National Republican., 1877-03-15
PIChARD Hoy-T RESIGN.


ansi .6s~eruor- Paekar,i-rhe Cow
sruor" Asked tn Resign by Mr.. Matthews,
huf Packard Does Not See ID In that Light,
and Positively DeeIinss to do 80.
NEW OHLHkSs, March 1.-THE following
is the latter Of Hon. Stanley Matthews to Gov.
Packard AMI his reply:
UNITED SrArss SENATE CHAMBER
WAsHiSGroN, Feb. q, 1871. !
10 HON. y D. Packard, Netr Orleans:
M DEAR SIN: received and read with atten-
1un your Communication on the subject OF public
affairs Of Louisiana, and the subject has been
Glrufully ami anxiOusly considered by myself and
others in relation 10 the general policy Of . Re-
publican administration toward ID. have con-
Earset at length with -, and given to him
TIM result Of my conviction. which he can repeat
10 yuu murs in detail than can at present.
merely Indicate the results of my opinions with.
dut referancs to to the rightfalness Of the origin
az your title as Governor.
am Of ths opinion that tho circumstances are
5urh thnt lt will be out Of the question for Re-
publican administration TO maintain ITSELF as lt
must necessarily, by force Of Federal arms As
soun as existing military orders are withdrawn
tho Nichols government will become the only
existing government. and will have to be recog-
nizeu a. surh. In tho meantime IL will be tho
duty of thn Administration to take care that the
results shall not tmperil the rights and equity Of
the cuored people Of Louisiana so far as lt has
lawful pOuer to prevent il. and also to take care
thai staneh Republicans like yourself aeainst
whnm nnthing can be alleged, should not suffer
and shuuld receive confederation and position in
some appropriate way.
These ara, in short. my own Individual views.
regret tho condition Of ahair. but cannot help
it and SEQ no better way to improve It.
Respectfully, STANLEY MATTHEWS.
rHE EErLT OF THE CLAIMANT, rAcKARp.
STATE OF LOUISIANA
EXECUTIVE D.PARTnEST,
NEW ORLKAss, March Il.
70 Hun. 8aHisy Maftheirs:
MY DEAR sIR: Your letter of the nth ult
duly received. In my communication to you and
reierret to in your letter, aimed to exhibit to
yuuthe reason ami startling facts why the govern
mant Of which AN the head ought to receive
prompt recognition from the National Admins
tIatiun. In your reply you suggest the difi-
cul1es that you deem exist. without reference to
tho rghtfnlness Of the gin Of your (my) title,
ami saJ TINT az As existing military
srSlnrs ire Withdrawn the Nichols government
will become the only existing government, and
will have TO ba recognized such.
nnamurh as you say that your letter only ex-
1resses YOUR avn individual views, II is not neees
sary - aefempt To correct your opinion that
the circumstances are such that IL will be out Of
Tho question i1r Republican Administration to
maintain IL tmy ttIe.) As that is a subject which
INV uiiHatrsus Nne Ertrlueut, un-
der thu Constitution and laws OF the United
Statss, I Judge tho purpose OF your letter to
have been in . friendly way to accomplish tho
IbRnii0nmcnt by No of tho ONCE OF Governor, to
tha end that my defeated opponent might assume
InIIuestionsL the office to which have been
eiectad. Admitting the value Of tho opinion Of
1ns 30 learned. Of 80 deservedly great In.
dusncu in TIM councils Of the natios.
am constrained by q high sense of duty to
unuuuIl nefltv laoiIua IN rf,fn
sitiOn to reiinqush abandon tho position which
hnid. recrived \ majority of tho legal votes
cast at TIM laat election have been declared Gov.
ernor by tha legal Legislature in Joint session
with an unliisputed quorum Of both houses, and
having been lawfully vested with authority as
Governor, cannot, with due regard to my oath
af 1ifice anu duty To tho Td,00O voters who have
elected me TO ths chisi magistracy, though I
-huuiit tecsiys consideration and position In some
appropriate way, abandon those faithful mon
10 ths mercilass Vengeance Of tho White Lea . ue
DGmorracy.
am tho hsad of 4 government as perfect AZ
thai 1f any state in tho MON. Ny predecessor
tuguthrr with his Secretary Of State, Auditor Of
Public Accounts, State Treasurer, Superintsnd
ent Of Public Instruction and Attorney General
with all tha archives Of their several oaices sur
rrn,sred these positions into the hands Of thoss
lnNtully elected to receiEs them. now repre-
sent this government, with possession Of all ol
these drienh. Am opposed by an organized cd
mDb of men in this city known as the White
League, who have maintained daring my admin
istration q t0rca held together by the encourage
msnt gwen them from abroad by those who al
pHrently seem to measure the legal existence Ol
gnvsrnment BY the amount Of force 1t can pre-
sent. We're this fOrce removed, as IL will be-
then the Legitimacy Of my government Is deter
mined by tho President. Nothing then will
seriously impede the success Of my administra.
tOn.
Personally my position has been. is and will
ha, until thu General Government shall see ht "a
uerognizs my authority as Governor, . most
perilous Ons. and IL would be 4 source Of satisfac
ton lid thu responsibility rest upon some one
other than myself The hundreds Of Repubil
cans vhO have given their lives as sacrifice to
tho cause of liberty and fres government, the
thousands whu have deposited their votes at the
risk Of life are ever present in my mind and do
nnnd that faithfully discharge the duties de,
vnlvsd upGn ne Should exhibit less devotion
than thasa fnithiul peOpsg Though the effort
cost my life, still that devotion would be Q bet.
tar haritaga tO my children than thu plaudits oI
the White Leagua Of the State, when gained by
a surrendsr Of buth manhood and duty. / an,
tha Governor, and M srmsd tnrcsor violence can
give my competitor lawful title. Respectfully
5. b. PACKARD.
ha garVfyn f1.y.r,,n.,t h.a f..r.....i