Year: 1877




Hon S. B. PACKARD, New Orleans.
Dear Sir-I received and read with
attention your communication on the
subject of public affairs in Louisiana.
and the subject has been carefully and
anxiously considered by myself and
others in its relation to the general
policy of the Republican Administra-
ton towards it. l have conversed at
length with (blank), and given to him
the result of my convictions, which
he can repeat to you more in detail
than l can at present. merely indi-
cate the results of my opinion. With
out reference to the rightfulness of
the origin Of your title as Governor,
l am of the opinion that circumstan-
ces are such that it will be out of tho
question for the Republican Admin.
istration to maintain it, as it must
necessarily be by force of federal
arms. AS soon as the existing mill
tary orders are withdrawn, the Mich
oils government will become the only
existing government, and will have
to be recognized as such. In the mean
time it will be the duty of the Adj
to see that the result shall
not imperil the rights and equity of
the colored people Of Louisiana so
far as 1t has the lawful power to pre-
vent it, and also to take care that
Republicans like yourself,
against whom nothing disreputablc
can be alleged, should not suffer and
should receive consideration and po-
sition in some appropriate way.
These are, in short, my own individ-
ual views. 1 regret the condition Of
affairs, but I cannot help it, and see
no way to improve it.


Respectfully,


STANLEY MATTHEWS.


uON. STANLEY MATHEMATICIAN
letter of the 9th ult., is
duly received. In my communica-
ton to you, and referred to in your
letter, | aimed to exhibit to you reas-
ons and sterling facts why the gov
ernment of which I am the head
ought to receive recognition from the
National Administration. In yonr
reply you suggest difficulties that you
deem exist without reference to the
or origin of eyour" or
tiny" title, and say that as soon as ex-
isting military orders are withdrawn
the Nichols government will become
the only existing government, and
will have to be recognized as such.
Inasmuch as you say that your letter
only expresses your own individual
views, it Is not necessary to attempt
to correct your opinion that circum-
stances are such that it will be out of
the question for the Republican Ad-
ministration to maintain it. envy
title"-as that is the subject which
now engages the attention of the
President under the Constitution and
law of the United States-I Judge the
purpose of your letter to have been
in friendly way, to accomplish the
abandonment by me of the Office of
Governor, to the end that my defeated
opponent might assume unquestioned
the office to which I have been elect
ed. Admitting the value of an opin-
ion of one so Learned, of so deserv-
edly great influence in the counsels Of
the nation, I am constrained by a
high sense of duty to unqualifiedlv
decline to entertain any proposition
to relinquish or abandon the position
which hold. / received majority
of the legal votes cast at the last elec-
tion, have been declared Governor by
the Legislature in joint session with
an undisputed quorum in both hous-
es, and having been lawfully vested
with authority as Governor, Icannot,
with due regard for my oath of Office
and duty to the 10000 voters who
have elected me to the Chief Magis-
tracy, though I should receive con-
sideration and position in some ap-
propriate way, abandon those faith.
ful men to the merciless vengeance of
the White League democrats. 1 am
the head of q government as perfect
as that of any state in the Union. NV
predecessor, together with his Secre-
tary of State, Auditor of Public Ac-
counts, State Treasurer, Superintend
ent of Public Instruction and Attor-
ney General, with all the archives Of
their several Offices, surrendered these
positions into the hands of those law
fully elected to receive them. now
represent this government, with the
possession of all these offices. / am
opposed by an armed and organized
mob, in this city known as the White
League, who have maintained during
my administration, forces held to-
gether more by encouragement giyen
them from abroad than from any
other means, by those who apparent.
ly seem to measure the legal exist
ence of the government by the
amount of force it can present.
We're this force removed, as it will
be when the legitimacy of my
government is determined by tho
President, nothing will seriously inn
pede the success of my administra-
ton. Personally my position has
been, is, and will be until the Gener-
al Government shall see fit to recog-
nize my authority as Governor, a
most perilOus one, and it would be a
source of satisfaction did the respon-
sibility rest upon some one other than
myself. Hundreds of Republicans
who have given their lives as sacri-
flee to the cause of liberty and FREQ
government, thousands who have de-
posted their ballots at the peril of
their lives, are ever present in nv
mind and demand that l faithfully
discharge the duties dcvolving upon
me. Should l exhibit less devotion
than these faithful people, though the
effort cost me my life, still that devo.
tion would be better heritage to my
children than the plaudits Of the
White League of the State, when
gained by the surrender Of both man
hood and duty. am Governor, and
no armed sorce or violence can give
my competitor lawful title.


(SigneO PACKARD.