The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-24

lupon fraud must of necessity resort to
fraud TO sustain itself. Our judiciary,
with some honorable exceptions, was
/ VIGOROUSLY corrupt. Crime Went Ior
the most part unpunlsneo elenel
through the connivance o. the prose-
citing officers, the venallty or paIea-
sanship OF the courts, or py tne o ap9s ~
OF the pardoning power. Inc recoIu vi
murders. burglaries, arson and other
crimes would present horrible
picture II the statistics were at hand.
| Worse than all, the honest, intel
i lipsnt and property holding classes
are falsely charged with the comrmis-
| sion ri these crimes for political pur-
| posea. Thus 1t is that those whose duty
# was aud who had the power to pun
| ish crime, actually encouraged 1t in Or
der to strengthen their power. An.
other device was to stir up feeling 81
hatred between the. races. but IN TINS
they have utterly failed, though thtey
have succeeded In creating false I'M
preston in this regard upon the North
ern mind. -.
Al the election In November the great
mass OF the honest and Intelligent
classes, including Republicans as
well as Democrats, aided by thou.
sands OF the colored race, elected
Francis T. Nichols as Governor. Louis
A. Wiltz as Lieutenant Governor, most
of the State officers, and majority OF
both branches OF the Legislature; the
majority for Governor NICHOLS, and
other State officers, being over eight
thousand.
turning Board appeared upon the scene.
By perjury, and subornation of per-
inrv. by forgery and fraud, by throw
ING out votes honestly cast, and count
ing votes that were not cast, they sue
ceeded in converting this into o major
ity for Packard and his crew.
So much for the past; now FOR the
present. Upon the one hand we find
Mr.. Packard In possession OF the st.
Louis Hotel, guarded by an armed
| force of one or two hundred men,
with miserable retinue OF ten or a
dozen persons, claiming to be Senators,
and about Atty others claiming to be
Representatives.. Their daily proceed,
| inps In each branch may be summed
| ms az follows: Roll called; no quorum
| present; Seargeant-at-Arms ordered. to
"a in search of absentees adjourned to
| "a m. next day." This might be deemed
sufficient to cay Of this august body,
| but there was time when they claimed
to have u quorum. They met on the
| al day of January, the usurper, Kel.
logg, still occupying the gubernatorial
chair. On that day they adopted the
"Superior Civil Court bill." This act,
which was passed on the day 1t was in
troduoed, without being referred to any
committee, and without any amendment
being offered, 10 probably the most
ted by any Legislative body In this or
any other country. It appears that
these hardened sinners became shocked
by the monstrosity Of their first act OF
| legislation, for 1t appeared q day or two
| later graced with the signature OF w.
p. kellogg, modified In some OF Its most
Accountable details, but remaining In
It's modified form an enactment Of such
deyilish iniquity that 1t stands without
parallel. This, and four other acts
scarcely less abominable, give us o
foretaste OF the character OF the laws
they would enact ii they had
the power TO do so. It IL safe to say
that, II the Legislature of New York,
ture of any Northern or Western State,
should adopt five such acts as are above
referred to, tho people OF such State
would rise up and sweep them from
Office. If not from existence.
The authority OF Packard and his
crew Is confined within the walls OF the
st. Louis Hotel; 1t does not extend to q
foot OF ground beyond those walls, and
yet.there are some who would dignity it
with the title OF the governmental OF q free
American State. 1t the countenance OF
the Federal government, and the sup
port of Federal bayenets were taken
from 1t, it would not stand an hour.
Without the shedding OF drop OF blood
| L. 4 rxttf. ~ ny cf
Upon the other hand, we find Gov.
Nichols occupying the Odd Fellows
Hall as a State House. In the Senate
we find q quorum, not only OF duly
elected mem bers, but quorum Of men,
bers recognized and returned by the
Returning Board. In the House we
find u quorum of duly elected members,
and within 10 OF a quorum declared
elected by the Returning Board. The
st. Louis Hotel Is closed against all,
except the adherents OF Packard and
an occasional stranger who seeks ad-
mission to crafty his curiosity In view
F, ing SO motley q crew. The Odd Eel
lows Hall Is open to every one that
seeks admission.
The authority OF Governor Nichols
| is acknowledged and respected through
out the State. Many Republicans,
elected in November, have applied for
tand have received from him their COM
missions, and are acting under their
authority. He Is the chief conservator
Of the peace Of the State, not only In
name but in fact, and he Is faithfully
discharging that duty. The laws are
being justly administered, and crime
has greatly decreased under his rule.
His government Is supported by taxes
voluntarily paid in advance, as by our
laws taxes are not collectible until
July. He is to-day not only de jure,"
but "de facto" Governor OF Louisiana.
The Supreme Court, and the District
Courts presided over by the judges elect
ed by the people, are In session, discharg.
respected by the sheriffs, the bar and
the people.
Tt would be needless to ask the people
OF this State which OF these two bodies
they will recognize and sustain as their
1