Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-27
WASHINGTON 18th, 1877

NASHlNGroN 18th, 1877.
A reliable gentleman who arrived here
from New Orleans, this evening, give. the
following information as to the condition of
affairs when he left there Friday. The
Louisiana question, he thinks, will be set
tied this week, either by the reorganization
OF the Legislature on the plan suggested by
the Commission, or the retirement of the
Commission without any adjustment. the
withdrawal of the troops, and the practical
reorganization of the Nichols Legislature
by the stampede in progress from Packard
on substantially the same plan. In
either event the result will be the establish
ment of the Nichols Government and the
creation of Legislature the validity of
which will be conceded by both parties, and
must be recognized by the President. This
done, the Packard Government will collapse.
There will be no attempt at resistance then
by musket, by torch, or the petroleum
bottle.
PACKARDS s GOVERNMENT A MYTH.
There is no Packard Government. There
has not been dollar paid into its treas
ury since Packard took his seat as Gov
ernor. There may have been considerable
sum of money collected by Kellogg, but it
has been enjoined by courts whose jurisdic-
tion both parties acknowledged, and the
State Treasury has not drawn a check in
three months. The Packard partv is bank
rupt as to money. Every one who has money
in it has been assessed from $500 to
llllll tn hnu tho
pork to feed the State House garrison.
This gentleman says it will take more
troops than Packard can raise to keep his
own Legislature from going over to Nichols
the minute the break comes, and Nichols
does not need to bribe anybody.
TEMPTING BAIT
Under the resolution of the Nichols Legis-
lature the members who were returned
elected on the face of the returns can now
have eight dollars per diem for the session,
and their mileage both ways. by appearing
in the Legislature. This would give these
representatives, most of whom are negroes
and poor, from $500 to 81 800 each-large
sums of money for these people. They will
not long delay in going to receive it. when
they become convinced that the troops under
any circumstances are to be withdrawn.
Mcmillan, Warmoth and Leonard, with
their following, could at anv moment destroy
Packard's Legislature. They hold off for
the purpose of personal political advantage,
and In order not to appear az voluntarily
surrendering the Republican cause while
there is shadow of hope.
TUE RESOLUTIONS OF THE NICHOLS SENATE.
published this morning, are the work of
Nichols himself. They were passed by his
direction, as a pledge to the Commission
that the Nichols party intend to accept the
situation in good faith. The features of the
resolutions were suggested directly by the
Commission. Nichols has the power to
enforce these resolutions throughout the
State. Even in the parishes like Feliciana,
where the greatest outrages were COM
mitted. the planters have pledged themselves
to the Nichols policy, for the reason, if no
other. they have discovered that the out
RACES committed in the past are tending to
deprive the parish of its labor. The entire
planting community are saying to the
classes who have committed these outrages
that they must stop.
FAIR TREATMENT OF THB CoLoEED PEOPLE.
Nichols has secured q considerable follow
ing among the colored people by commits
sioning throughout the State every colored
man to Office who is shown to have been
elected on the face of the returns. Every
colored man elected on the Packard ticket.
shown on the face of the returns to be elected
has received = commission from Nichols.
THE CAUSE OF COMPLAINT AGAINST TIE RE-
TURNING BOARD.
The Commission, in their communications
to the President. utterly disprove the fallacy
which is maintained by those implacable
Republicans at the North who are opposing
the Administration policy. The Commits
sion find that it is not true, a. a matter of
fact. that Packard's title as Governor is as
good as Hayes's title as President. On the
contrary, they fin. that the mischief done by
the returning board, and the acts at which
the Democracy are dissatisfied. are not in
the canvass of the votes or the rejec-
tion OF votes in the parishes where
violence was clearly proved. The can
vass OF the boa-d elected Mr.. Hayes
in the State by 500, and gives the Legisla-
ture by large majority to the Democrats.
The great source Of dissatisfaction with the
Returning Board Is that they went beyond
the proper legal construction of their pow
ers, not in the interest of HAYES, but in the
interest of Kellogg, in order to obtain Leg
islature that would make his election to the
Senate certain. The statement that Pack
ards title is as good as Hayes is IL false
hood and cannot be supported by the facts.
The Federal offices in Louisiana will undoubt-
edly be filled by new appointments immedi-
ately after the adjustment and establish
ment of Nichols. Packard will probably
not be offered any position, as his presence
in "A public place would tend to keep alive
old issues. Lieut.. Governor Antoine (col-
ored) may be made Postmaster at Shreve-
port. where there is n colored population oi
20 900 Either Mcmillan Of Ohio, who his
lived South a long time and has the respect
OF the Democrats, or Gen. Geo Sheridan,
may be made Collector of the Port Cor.
Boston Journal.