New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-30
o THE PEOPLE.
GOVERNOR PACKARD ISSUES AN
OUTsP0KEN ADDRESS,
Which Punctures Mr.. Nichols Pre-
pOsterOus Claims,
AND REBUKES THE lMPERTlNENT INTER.
FERENCE Of UNNATURALlzED ALIENS.

To the Citizens of louisiana
A so-called proclamation of Francis t
Nichols, claiming to be Governor OF the
State of Louisiana, just made public, con-
tains gross misetatements which deem it
my duty thus authOritatively to refute.
Mr.. Nichols, who asserts that his govern
ment is q fixed fact, complete in ell its
branches, is destitute of one shred of legal
title TO the office he attempts to usurp The
pretended Legislature which canvassed his
claims to the office of Governor had not be
fore them any legal returns of election as
pres sribed by the constitution, and lacked
two Of quorum in the Senate and twenty
of quorum ia the House. The Secretary
Of State, refusing a formal demand made
upon him by partisans of Nichols, placed
the only legal returns eff the election before
the Legislature recognized by Governor
Kellogg. That Legislature, meeting in the
State House as required by law, and having
full legal qaorum present in both houses,
opened and cauvassed the returns and de-
clared me elected Governor.
The vote of the State of Louisiana was
further passed upon during the recent cOu-
test over the presidential election by the
highest tribunal in the nation, That tri-
bunal declared the vote of the State TO
have been cast for Hayes and Wheeler, and
By ga doing, proclaimed, in effect, my cleo
ton, for the vote cast for me exceeded by
neatly seven hundred that cast for several
of the presidential electors The con-
stitution names as executive officers
of the State, a Treasurer, Secretary
of State, Auditor, Attorney General
and Superintendent of Education. Not one
of the important branches of the govern.
ment is in accord wits or under the control
of General Nichols. The State Treasurer,
elected in 1874 for a period Of four years,
refuses to recognize the authority of MIR.
Nichols, or to sign any tax papers that he
may attempt TO issue. The Secretary of
State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Attorney
| General and Superintendent of Public Edu-
cation, elected with me, and recognized by
the out going government, are in posses
eiOn of all the records and archives of the
| State pertaining to their respective offices.
These include the machinery for the assess
ment and collection of taxes.
The Supreme Court appointed by my
/ predecessors recogD yes me as Governor.
| Outside the city of New Orleans the great
majority of the district judges acknowl-
edge my authority. In nearly all the
peaceful, prosperous and productive par.
ishes of the State the authority of my gov.
eminent and its officials is unqnestiODed.
The few country parishes which assume
to recognize and support General Nichols
are mostly those where turbulence pre-
| walls, IS it did during the late campaign
aud where political assassination is still
practiced and approved, and general law.
lessuess banishes prosperity.
Mr.. Nichols, in his proclamation, thanks
| ''the patriotic citizens who, on the ninth
| day of January, 1877 responded to the call
Of the civil authorities of this State to pre-
vent illegal attempts to Dust them from
| their legal possession of the court build
ings." 1t is notorious that the 'patrioticH
| service thus rendered consisted In several
thousand armed White League, with artiI
lery in battery, taking violent possession OF
| the courtroom and archives of the Supreme
Court of the State u court of unquestioned
legality, and installing in its stead pre-.
| tended tribunal, commissioned by Nichols
| aud officially declared by the President OF
the United States to be devoid of any legal
authority.
The harsh and arbitrary proceedings and
| illegal arrests and iDcarceratiOns without
benefit of bail, which have since been in
| flicted upon supporters of the Stats
| government by the jadicisl tribunals thus
temporarily usurped by Mr.. Nichols and
his adherente, are sufficient proof of The
insincerity of the pledges alleged to have
been offered that, under his rule, If his gov.
eminent should be allowed to stand, the
rights of all citizens would be respected.
II revolution be made successful under
Mr.. NichOlle, what lie to prevent some other
ehiettain, wiah an equal right, setting up In
turn another government In our midst, thus
completing the resemblance to Mexican
customs which the White League initiated
BY its action in 1874, and again this year.
The so-ealled Nichols government rests
its claims largely on the support it receives
from the rich and arist0cratie classes in this
city. IL is threatened oligaroby of wealth
and a menace to the middle and poorer
GLASSES, who form the majority whose right
to rule this minority would deny. A gov
N ~ L.
tend to make the rich richer and the poor
poorer. It would be a violation of the
principles which underlie the very fOunda-
ti0ne OF republican government. The mid.
de ssEla p0cF Glasses, white as well as black,
are interested in stamping out once for ali
the theory that revelation can be success.
fully relied upon as 3 mode Of reaching
power 10 oppoaition to the will Of the ma
jority OF the people.
I5sesms to me the true course, even for
those who voted for my opponent, is TO give
to the legal government their aid and sup
port In restoring order and enforcing the
lave, Lest the anarchy now prevailing in
New Orleans aud the disturbed parishes
should extend to other parts Of the State,
dlsorganize labor and destroy the prospects
OF the valuable crops upon which even
members Of the Cotton Exchange, and other
wealthy corporations Of the city, rely for
subsistence.
If force instead Of law is to determine
the rightfulness of the government, the
great body Of producers who voted for me
can hardly be blamed should they prove Is
,'patliotien IS the ariatocratic citizens OF
New Orleans and abandon their legitimate
pursults to defend the government Of their
phoice. If they leave the plow At my call
there will be no harvest for either Cotton
Exchange Or cotton picker. Both alike will
suffer. And here II may not b inappropri-
ato 20 recall the 9aet that the $65 900 900
added to the wealth Of the country by the
staple crops Of Louisiana last year were
mainly produced BY my supporters.
other organisations which now under
take 70 decide up9n the lawful government
Of the Stale are largely composed Of allens,
Wheeo business ia the State Il 20 handle che
crops which these natige-hOrn citlzdns have
raised.
Mr. Nichols uFgsa payment Of taxes to
hio unauthorized collectors, IL Il due 90
property huiuoEa who may be inhaled ~ the
4pepiouA ~ 1seBen tafi0na 90 constantly made
with regard 20 the pretended Nichols gov.
erumeut that / shoHid warn them that re-
ceipfu given for taxes, paid other than %
the legal tag collectors win not b valid
afalnee the State.
Atis hardly necessary fer mo % reiierate
my datefmiuatIe1 % defend 10 che last az.
lfonily my title - lhs oiioa 10 which
hato been declared elected, ond tho rights
ana privileges aE 1hoea By whose votes
have chiefly been called 10 the executive
chair am aafi Isl fe4eiut Of Letters and
messages tx3w HeEih. East aud West
assuring nls qH AAa Aeiive sym Atby and. i
need ufl t1a Support "a tnS great paEtE
which bee 80 long esd - aucses6laIly Sd.
1Il1|sIe1-t lts aa4If1 Fl the cu1nf
TIE feItn Qf HsIIE'esl tssfofm ana de.
order Il tttE STATS Isl I lIl1| I.4It u Il "A -.