The Van Buren press., 1877-04-24
LOUISIANA.
Packard's adherents meet in Caucus and
become Excited over the Inevitable.

caucus of the members of the Packard
Hous aend Senate-eighty three members
present-on motion of Gov. Warmoth,
unanimously rejected the proposition of
the Democrats, and agreed to stand by
Gov. Packard to the last.
Both houses of the Packard Legisla-
ture, met in joint caucus at IL O'Clock.
There were eighty three members pres
cnt, including Washington and Brooks,
the colored members recently acting with
the Nichols House. Gen. Mcmillan, on
the part of the Executive Committee,
laid before the caucus an official copy Of
the resolution passed by the Nichols Leg
islature, yesterday, and which was recei-
we'd by him from the Commission He
called attention to the long struggle the
members had undergone in their efforts
to establish and maintain the State Gov
ernment said he deplored the necessity
of admitting that their efforts had failed.
Regretted that appeals to the President
for aid. had been repeatedly ignored
The assurances of members Of the Com
mission, authoritatively, if not officially.
given, that the President would not rec
ognize their Governor, and would Ger
tainly withdraw the troops brought
them
FACE TO FACE WITH THE INEVITABLE.
Without the support of the General
Government, their case was hopeless.
Under these circumstances what course
did sound policy demand-clearly to
look the inevitable in the face, and make
the most they could out of the situation
for those whose representatives they
were, and in the interest of those who
have sacrificed so much to aid in main
tanning the struggle.
In reply to a question, Gen. Mcmillan
said the document had no Endorsement
from the Commission, favorable or other
wise, but it had been handed to him by
the Commissioners, and at their sugges
tion he had subsequently invited mem
bers of the Legislature to meet them the
Commissioners, and discuss the matter
with them.
Mr. W. II. Dinkgrave, of Madison,
said he was one Of the members sent for
by the Commission, and he would report
as accurately as he could remember what
took place at that interview: The Com
mission stated that they had now been
here two weeks, as agents of the Presl
dent, trying to see il some plan of ad-
justment could not he adopted, and, as
Republican Commissioners, said they
deeply sympathized with us in our strug-
giles and labors; but after two weeks la
Dor, we have come to the conclusion, not
as Commissioners, but as individuals,
that the terms offered in the proposition
that has been handed by one Of us to the
chairman of your committee, are the best
we can get for you, and that, for the sake
Of the Republican party, and for the sake
of the peace of the State, it was best
that we should accept them This was
indorsed by all the members present ex-
cept Mr.. McVeigh Gov. Brown was not
present. |, for one,
WAS SURPRISED AND INDIGNANT
at the proposition made to us to thus
sacrifice duty, principle, honor, and eve
rything, | said Governor Harlan, do
you speak as a Commissioner He
said, Il do not "Then,' | said " |
to come here, and dictate to me, mem
Der of the Legislature of Louisiana, what
| shall do" | asked one of the mem
bers OF the Commission, if he were a
member OF Legislature, as l was, and be-
lieyed Gov. Packard honestly elected,
whether he would accept these terms, and
after some hesitation, he replied, No
This, in my opinion, is not matter Of
compromise, it is a question of law, a
question of right, and | trust that every
member Of the caucus will agree with me
to
STAND FIRE
and not to let President Hayes slip
through the loop-hole which this com
mission is trying to prepare TOR him. l
believe the time has come when we can
say to President Hayes You were elect
cd by the votes of the Republicans of
Louisiana, sealed by the blood of hund-
reds of faithful men; and now, forget
iul OF that, forgetful even of the obliga-
ton of your high office, you are trying
to carry out bargain made by your ad-
vsers, who come here with nothing but
honied lipe, and nothing but praise of
our matchless fidelity. While the Re
turning Board were canyassing votes.
you were trying to carry out that bar
gain by saying that while you had the
matter under consideration the Republi-
cans of Louisiana gave up the fight You
shall not whip the devil round the stump
IN that manner.
AN EXCITED IsCUssloN
followed in which it was stated that one
member OF the Commission had asserted
that if their proposition was not adopt
ed, the troops would be removed in less
than fortnight, and another Commiss-
ioner said within a week
Gov. Yarmouth made a long speech.
urging, in defense Of President Hayes,
that when he came into office he found
GOV. Packard labeled across the back
with II Geographic dispatch from the out
going President, that the troops were not
to be used Tor the support of his govern
ment He eulogized the political endu.
rance. ana determination exhibited BY
Gov Packard in defense OF his rights
He concluded as follows: " If the mem
bers of this party have manhood and
personal and party integrity enough to
stand together, not to leave their places
aud go over to the enemy. not one of
them, the right thing, the high,toned
thing, the honorable thing to do, is to
is to send back this thing to the Commis