LOUISIANA. 



465 



conflicts in the coordinate branches of the Govern 

 meat. 



Within the last three days this first great step in 

 restoring peace to the State has heen accomplished. 

 In consequence of the withdrawal of members from 

 the Packard to the Nicholls Legislature, the latter 

 body has now 87 Keturning Board members in the 

 Senate. Sixty-one members Constitute a consti- 

 tutional quorum in the House, and 19 in the Sen- 

 ate. It is proper that we should say in conclu- 

 sion that it was in view of the foregoing facts, es- 

 pecially the consolidation of the Legislatures, and 

 our knowledge of the condition of Louisiana, derived 

 from personal contact with the people, that we were 

 induced ta suggest in our telegram of the 20th inst. 

 that the immediate announcement of the time when 

 the troops would be withdrawn to their barracks 

 would be better for the peace of Louisiana than to 

 postpone such announcement to some distant day. 



The commissioners, holding various shades of 

 political belief, cannot well concur in any sketch 

 of the past or the probable future of Louisiana. We 

 have forborne in this report to express any opinion 

 on the legal questions arising upon the foregoing 

 statement of facts, because our letter of instructions 

 seemed to call for a statement of facts rather than an 

 expression ol opinion by the commissioners. We 

 all, however, indulge in the confident hope of better 

 days for all races in Louisiana. Among the reasons 

 for these hopes are the resolutions of the Nicholls 

 Legislature, and the letter of Governor Nicholls, here- 

 with submitted, and which have already been given 

 to the public, with an earnest hope that the adjust- 

 ment which has been made of the political contro- 

 versies of Louisiana will be of lasting benefit to that 

 State, and will be approved by the patriotic people 

 of all sections. 



We have the honor to be your obedient servants, 

 CHARLES B. LAWRENCE, 

 JOSEPH R. HAWLEY, 

 JOHN M. HARLAN, 

 JOHN C. BROWN. 

 WAYNE MoVEIGH. 



On the 24th of April the troops were with- 

 drawn to their barracks, and the Nicholls Gov- 

 ernment, including two branches of the Legis- 

 lature, took possession of the State-House. 

 Governor Nicholls received congratulations 

 from all parts of the country. On the follow- 

 ing day S. B. Packard issued an address to the 

 Republicans of Louisiana, in which he reviewed 

 the events that had occurred since the 1st of 

 January, with more or less of criticism and 

 comment, and concluded as follows : 



I therefore announce to you that I am compelled 

 to abstain for the present from all active assertion 

 of my government. I waive none of my legal rights, 

 but yield only to superior force. I am not wholly 

 discouraged by the fact that one by one Republican 

 State Governments of the South have been forced to 

 succumb to force or fraud or policy. Louisiana, the 

 first State rehabilitated after the war, is the last 

 State whose Government thus falls, and I believe it 

 will be among the first to raise itself again to the 

 plane of equal and honest representation. I advise 

 that you maintain your party organization and con- 

 tinue to battle for the rights of citizenship and free 

 government. We strive for these and not for man 

 or men. It grieves me beyond expression that the 

 heroic efforts you have made and the cruel sufferings 

 you have undergone to maintain Republican princi- 

 ples in Louisiana have had this bitter ending. To 

 those who have so gallantly stood by me in the long 

 contest we have passed through I tender my heart- 

 felt thanks. To all I counsel peace, patience, forti- 

 tude, and a firm tnnt that eventually right and jus- 

 tice will prevail. 8. B. PACKARD, Governor. 



VOL. xvii. 30 A 



On the 24th of April, all question of the le- 

 gality of the Legislature having been removed, 

 Judge Henry M. Spofford was elected to the 

 United States Senate, being the only candi- 

 date, and receiving 140 votes out of 158, the 

 rest being blank. There had previously been 

 89 ballots without result. The 10th of May was 

 observed as a day of thanksgiving throughout 

 the State. 



During the regular and special sessions of 

 the Legislature, a considerable amount of im- 

 portant legislation was effected. Many exist- 

 ing laws were repealed or modified and new 

 ones enacted, with a view to greater simplicity, 

 efficiency, and economy in the administration 

 of public affairs. Expenses in various depart- 

 ments of the State Government and in local 

 administration were materially reduced, the 

 saving in the State at large amounting to $825,- 

 000, in the city of New Orleans to $285,000, 

 and in the several parishes to $480,000, or 

 $1,090,000 in all. This was accomplished by 

 cutting down salaries, reducing fees and costs, 

 dispensing, with unnecessary offices, and cur- 

 tailing expenses in a variety of other ways. 

 A new law regulating the assessment and col- 

 lection of taxes was passed. The Superior 

 Criminal Court of the Parish of Orleans was 

 abolished. New laws were enacted in relation 

 to the drawing of juries, providing for a com- 

 mission in each parish, the determination of 

 qualifications, exemptions, etc. The following 

 is the comprehensive title of an act intended 

 to bring the financial affairs of the State out of 

 confusion : 



An act to enforce effectually the constitutional 

 amendments proposed January 24, 1874, ratified at 

 the general election held on November 2, 1874, rela- 

 tive to the State debt, and the funding thereof; to 

 protect the interests or the State and the holders of 

 the bonds issued by virtue of said amendments; and 

 for that purpose, to amend and refnact an act en- 

 titled an act to provide for funding obligations of 

 the State by exchange for bonds ; to provide for 

 principal and interest of said bonds ; to establish a 

 board of liquidation ; to authorize certain judicial 

 proceedings against it ; to define and punish viola- 

 tions of this net ; to prevent certain officers divert- 

 ing funds, except as provided by law, and to punish 

 violations thereof; to levy a continuing tax, and 

 provide a continuing appropriation for said bonds: 

 to make a contract between the State and holders or 

 said bonds ; to prohibit injunctions in certain caves ; 

 to limit the indebtedness of the State, and to limit 

 State taxes ; to annul certain grants of State aid ; to 

 prohibit the modification, novation, or extension of 

 any contract heretofore made for Stute aid ; to pro- 

 vide for the receipt of certain warrants for certain 

 taxes, and to repeal all conflicting laws, being act 8, 

 approved January 24. 1874; to create a fiscal agent, 

 and to define the duties of said agent ; to prescribe 

 and define the duties and powers of the Board of 

 Liquidation, of the State Treasurer, and of the Au- 

 ditor of Public Accounts, and make certain specific 

 appropriations. 



The election law of 1872 was repealed, and 

 a new one was enacted in its place with the 

 title: "To provide the time and manner of 

 holding elections and making returns thereof; 

 to define the powers and duties; to provide 



