete de factO authority throughout
| the State and ia every acre Of lis soil except
within the walls Of the old hotel used By Pack;
| ard as n State House. The assertions OF Pack
ard that in certain heavy negro parishes he Is
recognized have not been verified, reputable
| gentlemen OF both parties having como 10 from
these parishes to assure the commission that
Nichols administration meets with 90 more
opposition in these localities than in New Or
leans Packard statement that nearly all the
| circuit Judges in the State recognize him has
been found to rest solely in the fact that these
| judges were commissioned by Kellogg, and is
| dsprovcd by the oaths OF Office filed by them
with the Nichols Secretary Of State. 1t is
| literally true that Packard is prisoner 10 the
State House, and tina. his claims arc actively
supported by nobody in Louisiana except the
members of his government aud The two or
| three hundred guards he is feeding.and paging.
No doubt the negro popu alton believe 10 his
right and want it enforced, but they will not
raise a finger to aid him, while The white pop
ulaton is in active and determined hostility To
his pretensions.
Third. That The Nichols administration is
maintaining order throughout the State and
protecting the rights Of both races, and that
peace and prosperity would result from its con-
tinuauce.
Fourth. That the Packard administration
cannot be established by n simple recognition
90 the part OF the President, but only by the
use Of large force Of federal troops to crush
Il Il,,,,