The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-05-05

which legislative power, when undisputed,
is quite competent to exert in composing
the conflicts in the coordinate branches of
the government. Within the last three DAYS
this first great step in restoring peace to the
state has been accomplished. In conse-
quence of the withdrawal of members from
the Packard to the Nichols legislature, the
latter body has eighty-seven returning
board members in the house and thirty-two
returning board members in the senate
SiXty-one members constitute a constitu-
tional quorum in the house and nineteen in
the senate.
The Commissioners conclude their re-
port by saying that as they represent all
shades of opinion, they can not concur
in any sketch of the probable future of
Louisiana, but they indulge a confident
hope for better days for all races.
A MANIFESTO.
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
NEW ORLEANS, La, April %, 1877.
TO the Republicans of Louisiana:
On this day, the fifteenth anniversary of
the surrender of New Orleans to the forces
of the United States, it becomes my duty to
announce to you that the aid and counte-
nance OF the national government has been
withdrawn from the Republicans of Louis
lana, and that government, revolutionary
in form is practically on the point of usurp-
ing the control of affairs in this state
/ recall circumstances of the last
electoral campaigns only to thank YOU for
the ndeity to principle you there dis
played. The Republican party, as you
know, entered upon the canvass united and
stronger than ever before. 1t had enlisted
under its banner an influential class of ma
tiye-born citizens of old Wing antecedents,
who, to their honor be it said, still remain
faithful to the principles they espoused and
the government they supported. 1t was
further strengthened by the absence from
the state or opposition of that ele-
men whose previous adherence to the
party had brought it into disrepute
These causes combined to bring about the
remarkable success achieved by the Repub-
lean party in all doubtful parishes, with
one exception, even where the white pcpu-
lation preponderated, and which gave US
majority in the Legislature. Except where
organized violence prevailed, our state
ticket carried every Republican parish
and also a number of parishes which
in the last legislature were represented by
Democratic members. / briefly summarize
historical events which have since occurred
The General Assembly met on the Ist of
January last, organized with a full legal
quorum in both houses passed laws which
were approved by the then Executive of the
state, and on the ID OF January last can
vassed and declared the the vote for Gov
ernor.
At this time the nation was agitated by
doubt as to the result OF the Presidential
election, with the expectation that Samuel
j. Tilden might possibly become President
of the United States, and with no hope of
success otherwise. My opponent in the late
campaign established moot legisla-
ture, and went through the form OF
an Inauguration i'll order that there
night be semblance of government which
Mr.. Tilden if inaugurated, could possibly
galvanize into reality. In the few DAYS that
followed Gen. Nichols and his adherents
were encouraged by the unexpected refusal
of President Grant to recognize the state
government, and to respond 10 the
constitutional call of the legislature, though
he questioned the legality of neither. On
the 9th day of January | had scarcely taken
my seat in the executive chair when the
White League rose in armed insurrection
and by a coup de main took possession of the
Supreme Court, arsenal and stations of the
metropolitan police all located at the CAPT
toll. Then came orders from President
Grant establishing stdtu quo the practical
effect of which was to confirm the inSur-
gents in the advantages they had gained,
and prevent any effort to dispossess them.
On the Inauguration of President Hayes
the state authorities made preparations to
organize militia force for the defense of
the state government Gen. Nichols police
seized upon the recruiting officers and i'm
prsUned them for treason, without benefit
of bail or writ OF habeas corpus. | tele-
graphed this fact 10 President HAYES, ask
ing him If this was a violation OF the datu
qU0, and, if not, whether the release of
these men by force, all civil remedies
having been exhausted, would be so
4
lows: "Ionr dispatch of the 24th is
received. The Secretary of War has tele- |
graphed to General Augur that Il commits |
sion will shortly visit Louisiana In the |
meantime the President desires that the !
situation remain unchanged" The COM |
mission came. In the meantime the Mich /
olPs government had crystalized into shape |
So far permitting the situation to remain |
it had broken into tax-collec- |
tors offices of the city, had taken forcible |
control of state institutions, and had |
strengthened itself on all sides. Notwith- |
standing this, however the commission found /
the legal legislature still in session at the |
state house, my title unassailed and unas-
sailable except by force.
Their fabors during the two weeks they re-
NAMED here is known of all men. They in
duced number of members of the legal
House of Representatives to take seats in
the Nichols House, thus giving it a Re-
turning Board quorum. Prior to the meet
ing of the Legislature the Democrats
claimed to have elected only sixty mem
bers of the House, one less than quorum.
One at least of the members so
claimed by them was absent. On the
first day of January last no Republican
pr Independent member would consent
to act with the Nichols house, and conse-
auenty in order to obtain even the appear
ance of an organization, they had been
to call to their aid three men de-
feated at the polls, whose selection had not
been previously claimed. The enquiry
seems pertinent in this connection.
# returning board quorum was so eff
ectual for the Nichols claim, and
Why was it that such quorum was
gnored while it remained faithful to
he legal government of the state?
That government had a Returning Board
quorum from the day on which the General
Assembly convened, and the legislature
fuly organized, remained in legal existence
i'll disintegrated by direct action of the
This result having been
it is a matter of record that con-
,ratulatOry messages were exchanged be-
ween the President and his commission
IN the following day, the President, by
ormal order made public through
he press, directed that the United
states troops occupying building
n the vicinity of the State House
hould be removed TO their barracks.
those troops had been placed there by
resident Grant, without formal call of
he Governor, TO protect the returning
'oard while counting the vote for President
firmly believe that had the legal Governor
een recognized, it could have sustained
allf rrb