New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-30

or twenty members of the House
of Representatives., and from four to six
Senators who were opposed to Mr.. Carter
and Mr.. Grants brother in law, Casey,
and Mr.. Packard, were arrested under
the enforcement law by United States
marshal, taken through the streets to tue
courtroom Of a United States commissioner
in the Customhouse (which building VIII
not leave very pleasing memory in the
minds Of the people hereafter), and there
detained until the few who were left be-
hind had combined with Mr.. Carriers
friends in making quorum, when enough
members were unseated, and others seated
in their stead. to secure to Mr.. Carter the
requisite majority. Even the Senator from
Ouachita (Mr. Ray) admits that to have
been unjust, if not revolutionary. lie says,
had he been the Judge, he would not have
issued such an order. All this, Mr.. Presi-
dent, was done i'll pursuance OF the agree
ment entered into by these two factions:
The Senator from Ouachita (Mr. RAY said
Yesterday that he did not blame the United
States marshal for those arrests, but the
parties who made the atfidavits. l say IN
reply that those men were miserable tools
/ would not blame Mr.. Packard. the United
States marshal. were it nottor the fact that
he advised it, aided in it, abetted it, caused
the affidavits to be made, aud procured the
issuance of the warrants. / wish Mr.. Grant
to know that the object Mr.. Packard had in
view was to aid these, his tellow-con-
spiratOrs, in their attempt to revolutlonlze
the State government. l charge that the
main spirits of this conspiracy, knowing
what its object was, were MIR. James Casey,
the Presidents brother-in-law. and Mr.
Commissioner Beckwith. of the United
States army, SO notorious for his disposition
to embark in speculative rings that he had
to be ordered from Washington here.
This revolution had been accomplished
by violence in the House of Rep
resentatives. and was ouly awaiting
the presence of a quorum in the Senate to
be cunsummated here, when his eXcellency
believed the time had arrived when, under
the constitution of the State, it became his
duty to call an extra session of the General
Assembly. | ask Senators to give their
special attention To the clause in the CON
stitution giving the Governor this power,
because it has been urged that there Is
hardly any possible contingency that would
Justify the Governor in calling an extra ses-
sion. The constitution says, che may. on ex-
traOrdinary occasions, convene the General
Assembly at the seat of government.
Now, ask the Senator Mr.. Ray, who is
whether in all he has read in the annals of
any constitutional government there ever
occurred a more extraordinary occasion
than this-the Speaker of the House holding
his seat by the aid Of thugs and rutfians,
and through the aid, assistance and CON
nivance of the United States officials, i'll
pursuance of a revolutionary conspiracy.
arresting enough of the members of the
House to secure majority IN favor OF hlln-
self. l ask whether there ever was more
extraordinary occasion in the history Ut any
State government since the hrst OrganlZa-
ton OF the Federal Union!
Mr.. RAY venture to assert that since
the organization of our national govern
ment, IN IVA. there has never been an
extra session OF any Legislature called
during the time 1t was in regular session.
Mr. Campbell-The Senator has not an
swered my question. | asked him whether
in all his varied aud extensive reading SO
extraordinary an occasion as this had ever
attracted his attention. Now, Mr.. Presi-
dent the Governor, IN the exercise of the
discretion vested in him by this article of
the constitution, and in accordance with
what | believe is the almost unanimous
Judgment of the people OF the State,
whether they he his friends or foes. called
an extraordinary session of the General
Assembly. 1t he had not done this, do not
believe his administration would have
lasted more than twenty-four hours.
Mr.. Ray-What is the reason ii would not
have lasted twenty-four hours
Mr.. ampbell-Bccause when the revolG
ton was fairly in progress they intended to
remove Governor WarmUth IN some way.
one branch of the conspiracy wishing to
put George w. Carter i'll his place, and the
other branch desiring Democratic Gov
ernOr. Some spoke OF removing his excel
lency by ASSASSINATION. some by mob vlo-
lence or general calling together of every
body, and some by Impeachment.
Mr. Rav-But what is at the bottom of
this thing'
Mr. Campbell-The bottom is what have
stated; the Senator (Mr. Ray can give his
IDEAS of it atterwari. Tie Governor. l
say. convened the General Assembly in ex
.ra session. The only point of any import
ince that the Senator can make Is that the
House and Senate having met on that day
md adjourned to the next day, the Gov
,rnOr could not call an extra session in the
interval. Can the Senator point to any
hing in the constitution forbdding it No:
,e has no reason for entertaining such an
opinion, and when he was asked by Il Sen
,tOr Mr.. McMillen) whether, if something
cry extraordinary should happen in the iu
erval between the adjournment and the |
ubsequent meeting, the Governor would
lot have right to call the extra |
ession his reply was that the prop
,sition was absurd. That may be |
very easy way of replying to
proposition, but | submit that it is not a |
cry powerful constitutional way of dis
losing of legal points. Many things might |
ave happened during those twenty-tour |
lOurs which would have justified the Gov
rnor in calling the extra session. AS a |
,enator suggested, fire might take
'lace, the Capitol might be destroy
d. mob might be engaged in a
erious riot. an epidemic might suddenly |
freak out. al invasion might be made |
my of these events would justify the Gov
rnOr in calling an extra session between |
he hour OF adjournment on one day aud |
he hour of meeting on the next. The |
senator may ask. was this such an extraor- |
linary occasion! We reply that the one |
o judge of that is he who called the extra |
ession. He was vested with that power,
md he considered this one of those extra
ordinary occasions which justified him in
he step he took.
l assert here that of all the extraordinary |
occasions which have been suggested as
ustifying the convoking of the General
Assembly in extraordinary session, this |
ause WAS the most extraordinary, the |
most urgent and most complete justitica |
ION of the call. If the Governor had sat |
quietly by, looking on at threatened and |
ctual revolution, violence and anarchy, ,
lie would have failed in his sworn duty as
he chief executive of the State-have been |
derelict in his care of the public |
,eace and well-being, and been condemned |
~ all good citizens.
l wish to call the attention of the Senator
llsO to the fact that the Legislature was
Tot in session; as there had not been a
,uorum in the Senate
Mr.. Olla"a-Iou say there was a regular
session of the Legislature called. Now,
would like to know whether the Senate is
n regular or extra session now!
Mr. Campbell-The Senate is in regular