The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-03-21
Matthews 40 Packs ro-
packard WOuId Rat0er NOT

United States Senate Chamber,
Washington, FEBRUARY u, loH.-to
Hon. s. B. Packard, New Orleans--My
Dear Sir: l received and read with at
tentIon your communication on the sup
;sct of public affairs of Louisiana, and
the subject has been carefully ana nhA-
iously considered by myself and others
in its relation te the general policy OF a
Republican administration toward II.
7 have conyersed ut length with -,
and given to him the result OF my con-
victions, which he can repeat to you
more in detail than l can ut present.
merely indicate the results OF my "pInions
without reference to the righifulness OF
the origin of your title as Governor. am
of the opinion that the circumstances are
such that it will be out of the question
for a Republican administration T. main
tain it. as it must necessarily 10y the force
of Federal arms. As soon rs the exist
ing military orders are withdrawn the
Nichols government will become me on
iy existing government, ami Will have 10
be reco .nized then as such. In the
meantime, it viii be the duty of the Adj
ministration tc take care that the result
shall rot imperil the rights and equity "t
the colored people of louisiana 50 tar as
it has lawful power to prevent II, and al
so take care that stauncn Republicans like
yourself, against whom nothing disrePu
table can be alleged, should not suffer,
and should receive consideration and
position in some appropriate way. These
are in short. nv own individual views.
| regret the condition of affairs, but
cannot help it, and see no better way to
improve it. Respectfully,
"SrANLEY MATTHEWS"
PACKARD's REPLY.
lam constrained by high sense OF
duty to unqualifedly decline to enter
tain any proposition to reliuquish or tc
abandon the position which | hold re-
ceived majority of the legal votes cas-
at the last election, have been declared
Governor by the legal Legislature, IL
Joint session, with an undisputed quorum
in both houses, and having been lawfully
vested with authority as Governor, L can
not, with due regard to my oath OF office
and duty to the 76, 900 voters who have
elected me to the Chief Magistracy
though l should receive consideration
and position in some appropriate way,
abandon those faithful men to the merci
less vengeance of the White League
Democracy. | am the head of Il govern
ment as perfect as that of any State in
the Union My predecessor together with
his Secretary Of State, Auditor OF
Public Accounts, State Treasurer, Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction and
Attorney General, with all the archives
of their several offices, surrendered these
positions into the hands OF those lawful
! ly elected to receive them. now repre-
sent this government, with possession Of
all these Offices. l am opposed by an
organized and armed mob OF men in this
city, known as the White League, who
have maintained, during my administra-
ton, a force held together more by the Gu
couragementgiven them from abOAd than
| by any means, by those who APPARENTLY
seem to measure the legal existence of a
government by the amount of force it
can present. Were this force removed, as
it will be when the Legitimacy of my gov
eminent is determined by the President,
nothing then will seriously impede the
success of my administration. Person
ally my position has been, is, and will
be until the General Government shall
see fit to recognize my authority, q most
perlous one, and it would be a source of
satisfaction to me did the responsibility
rest upon some one other than myself.
The hundreds of Republicans who have
given their lives as sacrifice to the cause
of liberty an free government the
thousands who have deposited their votes
at the peril Of life, are ever present in
my mind, and demand that / faithfully
discharge the duties devolved upon me.
| Should exhibit less devotion than these
faithful people, though the effort cost my
life, still that devotion would be a bet
ter heritage to my children than the
plaudits of the White League of the
State, gained by a surrond~r 81 l,"'L man.
hooo Ah'' 10y. | am the Governor, and
no armed force or violence can give my
competitor the lawful title.
Respectfully,
S. b. PACKARD.