Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-04-21
The Louisiana Commission.
Correspondence of the New York Times

0Correspondence of the New York Times)
NEW ORLEANS, April IL, 1877.
The course pursued by the Commission has not
given entire satisfaction to the democrats. In
deed, it has leaked out and become generally un-
derstood that Messrs. Hawley & Co. are taking a
range ofinvestgation very different from what has
been anticipated This has led to feelings of ami
mostly, and prompted very haughty and overoear'
ing manner the part of the democratic visitors TO
the committee rooms. Last Tuesday bank Fres-
idcn, on being rather closely questioned by Judge
Lawrence, said, very testify "lf l had known
this was a committee of har-spltting lawyers l
should not have come here" To which Judge
Lawrence replied with some asperity "Well, Sir,
we did not invite you to Gomez which was quite
true. These enormous deputations Of politico-
commercial dignitaries have called on the CON-
missoners without any invitation whatsoever, and
have had the bad taste to assume very high and
mighty bearing. Tuesday night specially spicy
episode occurred between Mr. Macy Neagh and an
official high in standing under Nichols. The said
official was expatisting on the force which could
be brought to bear in support OF Nichols, and
dwelling on the popular determination to yield
nothing whatever, but, on the contrary, to fight to
the bitter end instead when MacVeagh said, Il
don't know about the matter Of brute forces we
didn't come here to look into that; but it strikes
me there are unemployed men enough IN my dis
trct who would be glad TO come down here ana
| try conclusions with the White League on an is
sue of that sort" The interview was not very
amiable as YOU may ready imagine. In fact, the
prevailing temper of the intercourse between the
commission and the democrats has been far iron
friendly. The latter resent the disposition OF the
former to inquire into awkward matters, and are
not at all pleased with the fact that Messrs. Haw-
lev and Harlan have had several long interviews
with representatives OF the Grand Army of the
| Republic, and taken a large amount OF evidence
not popularity supposed to be friendly TO the dem
ocrstic cause. In fact it is realized now that the
original attitude was the correct one, and that II
was a mistake to depart from II. The democracy
rginally resolved to have nothing TO do with the
Commission which they should have relgiousiy
| adhered to- At all events, having oil their own
motion approached the Commission, they should
have adopted more respectful and conclliatory
| tone.
| Ii seems to be generally understood that the
Commissioners will conclude their labors by Sat
| urday and depart Should they report fully as to
the result of their inquiries here. you may rest as
sured that many popular errors Will be corrected,
| and much new light thrown on the situation.
| know that they have been fully informed on a Il
points connected with this miserable muddle, and
| if they do not tell the county the truth 1t VIII be
| because the President plan does not contemplate
that end. Two facts at least will be developed +:
First, that the legislature which canvassed the
| State vote aud declared Packard governor had a
legal quorum in both houses at the time; and sec
ond that should the legislature be re-organized on
the plan proposed by the commission, viz, with a
| nucleus of members whose election is not con-
tested by either side, it would have republican
majority, and would second time declare Pack
ard the governor.
In short, as | have already said, Nichols case
is essentially a de facto case. HIS claims reside
altogether in the fact of his possession. 10 the sup
port OF large majority Of the tax-paying white
people, and in the trouble which would inevitably
result from any attempt TO install Packard. Were
the case otherwise, perhaps should not interpose
my voice at such time. Bat it seems clear that
| the President means to abandon Packard, and al
| low the democrats to take, or rather, to retain,
possession; and, believing this, have sought TO
call attention the defects in the policy thus far
pursued by the victorious party and TO warn the IN
in their pride Of power and lust of place that their
case is not so strong and pure as to justify them
in dsregarding the public welfare, and breaking
every pledge of honesty, economy, and reform
they have made the people who supported them SO
faithfully. L. ID. o.