458 



LOUISIANA. 



view of events was presented, and conclusions 

 reached in accordance with the party predilec- 

 tions of the members. The Eepublicans were 

 convinced that the action of the Returning 

 Board was legal and right, and the Republican 

 electors and State officers duly chosen, while 

 the Democrats were equally firm in their con- 

 viction that the Returning Board had falsified 

 the result of the election. 



Meantime, the two bodies, each of which 

 claimed to be the Legislature of the State, re- 

 mained in session. That which acknowledged 

 the pretensions of Packard continued to oc- 

 cupy the State-House, and the other held its 

 sessions in St. Patrick's Hall. (See ANNUAL 

 CYCLOPAEDIA, 1876, p. 493.) A legal quorum 

 consisted of 21 in the Senate, and 61 in the 

 House. The Packard Senate had at no time 

 a legal quorum in the Senate, the number 

 present varying from 19 to 13. In the House 

 the maximum number was 68, all holding 

 seats on Returning-Board certificates. On the 

 10th of January, an election for United States 

 Senator was held in joint convention of the 

 two Houses. There were present 17 Senators 

 and 66 Representatives. All the votes were 

 for William Pitt Kellogg, and the result was 

 announced in the following language: 



That the Hon. William Pitt Kellogg, having re- 

 ceived eighty-three votes, and that being a majority 

 of the votes cast by a legal quorum of the joint ses- 

 sion of the General Assembly of the State of Louis- 

 iana, was elected United States Senator from the 

 Stnte of Louisiana for the term of six years, begin- 

 ning March 4, 1877. 



An effort was afterward made to choose a 

 Senator for the unexpired term, for which J. 

 B. Eustis was elected in 1875, but without 

 success. It was impossible to effect legislation 

 for lack of a quorum in the Senate. Several 

 persons were admitted to the House on con- 

 tests for the seats to which those had been 

 returned who were occupying places in the 

 Nicholls Legislature. Others were expelled 

 for continued absence from their places, and 

 " the Governor" was notified of the vacancies, 

 and requested to issue his proclamation for new 

 elections. But all this time the Senate could 

 do nothing, and several of its members de- 

 serted to the rival body. As early as January 

 13th, two Republican Senators had gone from 

 the State-House to St. Patrick's Hall, accom- 

 panied by P. B. S. Pinchback and G. B. Ham- 

 lett, a prominent colored man of Ouachita 

 Parish, and had been sworn in there. Ham- 

 lett and Pinchback, being accorded the privi- 

 lege of addressing the Senate, spoke at some 

 length, acknowledging the legality of the Ni- 

 cholls Government. 



The St. Patrick's Hall Legislature continued 

 in regular session until March 1st, and was 

 then immediately convoked-fbr a special ses- 

 sion, beginning the next day, which continued 

 until April 26th. At the beginning there were 

 21 Senators, four of whom had no certificates 

 from the Returning Board, and 62 Represent- 



atives, several of whom held their certificates 

 from the Democratic Committee on Returns. 

 So far as numbers went there was a quorum 

 in both branches, and legislation was pro- 

 ceeded with. One of the earliest acts of this 

 body was to issue an address to the people, re- 

 viewing the circumstances of the late elections 

 and maintaining its claim to be the legal and 

 duly organized Legislature of the State. A 

 "Declaration and Appeal" to the people of 

 the United States was subsequently adopted, 

 giving assurance of the course to be pursued 

 by Nicholls and his supporters. The following 

 statements were included in the declaration : 



1. The maintenance, in the State of Louisiana, of 

 the Government of Francis T. Nicholls will secure 

 domestic tranquillity, peace, contentment, and pros- 

 perity ; and without discrimination insure to every 

 member of the commonwealth full and perfect pro- 

 tection of all his rights as a citizen. 



2. Free public education will be fostered, so that 

 every child may receive all the benefits which the 

 resources of the State can afford. 



3. Corruption and peculation, whereby taxation 

 has been unjustly increased, depriving the people 

 of their resources, and diminishing their ability to 

 employ and compensate labor, will be eradicated. 



4. Labor will be encouraged, the relations of em- 

 ployer and employes be rendered more remunera- 

 tive, thereby quickening mutual dependence and 

 common interest, and destroying baneful antago- 

 nisms. 



5. The multiplication of offices whereby the sub- 

 stance of the people has been wasted, and they have 

 been wrongfully impoverished, will be strictly cur- 

 tailed. 



6. None but good, reliable, honest men will be 

 appointed to office, and such only as will always rec- 

 ollect that they are servants, not masters. 



7. The fraudulent tax-collecting system now pre- 

 vailing will be changed, and the enormous charges 

 now imposed be diminished so as to relieve the 

 people and increase the revenue. 



8. The expenses of the State will be reduced to 

 their lowest point, and be kept strictly within the 

 limits of the revenues. 



9. The State debt, having been fixed by constitu- 

 tional enactment, will be recognized in good faith, 

 and every energy of the people directed to its prompt 

 payment. 



10. All obnoxious laws will be repealed, and the 

 people will be let free to exercise the elective fran- 

 chise and enjoy their rights under the amendments 

 to the Constitution of the United States without ob- 

 struction or molestation. 



11. As the executive officer of the State, Francis 

 T. Nicholls will avoid all intrigues and coteries, and 

 as the servant of the people be accessible to every 

 class. 



After farther assurances as to the result of 

 an administration of State affairs under Mr. Ni- 

 cholls, the following appeal was made: 



Hence, we appeal to the people of the United 

 States to stay the hand of injustice and wrong, and 

 we ask them in the name of what every American 

 holds most sacred self-government, home govern- 

 ment ; in the name of the indissoluble link which 

 should bind man to man liberty ; in the name of 

 common justice and of right, to revive kindly feel- 

 ings, to restore peaceful relations, to establish good 

 government by recognizing that Francis T. Nicliolls 

 is the rightful Governor of the State of Louisiana, 

 and by sustaining us in efforts to maintain his gov- 

 ernment. 



