The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-02
STATE LEGISLATURES. L.
THIRD DAY.
Senate.



The Senate met about meridian yesterday,
Oscar j. Dunn in the chair and twenty radical
members present. The Democratic members,
who bad been so outrageousy and unlawfully
treated the Gay previous, were not IN their seats,
but we're in the Senate chamber, keenly alive to
the progress of events.
The formality of prayer was undergone, and
then the minutes of the day before's proceedings
were read and adopted. d..
After the adoption of the minutes Mr.. wilcox
ssked leave TO correct his vote on the motion to
allow Mr.. Blackman, the Democratic senator from
Claiborne Bossier and Bienville, to address the
body. He had voted in the Affirmative, under the
impression that the proclamation OF the military
commander should be respected, and that iL was
nothing but fair that gentleman should have the
right to speak in his own behalf before decapita.
tiOn. He now begged to have his vote recorded
on that days minutes "nay." The correction
wss accepted and placed upon the minutes.
The committee appointed 10 report upon Gen.
Buchanan's communication enclosing Gen. Grants
telegram. reported that the opinion OF the pre-
siding officer Of the Senate was, In their opinion,
well founded in law, and exerted in consistency
with the Constitution of the United States hut,
'however," and notwithstanding this well ground
ed belief, they recommended the test oath to be
dispensed with and the eKaction simply of the
oath required by and detailed in the Constitution
of the State. II WAS due q mark Of Difference
TO the wishes Of the commanding general OF the
district.
MIR. Lynch arose and said that as judge in this
cause wide Charles James FOxs great speech on
the Westminster scrutiny,) he could not c0nscien-
tiOusly vote upon the report in the way in which
il was worded. There are, ,lour readers must know.
two paragraphs in the document-one laudIng
Dunn for his ruling and his action, the other ad-
vsing submission 10 the nfaliibility of the bayo-
net The word "however' is the link which con-
meets the two paragraphs, and "however" was
the word which Mr.. Lynch found as difficult of
digestion as the bayonet aforesaid. He moved 70
expuDge the however" or, instead, one of the
nh ha frat Wa
Messrs. R3y and O'Hara argued the subject.
Mr.. OH. remarked that what he "done yester-
day" he would do to-day; that II be was wrong
| in what he ''done yesterday be must be wrong
to-day and that was the category of all who had
tsken the test oath. The senators that had taken
| that oath had not ought to" withdraw from
their original position The vote was called as to
laying Lynch's motion On the table. The presi-
dent exclaimed all that's in favor OF laying the
motion on the table," ETC., the motion was tabled,
and the report duly adopted.
| Mr. Dunn then expressed himself ready 20 ad-
minister the State constitutional oath to all men,
bers 10 whom it had previously been refused.
| UIder the decision of the Senate, adopting the
report Of the committee, he thought members
ought to be allowed 20 come forward as the roll
| was called and be qualified; and If any other
senator could prove any colleague disqualified
under the Constitution, charges could be made to
| that effect at the proper time.
| Mr.. Campbell, (whO has been decided TO be q
/ senator Uice Mr.. Samboa,) offered resolution to
/ the effect that every obnoxious member, as HIS
/ name was called snd he presented himself, be
/ asked if he could really be qualified under arti.
/ cles ls and 80 of the Constitution.
Mr.. Ray considered this resolution unnecessary.
The matter was one of conscience, with which
/ senators had nothing TO do. IL was for them to
| INQUIRE into the status OF senators when charges
| were brought against them. The resolution was
| tabled and the roll called for the conservative
I senators TO come forward and be qualified. Their
| names are as follow aud they all were duly
| hxy Mr. Uh IN wed a
| courteous and graceful behavior in his reception
| Of his political and generic antipodes, wit
I. @. Anderson, A. b. Bacon, W. F. Blackman, g
H. Brsughn, r. Fl. Day, J. Q. Egan, NJ. A. Foute,
r. W. Fntch. E. u. Jewell. F. G.. Jewell, w. 0ffntt
X. N. Ogden, W. l.. Thompson, 5. NJ. Todd,
| T.. White and J. K. Williams. IL must be remem
bered that Mr.. Todd is not conservative, but
had declared that he would not take the test oath
for reasons which he should hereafter divulge.
| MIR. Wilcox arrested the process of oath-takiug
with the statement that the seats of Messrs.
Braughn, Ogden and Foute were contested and
the protests under consideration. He merely in
tended to notify the fact, and waived the right to
enforce the protest at the time. After the cere'
mony, Mr.. Dunn blandly introduced the newly
| qualified gentlemen 10 their colleagues, and sug.
| gesed that business be proceeded with.
Mr.. Sambola was omitted from the number
| although he went upon the stage In company
| with his confreres, Dunn stoically remarkng, IN
| answer to the secretary, that the calling OF Mr.
Saubola's name at that moment was useless, a.
the subject OF his admission or reJecuOn was 10 DC
| acted upon by the Senate, the committee on elee
tions and returns having already reported sd
| versely to his election.
The rules Of the special session of 1864 wer'
| adopted for the guidance of the present Senate
| amended and changed to suit the exigencies o
| the times.
The committee on elections and returns re
| ported the Hon. Reuben White ineligible unde
| the Constitution 10 occupy seat in the Senate
| The committee were then discharged from furthe
| action.
MIR. Lynch moved that, as the House wa
| already adjourned, and no further business coul
be transacted until the two bodies met in join
| session and adopted the constitutional amend
ment. the Senate adjourn to meridian to-day.
Adjourned accordingly.