The New York herald., 1878-03-26


the Attn OF March, 1871 led the republican party who
always led his party to victory aud always lifted his
country TO renown; at whose approach but recently
tue Eastern continent stood up and uncovered; he
threw moro mud than dvcdge not worked by steam
ever threw ~ the same time He did not lai to learn
easy TO make the country accept his candidate, but
dd not follow that he could make the country's
FIFTH AVENUE CONVENTION.
So In 1875 be convened his disciples once more In
the city of New York That be might be sure OF good
society he said to have selected them all himself
He admitted TO that Convention only "by card" To
that assembly he revealed the doctrine quite new in
former would Judge parties, not by measures,
but by men; that platforms were sworn
ieront alike TO all Platforms but were determined
to have for the Presidency man .'whose very name
promising determination OF the American people to
make this q pure government once more.p He vouch-
sailed no HINT 10 Inc country where such n man
TO DO found. He was himself placed at tho hoad OF
committee TO determine which one OF the political
parties happened TO stumble upon that man. In
duo time tho Convention stumbled upon Rutherford
B. Hayes, OF Ohio. Some two weeks later the ST.
LOUIS Convention presented The name OF Samuel j.
~" .n,s ,nc was cace.ed oy
appointed IN Now York had discovered the nominee
OF the Cincinnati Convention that ''whose name
was conclusive evidence OF the most compromising
determination OF the American people 10 make this
pure government oncs more." And by a happy
coincdence II seems The nominee OF tnat Convention
discovered IN the chairman oi the Committee OF
Revision who had triumphod In no other business,
the very man TO master the varied and complicated
interests committed TO the Interior Department
But Cabinet officers understood TO be Ministers
OF the President rather than OF tn public, and look
lug upon these selections matters o taste, IL
not difficult for republican to acquiesce them, al
though quite difficult to commend them. The worst
that could said Of either these acts was that in
matters where The President had freedom OF choice
he had made bad choice or not tho bost choice pos
sble
THE LOUISIANA QUESTION
One other act was open TO grave criticism. In the
selection OF secretaries and other subordinates the
creton but In the selection OF Governors OF States he
has no discretion Whatever The people OF the several
States In the exercise Of their dscre
top, select their own Governors Upon the President
Is charged the single duty oil recognizing such
Governors as the people OF the several
choice Of When the President was inaugurated
Stephen B. Packard was Governor Of Louisiana
be Governor. When he disappeared the will Of
Louisiana was suDverted and tramped upon Such
an event - always matter OF sincere regret TO all
who respect republican institutions But very few
such events would bc required to render republican
institutions that byword and that kissing on this
Contomporaneously with tho disappearance OF Gov-
ernor Packard In Louisiana there began to be uch
talk, some applause and moro criticism OF what was
called ''the Presidents Southern policy" There was,
to my knowledge, no authoritative definition Of that
policy. was not myself prepared to believe 1t COW
cred or arrived at suoh evonts had transpred In
THE LOUISIANA CONFUSION
supposed Packard ceased 10 be Governor Of Louis
lana because he could not help himself, and because
tho President felt unable to help him. l could not
believe the President was guided by policy, but
had reported that certain gentlemen had been sent
TO Louisiana; sent, it was said, by the President
but vps no, mem ano% ha
tlemen commissioned, and there was
NO authority OF Law for sending such Commissioner RS
natural to infer that the so-caed
merely personal friends OF tho President invited
TO assist him in the perform ance OF some duty I'M
posed bv rather than cd n
velop q new and fnr reaching policy. This in.
ference was strengthened and not weakened by
the report that the Secretary Of State gave 10
the Commissioners a letter oil instructions. which
appeared the public prints, the letter did not
simply from Washington, and bore no Official sigma.
ture whatever II WAS hardly credible that II the
President had resolved upon dehnto policy execute
IN Louisiana that his Premier should hesitate to
that policy officially. Moreover. 1t was noticeable that
the Secretary nowhere told the that
was the Presidents policy to hurl Mr. Packard from
his oficc, or to let him be hurled from It. On
The contrary, tho letter informed the so-called
ps.Ssr mat upSa assuming his office
in Louisiana such as justly to demand"-
wnatY Not any particular course OF action but
was explained, this situation presents Of its
features the apparent Intervention OF the military
holding loyal OF "a Illegal 40 actual or pretended
governments, but simply IN "the domestic controver-
SOS which uedouotedy divide tue opinions and DIS
state. This Intervention, arising during the
term and by the authority o! his predeces-
sor, throws no present duty upon the Presi-
dent, except 10 examine and determine the
real extent and form aud effect 10 which
actually exists ana TO decide as to the time, manner
and conditions which shall bc observed in putting an
end to ~ Undoubtedly II the military power Of tho
United States had intsrvened in purely domestic con-
troverses In Louisiana 1t quito proper II not
important, tnat tho President should know why they
lntervened, now far they interviewed upon what
Ss % 20 as 20
elgent and prompt discharge of this duty that the
President has secured the o this ssion
10 supply, by means OF Its examinations conducted In
the State Of LOUISIANA some Information that may
pertinent to'-whatf Not to the execution OF any
well defined policy already resolved upon but SIMPLY
ITO the crcumspect0n and security Of any measures
he may resolve upon" Seeking Information perth
nent to the cIrcunspeciion and security OF measures
giving directions how to execute measures already
solved upon.
DISAPPEARANCE OF PACKARD
1t Is true also that Governor Packard disappeared
while these gentlemen were in Louisiana. That cir.
cumstancc 49, indeed, suspicious IL suggests the pos
sioilty That they might nave been accessory TO the
fact but, although suggestive, it is not conclusive
tho visitors They reported the results of their
,hs aa a' Ssny . 'Ss While
deposition OF Governor they did not admit
it. They did not seem even to be aware
they speak ut some length 0i the
winch had been Effected IN the Legislature, and
that department OF the government. But apparently
they lett the executive department precisely as they
found IT. They seemed TO have found two pretended
Governors, and, knowing there could be but
ognized. they recognized both and called both by
their official titles. According TO their report
each Governor had y skeleton Legislature
with him. One had mis- skeleton at
the State House, whore there ought to have been a
living Legislature and the other had his another
place where there ought not TO have been
OF n Legislature There was not quorum OF both
houses either place. While those visitors
Louisiana the work Of reform prospcred that in
scad Of getting the Legislature all into tho State
House, where ought havc been, hoy mad got tho
Legislative skeleton OF the state House aud united
II 10 that other skeleton Odd Fellows Hall, where
both the ske cons equally offensive IN the eye OF
the law. The visitors did not any direct agency
In that work OF Tney did hint at
such agency when In that rcport thoy admit that
the 24th OF April they suggested to the President
that The Immediate announcement OF the time when
the troops would be Withdrawn TO their barracks
would DO better tor the peace Of Louisiana
than the postponement OF such an announcement
To some distant day" But while they
told tho President precisely how many legally
qualified Scuators and Representatives had assembled
~ Odd Fellows Hall, where no Senator or Representa-
tive ought TO have appeared they dd not intimate TO
the President what became either Of the pretended
Governors. Moreover these gentlemen spent some