The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-26

State, and It was also communicated to Gov.
Nichols that II was the intention to force from
our Legislature the election OF two United
States Senators of the Republican party as the
price of yielding up the. State government
{ass g3nWsldebbq9ons qnd the ADVICE OF bis
representative. My verbal instructions. were to
ascertain fully the situation regarding bis gov.
eminent, what demands would be made upon
him our government or our Legislature :also, to
keep him advised about the condition OF affairs
regarding our government In Washington. The
Governor also instructed me to confer and act
with the managers and representatives Of Dem.
ocratic interests at Washington. The written
instructions were az follows. Shall | read. Mr.
Mr. atenger-Yes, sir read 1t.
A.-tMajor Burke reRding
New ORLEANS, January IT, 1877.
Major u. A. Burke:
Dear Sr-Peese proceed to Washington and
represent our interests before the President
and our friends there.
Respectfully, - ---
FRANCIS Il. NICHOLAS,
will now file, Mr.. Chairman, without read
ing some dispatches which will show the con
dittoa of affairs prior to my leaving.
Major Burke changed his mind about filing
the letters without reading them, and proceed
ed to give the committee the benefit of them.
He read about two hundred afIldayits. letters
ings from the date of Major Burke's arrival Ia
Washington until his return to this city, after
the rec gntion of the Nichols government had
been assured.
The following is short summary:
Major Burke. held his first interview with the
President on January 20, and on the same day
must be maintained, and that there was great
pressure being brought to bear on President
Grant. On the twenty second Of January Major
an interview with the President, and az a result
advised him tNichollsl not 70 make any change
in the situation and that If there were any with
drawals from the Packard Legislature 1t would
be best to make no demonstration over them
On the, twenty-thlrd the oqaehta, matter was
s neq by status psoh"g @o baG besn f BroR
en- by men holding commissions from
Gov. Nichols, who had .dispossessgd the
was notified of this by Major Burke. and re-
piled that II the President objected and constd-
cred the act violation Of the status quo, the
the Natehitoches affair of the same character:
Dispatches on this subject passed daily until
the twenty sixth, when GOV. Nichols tele-
On the twenty-Hixth Major Burke called for
Judge John A. Campbell to come to Washing
ton, as counsel before the Electoral Com
and telegraphed further and emphatieally;
THE status quo must be maintained"
On this point Major Burke said, will state
Mr.. Chairman, that the action Of the President
in the Ouachita affair allowing the officers to
remain had created tremendous party feel
ing, and to overcome this he reversed his deci-
sion In the case OF Natchtoches. On the TWEEN
ty-eighth Major Burke advised that the election
of Senator be postponed. and Gov, Nichols
answered that there was no action on the mat
ter contemplated.
On February q. Gov. Nichols was informed in
reply to a request for Information addressed to
Major Burke. that lie could safely receive mem
bers from the Packard Legislature If they de-
serted to him, at the same time Major Burke
called for memorial from the members OF the
State Legislature
On this point Major Burke safd / will state
that the memorial was to set forth the full facts
with regard to the election of members Of the
Legislature; show the law providing for the
counting Of the votes for Legislators in contra
distinction to the votes for Governor and Presi-
dent and to contain q statement that bill was
to be introduced looking to this.
| On February 10 Major Burke telegraphed thai
! there we're wild rumors In Washington to the
| effect that an attempt had been made to Hssassi
4 nate Packard. and he called for particulars
l G*er Ninhnlls responded. through his secretary
Duncan s. Gage. giving the particulars and Thu
| further information that there were good rea
sons to believe that the affair had been preeon
certed These papers were sent by Major Burk,
| to the President
On the same date Gov. Nichols was informed
of the famous to decision; on the seven
| teenth Mr.. Duncan s. Cage, secretary, requested
| information as to whether or not the collection
of taxes would be considered a violation of the
status quo and on this subject several dis
patches we're exchanged until the nineteenth
when Major Burke telegraphed that 1t could b.
| done quietly, and Srelated the anecdote OF thu
Irishman told by Grant
On the twenty-third attention was called K
the article in the Ohio State journal indicating
| tIah op
On this subject Major Burke said:
A gentleman. W. f. Horne, whom I hat
known in Texas, and who was then in Wash
ington. teleErapbed to Columbus, Ohio. to
friend and CORRESPONDENT in reference TO thu
article and received a reply that Gov. Hayes
never inspired 1t and never saw 1t until 1t wal
called to his attention. On the twenty sixth
wbieh he tGrantj expressed the belief that th
Nichols government should be sustained; tina
there should ba no interference with it.
Major Burke then took up
THE woRMLEY HOTEL CONFERENCE.
and gave the following statement of what oo
1 visited the hall of the House Of Representa-
tives, and while / was there Mr.. Ellis stated t
me that he had received letter from Lamar
stating that Foster and other persons had mad
important statements regarding the policy Q
to Columbus to see Mr.. Hayes; He asked me t
. telegraph to Gov. Nichols and relate what Mat
thewa had said, ana ask MS ADVICE hpouG EoIuA
: I was averse to his going and dissented wit
I his views. and so telegraphed to Gov Nichols
[ expressed the opinion that the ultimate solu
: ton of the situation rested more with the lead
ers Of the party who would control Hayes tina
with Hayes himsef-that Is to say. | was salts
g fed regarding the views of Hayes. an
believed he intended to adopt a concilia
!, tory policy. but did not think any. man livin
4 would be strong enough to carry it out in tn
face of the opposition of his party. We did NJ
need the guarantees of Hayes but Of the leader
:. of his party such as Sherman, Garfield an
n others III Q them; that they would allow him
T. carry out his policy. ] thought 1t would
T time thrown away to visit Hayes thathe coul
/. not give guarantees, and II he did they would
@ of no use, unless we also had the guarantees
y the leaders. While was talking with Mr.: Ell
e Messrs Matthews and Devens came up. l ha
e previously expressed to them our intention
1t no matter what the result of the electoral cou
d might be, that the issue involved in the que
t ton OF who should be Governt
1t of Louisiana was one of life and deaf
10 l had told them that we were absolutely dete
IS mined to defend and maintain our governme
W against any and everybody: that we had g
dured all we could that while we were just
faithful to the Federal government as any COZ
~ munity of the people, we were determined
o defend our government even
m AGAINST THE FEDERAL AUTHORITY,