New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-12


| twelve O'Clock NJ
! WILLIAM VIGERS.
Chief Clerk.
DEBATES OF THE SENATE.
| Tuesday. January 10. 1871.
THE SENATORIAL ELECTION.
Mr.. Lynch: Under the impression that tn,
first business before the Senate is the cleo
! ton of Il United States Senator, and bein.
anxious to get the agony over rs soOn as pos
sible so that members may be able to turn
their attention to other business more i'm
! portant to the State at large, l now move
| that the Senate 20 into an election fol
| United States Senator.
| Mr. Ray: Before that motion is put,
would like to make a suggestion. which
| think will meet the views of all the Sena
| tors 1t is true the act of Congress of 1854
| provides that each house may take Il vote
| separately on the election of 4 United States
| Senator. but it does not make it compulsory
| on them to do so; and the constitution ol
| the State of Louisiana provides that the
| election shall be by joint ballot. lnasmuch
as the act of Congress does not make d
separate vote compulsory, and inasmuch as
the constitution provides that the election
shall be by IL joint ballot, propose that We
thus. under the rule laid down by the act OF
Congress, We can meet tomorrow, and GO
into an election by Il Joint ballot. There
has never been an election for a United
States Senator in Louisiana except by joint
ballot, and such course on the present
occasion would, in my opinion. I've more sat
isfactory to the people Of the State.
Mr.. Lynch read the section of the act to
show that the provision cited by the gentle
binary emergencies.
Mr.. Ray withdrew his proposition.
The Senate went into an election for
United States Senator.
Mr. Ray: Nominations being in order l
rise to put III nomination Republican,
who if it were left to the people of the
State. am satisfied, would receive nine
tcnths of the Republican votes in the State
of Louisiana. l nominate Oscar j. Dunn.
The President: l am truly thankful for
the honor proposed. but as l believe have
not yet completed my labors or my mis-
sion here, must respectfully decline.
Mr.. Campbell nominated General J. X.
West.
Mr. Antoine nominated P. Ii. S. Pinch
back
Mr. Ray nominated z. J. Kennedy.
Mr. O'Hara nominated I. c. Anderson.
Mr.. Anderson: am under great obliga-
is no chance Of my election. l respectfully
decline.
Mr. Todd nominated K. W. Futch. {.
MIR. Futch declined for the same reason as
Mr.. Anderson.
Mr.. O'Hara nominated William L. Black
man. who also declined.
Mr.. Thompson: nominate ThOma. Green
Davidson. OF Livingston parish. who has
the reputation of being the old war horse
Y $l,..% No,
Democrats 1T least will give him their sup
port.
Mr.. West receiving nineteen vote, on the
first ballot. was elected by the Senate.
Mr.. Blacknan: do not know whether I
am in order or not. but We who stand il
minority here would ask some little indui-
gence. I am informed that the House Of
Representatives.. by a large ma jOrity. have
Just elected General West to the United
States Senate. We Democrats in putting in
nomination gentleman of our own party
have simply discharged duty which We
thought was incumbent upon us as repre-
sentatives of Democratic principles. "A
u matter of course the minority well
knew there was no hope of the success
of their candidate, and that there could
be no possibility of elccting Democrat t,
the Senate Of the United States, but. as
have said, we discharged our duty in the
iudAuer tAdI Int HljoIl'F VI our party
thought We should discharge it. We acted
under the instructions of our own party as
represented, both in the House and in the
Senate; but IA the House of Representatives
has cast its vote for General West. and as
the Democrats here have supported their
own man by voting for Mr. Davidson. We
now withdraw our candidate. as far as Cen
eral West is concerned.
The President remarked that the Senate
OF the action Of the HOUSE.
Mr.. Ray: We carry out the views OF the
gentleman. move that the Democrats be
allowed to change their votes. and to vote
for General West
Mr.. Blackman did not ask that
do not want anything of the kind. pro-
pose that the votes should stand as they
were given. We simply desire to place on
record that we have done what is incumbent
on us as party, and that we make no OPP
position, factious or otherwise, to the cleo
ton of Senator West.
Mr.. McMillen: l came to my seat this
morning determined to utter no word pro
Or con in regard to the Senatorial contest,
and up to this moment | have retained
silence. as l had determined to do: bu:
the remarks of the distinguished Senator
from Claiborne seem to me to demand some
reply or some consideration. If what he
Dds ,JuSu utueTcu lIU1l HIS place III ILLS
Senate should be permitted to go abroad
As the sentiments of the Senator himself.
as he does very ably, the
Democratic party-as the sentiment OF that
sidc of the house as to this contest. it
would be in my judgment wrOng-wrong.
nasmuch as it would appear to the world |
N the light of a political or partisan con-
test. The Democrats may have cast |
heir votes for Mr.. Davidson because they
believed him to be the embodiment of Dem |
,cratic principles. but deny that any such
motive prompted any other member to |
7ote against him. l deny that the Repub- !
lean party had candidate for the United |
States Senate upon whom the party were
United and undivided. and l deny. in my |
'eat here, that General j. K. West has been |
elected in this Assembly as the Republican
from this State. He is not even
Known as Republican. Outside the limits
If New Orleans. he is not known to ten men
II the State, either as a Republican. or III
my other capacity: and it is absurd to let |
he impression go abroad that General West
las been elected as a Republican. cast
ny individual vote for a Republican, but
or a man known throughout the length
md breadth of this State as a Republican;
man who has been in the front rank of
and whose principles are
,nOwn and read of all men. The point which
desire to make clear is. that this has not
,een a partisan contest. and that if the
Democrats voted for their candidate be-
ause he was Democrat. it does not follow
hat those who voted for other candidates
we're actuated by similar party motives.
Would to God they had been. Would that
hose motives which prompt men to be true