The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-03-13
An Interview with Packard.

PackRru remains constantly at the Stat
House attending TO such business us come
before him. He said to reporter to.da
that he had as full confidence as ever i
the final success OF his government; but
he added, am annoyed at the per
Sistence with which the most glarin
misstatements are repeated even by th
journals usually well informed. Fo
instance, II seems to be evidently be
lieved that my legal claims to the otIic
Of Goveror OF Louisiana are based en-
tirely upon the decision OF the Returninl
Board, and that the Constitutional pro
vision requiring n canvass OF the votes b,
by the General Assembly has not beef
strictly complied with in this respect
that there were less than quorum o
Senators present when that canvass wa
was made. The provision Of the Consti
tuition upon the subject is this
ARTICLE IS. The returns of every elec.
tion shall be sealed up and transmitted BY
the proper returning officers to the Secre.
tary Of State, who shall deliver them tc
the Speaker Of the House Of Representa-.
tives on the second day OF the session oil
the General Assembly then to be holden
The members Of the General Assembly
shall meet in the House Of Representa-.
tlves to examine and count the votes.
The person having the greatest number
OF votes for Governor shall be declared
duly elected.
This provision was complied with in
every particular. On the twenty-second
day Of the session (January2,) the Cen
eral Assembly met in joint convention
with sixty.eight Representatives and
twenty.one Senators present, made the
canvass and declared the result. A quo.
rum Of the House is 6l and Of the Senate
10. OF the siXty.eight Representatives
present all were returned by the Return
ing Board, and Of the twenty.one Sena.
tors nineteen were 70 returned and two
seated on contest. Thus il will be seen
that there was an undoubted quorum Of
the members Of each branch Of the Legis.
lAture present and participated in the
canvass, and whose names appeared on
the roll Of the Secretary Of State rs en-.
titled to participate in the original organ
ization. The impression that there was
not n Qnoram present has probably
arisen from the fact that five Senators
present when the votes were counted for
Governor, and when Kellogg was elected
Senator, were induced to withdraw,
and some OF them are now acting with
Nichols Senate and two have since re-.
turned. There was no legal quorum Of
either house present in the Nichols
Legislature when the pretended canvass
was made for Governor and Lieutenant
Governor. The House had but ~ legal
members present, and the Senate but II;
nor had they before them any OF the re.
turns as prescribed by the Constitution on
which to base their canvass. Deslonde,
kellogg's Secretary Of State, not only re.
fused the returns when committee
upon him to request them, but
presented them as directed by law 10 the
Speaker OF the legal House, in whose
presence the vote was canvassel, as above
stated.
Referring to President Hayes South
ern policy, Mr.. Packard said: don't I'm.
derstand that the President should sacri.
flee any principle or the abandonment of
friends Of the Union or the Republican
party IN the South. ! don't understand
1t to be his desire to force the colored peo.
pie from the Republican party. On the
other hand l understand he will sustain,
under the Constitution and laws Of
the United States, each State OF the Union
in Republican form Of Government, and
will suppress insurreCtion and domestic
violence. Understand him as wishing
to avoid the constant use OF troops in
the Southern States. The foundation
for this desirable state Of affairs has been
laid here already. 1t has been my de-
sire to facilitate an entrance into the
Republican party OF the old time Wings
and Conservatives, and during the. past
canvass my efforts in that direction were
crowded with gratifying success. All
OF that class OF aCcessions which number
some OF the best OF the native whites Of the
State, are now firm supporters OF my gov
ernment. Our temporary difficulties have
the effect Of relieving us Of the worst ele-
ment OF the party. l shall try 10 aid
President Hayes in his Southern policy
by administering the government OF Lou.
isiana, honestly and economically, and in
the interest Of the whole people white
and black. shall try to have some Of
the defaulting officers and soldiers sent to
prison and some OF the murderers hung.
This State is in condition which admits
OF division in other than color lines.