Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-20
EIkOM LOUISIANA

| fhOM Lou IsIANA.
ANINUS OF THE PACKARD PARTY-TuEY FRO
POSE sTuLLr RLSIsTASCE TO ANY COM
PROMISE.
NEW ORLEANS, April 1S-B0th houses of
the Packard legislature inct in joint caucus
to-day. There were eighty-three members
present, including Washington and Brooks,
two colored members recently acting with
the Nichols House. Gen. Mcmillan, on
the part of the executive committee, laid
before the caucus the official copy of the res
olution passed by the Nichols legislature
yesterday. and which were received by him
FROM the commission lie called attention
to the long struggle the members had IN
dergone in their efforts to establish and
maintain legal state government. and
said he depiored tho necessity for admitting
that their efforts had failed and regretted
that repeated appeals to the President for
aid had been silently ignored. The assur-
ances of the members of tho commission.
authoritatively if not officially given, that
the President would not recognize either
| governor, and would certainly withdraw
the troops, brought them face to face
with the inevitable. Without support of
the general government their case was
| hopeless. Under these circumstances, what
did sound policy demand? Clearly to look
the inevitable in the face and make the
most they could out of the situation. lnreply
to question, Gen. Mcmillan said the dOcu-
ment had no endorsement from the commits
sion favorable or otherwise, but it had been
handed to him by tine commissioners and at
their suggestion he had subsequently inyit-
ed number of the members of the legisla-
ture to meet the commission and discuss
the matter
W. ii. DinkgrOve, of Madison, said he
was one of the members sent for by the
commission. and he would repeat a. accur-
ately as he could rem ember " nat took place
at that interview. The commission statcdthey
had been here now two weeks as agents of
the President trying to see it some plan OF
adjustment could no. be adopted. As
republicans, the commission said they
deeply sympathized with US in our struggles
and sacrifices, but after two weeks labor
We have come to the conclusion, one OF
commission here interlaccd the words mot
as commission but as individuals" that
the terms offered in the proposition which
has been handed by one OF US to the chair
man of your committee. are the best We can
ENr 81 10. tIa
can party and for the sake of the peace of
the state it was best We should accept them.
This was endorsed by all the members
present. except McVeigh. Governor Brown
and indignant at the proposition made to
US to thus sacrifice duty, principle, honor,
and everything. said to Ger eral Harlan
do YOU speak as commission - he said,
81 do not" Then | said. 81 deny
your right as citizen of Kentucky to
come here and dictate to me,
member of the legislature of Louisiana,
what | shall do" | asked one of the mem
bers of the commission if he were mem
Der of the legislature as was, and believed
Packard honestly elected, whether he would
accept these terms. and after some hesita-
ton he replied, NO" This in my opin-
ion is no question of compromise. 1t is a
question Of lava question of right, and
| trust every member of this legislature
Will agree with me to stand firm and not to
let President Hayes slip through the loop
hole which this commission is trying to
prepare for him. | believe the time has |
come when We can say to President Hayes, |
You were elected by the votes of the repub-
licans of Louisiana, sealed by the blood of
hundreds of faithful men, and now forgetful
of that and forgetful even of the obliga-
tions of your high Office, you are trying to
carry out a bargain made by your adv rs
who eamo here with nothing but hOneyed
words on their lips and nothing but praises
of our matchless fidelity while the returning
board were canyassing the votes. You are
trying to carry out that bargain by saying,
whilst you had the matter under considera-
ton, tho republicans of Louisiana gave up
tho fight. You shall not whip the devil
round the stump in that manner"
An excitement discussion followed, in the
Course of which it was stated that one
member Of the commission had asserted that
if this proposition were not adopted the
troops would be removed in less than fort
night and another commissioner said " it'll
N week.
Gov. Yarmouth made speech urging in |
leience OF President Hayes that when he
ZANE into office he found Packard
abelled across the back with tele-
graphic despatch, from the outgoing
President, that the troops were not to DO !
ised for the support of his government lie
'ulogized the patient endurance and de-
exhibited by Packard IN
ieience of his rights. lie concluded as fol- ,
Ows: !
'lf the members of this body have
manhood and personal and party integrity
enough to stand together, never to leave
heir places and go over to the enemy, the
light thing to do is to send back this docu-
nent to the commission endorsed the with
n propositions submitted by the commits
ion are respectfully declined But if !
mere are lot OF scurvy men in this body, $
Who, alter having made determine !. !,
ton to stand by Packard to the end Of this
contest, will, Tor paltry sum. take their IL
ats and stand by the back doors in q
NICHOLS legislature. why in Gods name T
ct US know 1t beforehand. Ii you have
determined that YOU will not COM
romisr Mt all, let US say SO IN ii
'lain terms and stand together :,
Ill the issue comes. II each man will sign r.
Is name and pledge his word oil honor % ri
tand by this government until honorably :;