New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-12

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with three majority for the State admins
tration. Notwithstanding Mr.. Carter saw
at this time tho majority of the House
against him, he resolved at all hazards to
consummate his plan, and, therefore
through the operation of a frivolous affidavit
of four members of the House, CO. workers
of the conspiracy, had a sufficient number
of members, friends of the State admin
istration, arrested on January 4. by war
rants issued by the United States com
missioner, at the time the House was
to assemble, to enable him at this
time to have majority in the House
so that he could turn out at his pleasure
any number OF Republican members with
out a hearing. BY this measure he would
secure a majority for himself, when the ar
rested members should return to their seats
When these proceedings were all completed
then the foregoing plan in regard to the
| Governor and Lieutenant Governor would
have been carried out.
could not and would not become party
to such monstrOus proposition, and hence
the immediate coalition of myself and
friends with the State administration. thus
frustrating the designs of the conspirators
and preserving the integrity OF the Repub.
lican party in the State of Louisiana.
There are reasons, Mr.. Speaker, why the
Carter faction evinces such desire to get
| possession Of my body, dead or alive This
statement OF facts can be substan tiated by
! atIidavitS OF parties now with the Carter
| ties.
The committee appointed to investigate
the violation of the privileges of the House
by Messrs. Stevens, Schumacher, Kearson
and Wilson, reported, recommending the
expulsion of these gentlemen.
| MIR. Davidson, OF LivingstOn-Mr. Speak
| er and gentlemen of the House of Repre-
| sentatives: 1t is not from choice that rise
| here to speak to-day; but being the oldest
member of the House of Representatives.
having been for forty years in the public
service of the State of Louisiana, and being
| deputled to investigate this charge of VIC
lation of the privileges of the House, has
forced me into a position where l have no
| Notwithstanding to do but to act. The
| committee met Immediately; sent notice to
| these parties to appear and vindicate them
| selves from this charge of having caused
/ the arrest of members. and thereby violated
the privileges of the House. The Sergeant
alarms was sent to notify these parties OF
charges preferred against them, and of the
appointment of committee to hear their
defense. He was not allowed to 90 no
stairs, and they would not receive the
notice.
Mr.. Garstkamp, cf Jefferson proposed to
the House that they should have further
time fixed to appear and be heard in their
defense, and he called upon us to grant this
extension of time. Their offense is one of
the greatest and most grievous known to
the rules of the House of Representatives
of the State of Louisiana. This is not an
insult to us; this is not a personal insult,
but it is an indignity offered to the people
of the State of Louisiana. whom yogrepre-
sent. No man ever violated the privileges
of this House in times gone by that did not
meet with speedy and strict punishment.
You owe il to yourselves to punish these men;
you owe it to your constituents. If man
can, with impUnity. violate the privileges
Of this house, how long will any of us be
safe What was done in this case you all
know. will state historical fact. You
all know that on that day TUESDAY, l be-
heye.) there was resolution passed ex-
pressive of confidence in Mr. Carter. But.
slrs, that was no reason why Mr.. Carter
was to be perpetual Speaker of the House
He had declared that when majority of
this House were not satisfied with him
he would vacate the chair. On
the next day after that gen
tleman moved as a test question, that |
the journal be not approved, and it was not |
approved. The resolution approving his |
conduct amounts to just nothing at all, ex-
cept that 1t was an expression of opinion |
In his favor The journal was not approved |
and it amounts to nothing, and is not a law
of the House. Mr.. Carter sent Mr.. Yorke
to say that if the House adjourned until
the next day he tMr. Carter would resign.
They consulted me and | instructed them
to listen to no such proposition. However,
they accepted the proposition. On the next
DAY MI lorke came up here and said to
the House that he was directed to say, al
though Mr. Carter had authorized him to
make the pledge, he had taken the matter
out OF his hands. Gentleman. Mr.. Carter
Just iled-that's all. He never intended to
resign. The whole thing was arranged |
The next session of the House | was asked |
to vote TO turn these men ont. | said, No;
you must give them a hearing. You didn't
turn out Mr.. Buchanan, a colored man,
without giving him hearing. Then you
shall not turn one of my color out without
you first extend him the same privilege" /
was not in favor of turning Mr.. Carter out
It all until acquired the knowledge that he
red to You when he promised to resign and
iIdn't do so. When walked into the House
hat day one Of my friends stepped up to me
ND told he that my friend, Mr. Harper,
lad been arrested. asked if he had sto-
en- anything. [ was told no, that he had
,een arrested by the United States mar
ha, under the KuKlux bill. understood
he whole thing immediately. | asked how
many more are there to be arrested took
Up my hat to go out of the House because
did not wish to be arrested. L did not
cave to break the quorum, but simply to
scape the indignity of an arrest. / didn't
'ant to be martyr; Here the honorable
entlemen requested the Clerk to read the I
tfidavit made before the United States 1
commissioner against the several members I
the House who were arrested for a ylO- | +
alton of the kuklux bill}
Now, there is evidence of what these
len did laid before you. Will you, as rep
9sentatlves of. the people of this State, :,
low this to be done, and the perpe-
'ators OF it go unpunished' These par
es have been summoned to appear here a a
nj be heard upon the charge of having
worn falsely. They will not come What c
the result of all this They say that y
ley are the legal representatives of the y
eople, the legal House of Representatives. "
have shown you that by the law we are
10 legally constituted Legislature. And >,
he result of it all is they have arrested II II
embers Of this House and made martyr Il
anOther-made a martyr of a gentleman, ;,
him we'll On the day that Il
lese arrests were made | was making =,
separations to leave the House, when q
alter Wheyland came up and asked me II
by was leaving. told him l did not !"
ish to submit to the indgnity of an arrest II
is reply was, 'Sit still, Mr.. Davidson; u
ey sha'nt touch you unless they walk % %
'er my lifeless body" This young u
db' thic SdlIdHI young, man was one
the men they expelled. I wish you to 49,
lderstand this; this young man was ex- ie
lied from the House and another man -
Vorn in his place, and the gentleman ap- re
United in his place refused to accept the p'
'sition. He said that though he would be q q
oud to serve his people he could not con -
Mt to do it under such circumstances. :,
nd now, gentlemen, | ask what is to be y, ~
Q result of all this The assassin of Id
Jung Wheyland, when arrested last night, co
id he had been instructed to take him or &c &c
u him. What will be thounht of the man | tll