The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-04-26
n Response to Senator Blaine's Mani.
festo by Leading Religious
Ournal.
From the Independent.


The card of Senator Blaine to the edi-
tor of the Boston Herald, which we here
reproduce, reads as follows:
To the Editor of the Herald
Your Columbia correspondent is in error
in his,statement thatI had a conference with
Gov Chamberlain in New York. l have
seen Gov. Chamberlain but once for year,
and that was in the private cabinet room
OF President Hayes, on the 9th of March
Nor have | written or telegraphed him, or
heard from him in any way. The same
is true respecting Gov. Packard, except in
the matter of one telegram received from
him, which | read publicly in the United
States senate. But am sure that Gov.
Chamberlain knows that he has the pro-
foundest sympathy in the heroic though
unsuccessful struggle he has made in South
Carolina for civil liberty and constitutional
government. l am equally sure that Gov
Packard feels that my heart and judgment
are both with him In the contest he is still
waging against great odds for the govern
orship that he holds by title as valid as
that which justly and lawfully seated Ru-
therford b. Hayes in the presidential
chair. trust also that both governors
know that the Boston press no more repre-
sens the stalwart Republican feeling Of
New England on the pending issues than
the same press did whenit demanded the
enforcement of the Fugitive Slave law,
in 1851.
Very respectfully, j. G, BLAINE.
AUGUSTA, Me ,Aprll 10, 1877.
That part of this card which relates to
the legal rights Of Gov. Chamberlain and
Gov. Packard,a as the result of a popular cleo
ton we say governor in respect to each
is no mere gush Of sentiment. 1t rests on
the solid rock of constitutions and laws, in
South Carolina already martyred, and in
Louisiana, to all human appearance await
ing the same fate. The language is pro-
foundly true, and profoundly real 10 the
facts which underlie it. We speak advis
eddy, as did Senator Blaine, in saying that
Gov. Packard's title to the office he claims
is ''as valid as that which justly and law
fully seated Rutherford B. Hayes in the
presidential chair" The same is as true
of Gov, Chamberlain, who has been viz.
tually compelled to abdicate an office to
which the people elected him, but in which
he could not sustain himself if unsupported
by the general government.
Fact 1t is that last fall an election was
held in Louisiana for state officers and
presidential electors. Fact it is that the
votes compiled by the returning board
and certified to the secretary of state, and
by him transmitted to the speaker of the
house of representatives, and by the latter
opened in the presence of the two houses
of the legislature, each having a quorum
of members attested by the returning
board as legally elected, did show, as can
vassed and declared in the Joint meeting
of the two houses, that Mr.. S. 3. Packard
had been elected Fact it is that he was
sworn into Office and entered upon the dis
charge of its duties. Fact it is that he had
a greater number of votes by nearly one
thousand than was given for any Repub
hcan elector. Fact it is that without
counting the Republican electoral votes Of
Louisiana President Hayes was not and ex
Gov. Tilden would have been elected
Fact it is that the electoral commission
treated the returning board and its actor
as valid IN law, and that the supreme cour
OF Louisiana has declared this board to b.
legal organization, invested with sucl
powers that its decisions in oanaassing th,