The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-01-17
The Two Heuses.

Since yesterday forenoon, there has
been in session In this city, arrange to
say, tw"'bodies calling tl,e,nselves the
Representatives Of, the. people of Lou
isiaDa and IA part Of the Legislative
branch Of the State Goverhmsnt.9 One
of those bodies sits in a hill at No. IL
Royal street, under. the chpir,nanship
of Colonel Carter, Speaker of the
lj"nse Of Represent a,ives,4 and sthe
other in the Mechanics Institute Under
the Craftsmanship of Mr. aBrewstes.,-
The question arises which is the legal
House of Representatives To, deter-
mine this we must go back to Thurs
days proceedings of the House. Now
it is certain that on Thursday when
adjournment was declared, Colonel
Carter was the recognized Speaker, of
the House. Why is it that few hours
the reaftera portion Of the body .attemp-
ted t" meet in extra session and to
elect new Speaker7 No public or
sufficient notice was given of this ex-
ItraIsession and the House stood adj
journed until yesterday ut noon
There can be bnt one, answer to this
query. Governor Warmoth finding
he could not in regular manncr,ex-
pei f,"m the chair, the Speaker, Col
onel Carter, determined to accom-
plish it in an irregular and revOlu-
tionary manner. We do not believe
single precedent can be found for a
fragment ola legislative body. assem-
bling i" extra session pending an ad-
jonrnment and proceeding to transact
business in the absence of their col
lengnes. And We have no difficulty in
arriving at the conclusion that the
session was unlawful, and the action
then taken in electing Mr.. Brewster,
Speaker, null and void. This brings
down to Friday morning, when the
House divided itself or was divided
into two parts. We cannot say that
Colonel Carter and his friends were to
blame in dccliniIg to go to the Me
chanics' Institute and force an en-
trace, if necessary. IT, the Hall of the
House. 1t is certain they would have
been denied admittance, and besides
this the Mechanics Institute was filed
with hired Policemen, both private aud
of the regular force, and a number Of
the most notorious things and assas-
sins Ut the city, all armed to the teeth,
ready to use their weapons upon
whoever might become obnoxious to
them. And the streets on either side
al the State House We're likewise bar
riraded as iffor a,siege, no one being
allowed to pass without cnuntersign.
Now who can say that Colonel Carter
and his friends should have encoui,-
tered such body Of armed men
When did it become obligatory in a
Legislative body to hold their sessions
by the permission of armed men sur
rounding their Hall How is it posi-
bic that legislative body Gould de-
liheIate without restraint, while sub
,jcct to the intimidation Of sucl, force
as Governor Warmoth assembled in
and around the State House yesterday I
we think Colonel Carter, IN dccliHing
to force his way into tho State House,
through the Governors cohorts, pur-
sn.d the most prudent conrse. Being
shut out from their regular place of
meeting, it became necessary to as
semble elsewhere, and hence the
gathering at No. ~ Royal street, and
the legality Of the %,ly. We are not
to he deceived by the Understanding
words employed by Governor War
moth in his proclamation of Thursday
| night, protesting s" deep an attach
ment to "p"puaar government" ~ What
his noti"Hs Of "pop"lar government
are, we have had an opportunity of
becoming acquainted with yesterday,
by the display of thugs and'hullies and
assaSsins, wl,ici, i,c made inand around
the State House. s'sI Irf.is Fl,
| What is to he the result of this con-
| flict between Governor WarInOth and
Mr.. Speaker Carter, we hesitate to pre-
dict; hut one thing is certain and that
is, if General Grant be sincere, the
victory must lie with Colonel Carter.
We hope that the latter will succeed
in drawing to his side u sufficient Nuns
Der of Representatives to constitute a
quorum Of tho House, SO that they can
proceed to impeach the Governor, and
thus pnt an end to his dictatorship and
t" the anarchy which now operates in
Louisiana. The Government of the
United States would be amply justified
in interfering with the administration
of Governor Wa,meth andin putting
an immediate end to it. The Federal
Government is bound by the Consti-
thtion 70 GUARANTEES 70 each State re-
| publican form Of government and to
pro.ett, it VIXEN callcda'.pon by the
Legislature from domestic- -xiolesce.