The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-26
Weather Indications.
Report of the Louisiana Commission.

ntpOI VI Jue AOulsldHd OOmInlbSlOu'
WASHINGTON, April 25.
The report submitted to the president
by the Louisiana commission recites their
efforts to sssuage the bitterness and ami
mostly found existing on both sides go as to
secure a public opinion less unfavorable to
such concessions as were indispensable to
our success in establishing such a legisla-
ture and such general acquiescence in its
authority as would insure social order.
They detail their various conferences with
Packard and Nichols, and their prospective
supports, as well as with a hundred prom
inent citizens of all parties and races.
They sum up the condition of affairs on
their arrival as follows: Packard was at
the state house with his legislature and
friends and armed police force. AS there
was no quorum in the senate, even upon
his own theory Of the law, his legislature
was necessarily inactive. The supreme
court which recognized his authority had
not attempted to transact business since
dispossessed of its court room, and
the custody of the records.
He had no organized militia,
alleging that his deficiency in that respect
was owing to obedience to the orders of
President Grant TO take no steps to change
the relative positions of himself and Mich
oils. His main reliance was upon his al
legged legal title, claiming it was the consti-
tutional duty of the president TO recognize
it and afford him such military assistance
as was necessary to enable him to assert
his authority as governor. Nichols
was occupying the Oddfellows' hall as a
state house; his legislature was actively en-
gagged in legislation; all departments of the
city government recognized his authority;
the supreme court nominated by him and
confirmed by his senate held daily sessions
and had heard about two hundred cases;
the time for the collection of taxes had not
arrived but a considerable sum in the form
of taxes had been voluntarily paid into his
treasury out OF which he was defraying the
ordinary expenses of the state government.
The Nichols legislature had a quorum in
the senate on either the Nichols or the
Packard theory; the Packard Legislature
had a quorum in The house on its
wi theory, but not in the SEN
ate, and was thus disabled from
valid legislation. They found it very diff
ficult to ascertain the precise extent to
which the respective governments were &C.
knowledged 10 the parishes outside of New
Orleans, but it is safe to say that the
changes which had taken place after the
organization of the two governments had
been in favor of Nichols. The claim tc
legality of the supreme court, composed OF
Chief Justice Manning end associates,
nominated by Nichols and confirmed by
his senate, reefs upon the same basis as the
title of Nichols and his senate. The claim
to legality Of the supreme court composed
Of Chief Justice Ludeling and his associ.
ates, rests either upon their right to hold
over in case Nichols court is illegal, and
upon the legality of the Kellogg Packard
senate which confirmed the judges upon the
nomination of Kellogg and while having &
returning board quorum. The report ther
quotes from The election law of Louisians
and cites the claims of both parties to lie
gality, adding that there was no judicia.
tribunal acknowledged authoritative by
both parties by which it could be solved
The only hope of a practical solution wa,
by a union of so many members of tht
rival legislatures as would make a legisia.
ture with a constitutional quorum il
the senate and house of members
whose title was undisputed under
either view of the law, which was accom-,
plished within the last three days oy the
withdrawal of members from the Packart
legislature, giving Nichols to-day mort
Than a quorum in both branches. In view
of these facts the commission telegraphet
the goth instant that the time for the with,
drawal Of troops had come. The repor
concludes thus The commissioners, hold
ing various shades of political belief, can
not well concur in any sketch Of the pas
or probable future of Louisiana. We have
foreborne in this report TO express any
opinion on legal questions arising upon the
foregoing statement, because our letter Of
instructions seemed to call for a statement
of facts rather than an expression of opinion
on legal questions arising upon theforegoinG
statement by commissioners. We all, how,
ever, indulge in confident hopes Of better
days for all races in Louisiana. AmonG
the reasons for these hopes are the resolu
tons of the Nichols legislature and the
letter OF Nichols herewith submitted ant
which have already been given to the pub.
lie. Signed, Charles b. Lawrence, Jos. II
Hawley, John M. Harlan, John G. Brown
Wayne McVeigh.