Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-04-19
Affairs in Louisiana.
A Caucus Of the Members Of
the Packard Legislature.
SPEECHES BY SEVERAL OF THE
MEMBERS DENOUNCING THE
PRESIDENTS ACTION.
In, Proposition offered by the
Commission to bo Rel scted.
=
No I3argains.
Resolutions Were Passed to Stand r. rm
for Republican Principles.
No Bargains
Resolutions Were Passed to Stand FIRM
for Republican Principles.

NEW ORLEANS, April Is At the Joint caucus
OF members of the Packard house and senate SO
members were present. On motion of EX Gov
Yarmouth they unanimously rejected the PROPOSE
ton of the democrats and resolved to stand BY
Gov. Packard to the last
General Mcmillan, on the part OF the Executive
committee, laid before the caucus an official copy
of a resolution passed by the Nichols legislature
yesterday, and which was received by him from
the commission. He called attention to the long
struggles the members had undergone in their Of
forts to establish and maintain legal State gov
I eminent, and said he deplored the necessity for
admitting that their efforts had failed. He re-
GREETED that repeated appeals to the President for
aid had been silently ignored. The assurances of
members of the commission were authoritiyeiy
if not officially given that the President would not
recognize either governor, aud would certainly
withdraw the troops, brought them face to face
with the inevitable. Without the support of the
general government their ease was hopeless. I'm.
der these circumstances what did sound policy de-
mand Clearly to look the inevitable in the face
and make the most they could of the situation
In reply to question, MIR. Mcmillan said the doc
ument had no endorsement from the commission
favorable or otherwise, but 1t had been handed
him by the commission, and at their suggestion he
had subsequently invited a number of members of
the legislature to meet the commission aed discuss
the matter.
W. H. Dnkgrave of Madison said he was one
Of the members sent for by commissio n and he
would state accurately as he could remember what
took place at that interview. The commission
stated that they had been here now two weeks as
agents of the President, trying to see il some plan
of adjustment could not be adopted. As repnbli-
cans, the commission said they deeply sympathz-
ed with us in our struggles aud sacrifices, but af-
ter two weeks labor we have come to the conclu-
sion that one of the commission have interpolated
the words mot as commission but as individu-
ais" that the terms offered in the proposition
which has been handed by one Of us to the char
man of your committee, are the best we can get
for you, and for the sake of the republican party
and for the sake of the peace of the State il was
best we should accept them.
This was endorsed by all the members present
except McNegh. Gov. Brown was not present
TOR one was surprised and indignant at the prop
oston made to us to thus sacrifice duty, principle
honor and everything. said to General Harlan,
DO you speak as commission lie said, II do
not" Then said 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 commission if he were a
member of the legislature, as was, and believed
Governor Packard honestly elected, whether he
would accept these terms. After some hesitation
he replied mo"
This is, in my opinion, not a question of com
promise It is question of law; question Of
light; and trust every member of this body will
agree with me to stand firm and not let President
Hayes slip through the loop-hole which the con-
mission 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 re-
publicans of Louisiana, sealed by the blood of
hundreds of faithful men. and now forgetful of
that and forgetful even of the obligations of your
high office, you are trying to carry out the bar
gain made by your advisers who came here with
nothing but honeycd words their lips and
nothing but praises OF our matches fidelity while
toe returning board were canvassing votes. You
are trying to carry out that bargain by saying that
whilst you had the matter under consideration the
republicans of Louisiana gave up the fight. You
shall not VIII lip the devil around the stump n that
manner
An excited discussion followed, in the course o
which 1t was stated that one member of the COM
mission had asserted that if this proposition was
net adopted, the troops would be removed in less
than a fortnight, and another commissioner said
within week.
Governor Yarmouth made a long Speech urg-
ing in defence OF President Hayes, that when he
came into Office he found Governor Packard lab
elled across the back with a teegraphic despatch
from the outgoing president, that the troops were
not to be used for the support OF his government.
lie euogizcd the patient endurance aud determ-
nation exhibited by Governor Packard in defence
Of his ri hts. lie concluded follows:
If the members OF this body have manhood and
personal and party integrity enough 10 stand to-
gether, never TO leave their places and 90 over to
the enemy, not one Of them, the right thing, the
high-toned thing, the honorable thing to do Is TO
send back this to the commission endorsed, The
within rolosiion submitted by the commission is
respectfully declined" But If there are 4 lot Of
scurvy men in this body who, after the majority
has made determination TO stand by Gov. Pack
ard to the end OF this contest will for palry
sum take their hats and sneak by the back doors
into Mr.. Nichols legislature, why, in Gods name
let us know it beforehand. If you have deter.
mined that you will not compromise at ALL let us
say so in plain terms, and stand together TIL the
issue comes.
If each man will sign his name and pledge bis
word OF honor to stand by this government until
honorably discharged by the governor of this
State, we will have no difficulty in waiting and
putting the integrity of the President of the Unit
ed states to a test, and then whatever happens we
shall at least have acted to ourself respect
even if we do not have seats in anybodys legsla-
ture.
The following resolutions offered by GOV War
mouth, were then adopted, and the caucus al.
journed
Resolved That we have received the PROPOSE
tion of adjustment forwarded to US by honorable
gentlemen OF the Presidents commission, and hav-
ing considered it carefully feel obliged to decline
to accept its terms. If our legislature, organized
with a quorum in both houses of members re-
turned elected by the returning boare, as required
by law, be illegal, as is assumed by the PROPOSE
ton and if it be true that the legislature should be
constituted by persons prima facie elected by the
returns Of commissioners of elections We still fail
to see by what right an exception is made in the
proposal in favor of three from the seventh
warn oi new orieaDs, VINO % tnose pfiIni lacle
statements were returned defeated.
Resolved That we disavow any purpose to
trade questions at issue between the two gov
ernments, and will consent to no trade whatever.
Ii we are to have a legislature organized on the
principle that the persons elected al the ballot box
should constitute each house prima facie, we
know nothing which gives our democratic brcth-
rem the night to make exception to that prnci
pie, although it may change the power of the re-
spective parties and give the democratic party
majority, which they would not otherwi se have.
Resolved That the resolution be forwarded to
the honorable members of the Presidents COM
mission.