The daily gazette., 1877-04-07
THE LOUISIANA CASE.
Interviews of the Commission with
with lhe Rival Governors.

-
The Evidence Of Facts in Fauor of
Nchots-Pdckard and hss 'Adherents
stu in a Threatening Humor- Vie,os
Of Longstreet-The Great Mass Meet
ing, Etc.
special Dispatch TO the baltimore SIN. 7
NEW ORLEANS, Ia, April 6.-The
commission had interviews to-day with
Gov. Nichols and with Packard. Pack
ard produced the figures to show how
much more right he had to the vote Of
Louisiana than Hayes and expressed the
greatest indignation at the idea that he
was to be abandoned. Gov. Nichols
demonstrated to the entire satisfaction oi
the commission the universal obedience
which is yieIaed to his rule. The COM
mission gave both the gentlemen to un-
derstand that they did not, as the agents
Of the President, assume to have any
power to decide between them, and that
their office was strictly of mediatorial
nature. They assured Mr.. Packard that
1t would be simply impossible for them
to undertake the investigation suggested
in his letter to the President. The first
day has satisfied Packard and his friends
that what little hope they had left may as
well be surrendered. This has had the
effect to unloosen their tongues, and they
are threatening most damaging revela-
tions. 1t is said that full expose of the
secret manipulations of the returning
board will now be given. and the modus
operandi by which Hayes obtained the
electoral vote of Louisiana laid before the
world.
Packard's friends say that Stanley
Matthews and John Sherman came down
here to secure the vote of Louisiana for
Hayes, and that had it not been for their
packing the returning board would not
have dared to 60 to the extremes neces-
sary to secure that object. Packard and
his friends appear, however, to forget that
all this is "alinude." The conservatives
here are in very fine spirits tonight, for
they no longer entertain doubt that
there will be no further federal interfer-
encc with their affairs. Gov. Nichols
says that he does not care, if the Presi-
dent so desires it, to make any attempt
to turn Packard out of the State House :;
that Packard's authority does not extend
beyond its walls that he is practically
imprisoned there, and if it is any pleas
ure for him. to stay there he can do so.
Gen. Longstreet in conversation with
me tonight said that Packard was a
much worse man than Kellogg, and that
the crowd which surrounds him is the
most rotten of all the carpet-baggers.
Gen. Longstreet says. that in January
last he wrote long letter to President
Grant urging him to change his Southern
policy, and he thinks his letter had con-
siderable effect. He says that in the event
of the federal troops not being withdrawn
from protecting Packard he would coun-
sci sweeping them out of the way along
with the rest of Packard's supporters.
But he anticipates no such contingency.
The mass meeting of business men
and of the working people in Lafayette
Square was prodigious turnout. The
square was packed with people, many
even climbing into the trees, and the bal
comics of the surrounding houses were
crowded with ladies. The commission
ers all attended, although unofficially,
and had an excellent opportunity to OBJ
serve for themselves the overwhelming
unanimity with which the Nichols gov
Iernment is supported by all classes oil
this community.