Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-25
The Packard Legislature
Gracefully Accepts the
Situation
Everything Quiet on the Lower
Mississippi.
LOUISIANA.

NEW oRLEANS, April Zl.-A COM
mittee from the Packard legislature
waited upon the commission to-day
and requested their friendly Offices in
securing from the Nichols govern
ment some compensation for police
men and employees who have remain
ed faithful to Packard. The commits.
sion assured them that they would
endeavor to meet their wishes, and
Immediately requested an interview
with Governor Nichols, Lieutenant
Governor Wilt, Speaker Bush, and a
number of members of the Nichols
legislature, to whom they made
known the request Of the republican
committee. The subject was favor
ably considered, and Governor Mich
oils with the advice and consent OF
his associates, promptly offered to de-
vote the governors contingent fund
to this purpose. This fund amounts
to $50, 600 or $4,000, and was appro-
priated to aid Nichols in establishing
his government. This prompt aid to
republican employees will provide for
their immediate wants, and remove
much of the disaflection among them,
consequent upon the breaking ND of
the Packard government, and the
commission seemed to be highly
gratified at the absence of resentment
on the part of the Nichols party.
Long before these arrangements were
consumated a number of Packard
members of the senate and house had
taken their seats in the Nichols leg
islature. Subsequently concurrent
resolution was passed in the Nichols
legislature paying republican mem
bers who were not elected, but re-
turned by the returning board, their
mileage and per diem as contestants.
A notable feature of the proceedings
upon the floor of the Nichols house
was the withdrawal of seven demo-
cratic members who had been seated
subject to contest. and who graceful
ly yielded their seats, introducing
colored republican members who
claimed seats on the face of the re-
turns. Before the house assembled
this morning, Kenochan, democrat, OF
Plaquemine, who was unseated by
the arrangement admitting republic
ans, called the house to order inform
ally, whcreupon Kidd, democrat, in a
feeling address, presented a hand
some gold headed cane to VIM. Ridge
way, q colored member from Concor-
dia, who had been unseated upon the
contest, but who was one of the first
to relinquish his claims to a colorcd
contestant.
At two o'clock great excitement
prevailed. Republican members
dropped in one by one during the
morning, and at 2 80 p. IN. loud cries
from without indicated something
unusual, and there was a great
commoti0n all over the house. A
deafening shout arose as the tall
form of ex-Gov. Warmoth moved up
the central aisle. When silence was
restored, Warmoth said: "Mr. Speak.
er, I appear here with number of
my colleagues for the purpose Of taxi
ing seats in the house. In the caucus
of senators and representatives res
olution was adopted that it was use
less to continue the controversy. We
have no apologies to make; we have
been whipped in the battle, but have
at least preserved our self-respect in
an honorable contest, and are pre-
pared now to offer our allegiance to
the only existing government, and
to fairly cooperate in anything which
may be suggested"
o. III. Brewster, of Ouachita, re-
turned by the board, 'resigning his
claims to seat, said that there is not
one principle that he had advocated
in ten years which had not been EN-.
bodied by the democratic party, and
he hoped that if this was sincere the
scenes of Ouachita last autumn will
never be re-enacted. The republican
party has elected the President, and
had compelled the democratic party
to adopt republican principles. He
thought this was glory enough.
johnson, of DeSoto, returning
board member, in a short speech.
said: Cali ] say is Just give johnson
his mileage and let him 60 home.
Elect your best man. Don't elect q
man who will trade off the democrat
ic party like the republican party was
traded off want what is dYe me