Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-04-19
Louisiana.

Both Houses OF the Iackaru Legislature INV
IN ioiut session yesterday There were eighty
three members present, Including Washington
and Brooks the two colored members recently
acting with the Nichols House.
Gen. Mcmillan, on the part Of the executive
committee, laid before the caucus an oillcla'
COPY Of the resolutions passed by the Nichols
Legislature Tuesday, which we're received ny
him from the commission. He called attention
to the long struggle the members had under
gone ia their efforts 10 establish and maintain
the legal State government, aud said he de-
pIored the necessity Tor admitting that their
efforts had failed lie regretted that repeated
appcals to the President for aid had been
silently Ignored The assurances OF members
Of the commission, authorllatlvoy If not OIL
cialIy given, that The President would not re-
cogniZe either Governor and would certainly
withdraw the troops, brought them face to lace
with the inevitable. Without the support OF
the General Government their case WAS hope,
less. Uodcr these circumstances, what diu
sound policy demand? Clearly 10 look the IN
cyitablc in the face aud make the most they
could out Of the situation Tor those whose rep
resentatives they were, and In the interest Of
those VINO ueu SlcllH1Gu niuE" w ava :" '''"''
| tanning the struggle. -,
In replv to a question: Gen. Mcmillan SAID
the document had no Endorsement from the
commission favorable or otherwise, but IL had
been handed to him by the commission, and ut
their suggestion he had subsequently, lnv't1I!
numbers Of the members OF the Legislature 10
| meet the commission and discuss the matter.
| Mir. W. ii. Dinkgravc, Of Madison, said lie
was one Of the members sent Tor By The coin
mission, aud lie would rcler as accurately As nc
could remember to what took place ut hat 10.
tcrview. The commission stated that they hau
been here now Two weeks as agents OF The Prcs'
ilcnt, irving to sec il some plan CT adjustment
could not be adopted. AS republicans, the conf
mission said they deeply sympathlZed With us
| in orr struggle and sacrifices, but, alter Two
weeks labor, VIC have come TO the conclusion
lone Of tho commission here lntrrlaccd the
| words mot rs 4 commission, but "a lEdlv!d-
ualsD that the terms offered III The PROPOSE
| ton which has been handed by one OF US 10
| the chairman Of your committee arc the best
we can get for you, and, Tor the sake OF the
republican party, and for the sake OF the
peace Of the State, it was best We shout! &C
ccrt them.
This was endorsed by all the members pres
ent except Mr.. McVeigh. Gov. Brown was moi
present. | for one was surprised aud Indignant
at the proposition made to us to thus Sacrlhc;
the duty, principle, honor and everything.
said to Gen Harlan, do you speak rs . co u
missioner" He said, IL do not" Then
said, II dcpy your right as citizen Of Men
tucSy to come here aud dictate to nc, mem
Der OF the Legislature Of Louisiana, what
shall do | asked ono Of the members OF tho
commission if he was member OF the Leglsla
ture, as [ was, and believed Gov. Packard hon
estly elected, whether he would accept thcst
terms, and after some hesitation he replied
mo" This. in my opinion, is not question
Of compromise.
| 1t is question Of lava question Of right
and l trust every member OF this caucus Wll
agree with me to stand firm and not let l'rcs
dent Hayes slip through the loop,h ulc which
this commission is trying to prepare Tor him.
believe the time has come when We can say {;
| President Hays: You were elected by thu
votes of the republicans oil Louisiana, scaled ty
the blood Of hundreds Of faithful ueu, and
now, iorgetiu Of that, and iorgctlul even Of tho
obligation Of your high Office, you are trying tt
carry out bargain made by your advisers. who
come here with nothing but houoyad words OF
their lips aud nothing but praises OF cur mate
| less fidelity while the returning board wcri
canvasslGg votes; you are trying to carry out
| that bargain by saying whilst You had the Wat
| ter under consideration the republicans O.
Louisiana gave up the fight. You shall 10
whip the devil round the stump in that man
| nor
An exciting. discussion followed, in the cDuTsc
Of which it was stated that one member Of the
commission had asserted that il the PROPOSE
tons were not adopted the troops woull be- re-
moved in less than fortnight and another
commissioner said within week. Governor
Yarmouth made long speech, URGING, in DC
tense of President Hayes, that when he came
into Office he found Governor Packard Labeled
across the back with q Geographic dispatch
! from tic outgoing President that the troop:
were not 10 be used for the support Of lis gov
crnmcn. He eulogiZed the patient endurance
and determination exhibited by Gov. Packard
| 10 defense Of his rights.
| lie concluded us follows :-"lr members q
| this body have manhood and personal aut
party integrity enough to stand together, Ecv
or to leave their places aud 90 over To the enc
my-nonc OF them-thn right thing, high
toned thing, honorable thing TO do is to send
| back this document to the commissioners 10
dorsed The within propositions submitted
by the commissioners arerespcctfully declined.
| But if there arc lot OF scurvy men 10 this-bl
| dy who, after the majority has made the deter
minatiou to stand by Gov Packard to the end
of this contest, will, for paltry sum, take their
hats and sneak by the doors into Mr.. Nichols
Legislature, why, in Gods name, moi let us
know it beforehand?
IF you have determined that you will not
compromise at all, let US say SO in plain terms
and stand together till the issue comes. llcach
man will sign his name and pledge his word 0!
honor to stand by this government until honor
ably discharged we will have no difficulty in
waiting the final determination Of this Issue,
and then whatever happens We shall, at least,
have 80 acted as to save ourself-respect, even il
we do not have seats 10 auybody's Legislature.
Tho following resolutions offered by Gov.
Yarmouth, were then adopted, and The caucus
adjourned -
Resolrea. That we have received the propo.
sitiou of adjustment forwarded to US by the hon
| orabe gentlemen Of the Presidents commission,
and having considered it carefully feel Obliged
to decline to accept its terms. If our Legisla-
ture, organized with quorum in both Houses