New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-27


sion, and there is nothing in the constitu-
ton by which their status has been changed
since that time. If we recognize the body
sitting above us as the legal House Of
Representatives, every legislative measure
that we may pass in conjunction with them
will be as null and void as it they had
been passed by a mass meeting Of the peO-
pie on the streets, and will have no bind
ing force nor effect. 1t is within the
province of the duties of the Senate to
clear up this matter and the question is,
how shall we do it By passing a simple
resolution, as separate body, recommend
ing thai they meet together ami legally Or
ganize. There are certain laws upon the
statute books, to-day the repeal or mOditica-
ton of which is demanded by every citizen OF
the State from the Arkansas line to the Belize
and from the Texas border to the eastern
boundary. If we act upon those laws un.
der the present status of the House OF
Representatives, the courts of the State,
which are to certain extent political in
their character, will declare our action IL
legal, null and void and the people will suf-
fer for one year more at least under the OPP
pressive burdens they are bearing to-day.
If we sincerely desire to fulfill the promises
we have made to the people, let us de-
clare that the executive has no right to
subvert one branch of the legislative de-
dictation. This question has been sprung
before in the little State OF Rhode Island
It's a question of which the courts can
take charge. Throughout the State OF
Louisiana, let the Legislature do what 1t
may, the legality of its actions will not
be recognized by the people, nor will the
courts of justice recognize them as legal
and binding. The wheels of government
will be stopped, and any attempt to en-
%ho of
people will be revolutionary on the
part of the revenue collectors. and will be
met by the people in the same spirit. do
not desire to reflect upon the motives OF any
Senator, but have right to denOunce the
action of the executive in this instance as
revolutionary, and am borne out in my
opinion by the constitution and laws OF the
State. l repeat that any action taken by
the House of Representatives under that
illegal and revolutionary proclamation OF
his excellency is null and void, and any act
they may pass cannot be recognized as legal
and binding. Now, what action should be
taken by the Senate, which is supposed to
be a conservative body so far as this ques-
ton is concerned Let the Senate take no
hand in the controversy between these two
factions. Let them decide 1t among them
selves. Let us pass resolution recon.
mending both houses to come together and
such. That, it strikes me, would be the
proper course. But it seems that the Senate
has determined not to pursue that course,
but to recognize the House which is organ
lied in the interest Of the executive OF the
State-a House that is partisan and
revolutionary in its character "a
House whose action on any reform
measures will be declared null and
void by the courts leaving upon the people
%ba hur of no p6i 1axv nf W
complain. While we were absent from our
seats (which absence / shall hereafter per-
sonally explain), we understood that an at
tempt had been made in the House of Rep
resentatives, as now organized, to pass
certain measures of reform, but we knew it
was all a farce. We knew that the regis
tration, election and other laws which have
clothed the Governor with the extraOrdi-
nary powers which he exercises now, would
still remain on the statute books, ard that
the farce which was enacted in the Me-
chanics' Institute would he subject for the
Governor and his friends to laugh at. We
knew that those laws would still remain in
full force, and still be a blot upon our
statute books and disgrace to our repub-
lican institutions. 1t is in order to avoid
these deplorable results that l desire the
Senate to see first that there is legal House
of Representatives before We recognize any
body as such. deem it almost unneces
sary. Mr.. President, to speak of the reasons
for and causes of Governor Warmoth's
proclamation. You and the other
gentlemen on the opposite side of
this question claim that he had a
right to issue it because the State was
threatened with lawlessness and anarchy
by men who were attempting to overthrow
the State government Be it so. You also
assert that they undertook to overturn
the House Of Representatives by arresting
certain members of that body under a
judicial writ. Be it So What right, | ask.
had the executive of the State to interfere
What right had he to have all the ap-
proaches to the State Capitol guarded by
armed men, in order that he might organize
House OF Representatives in his own in
terest and in violation of all law and JUS
tice /. Why, sir, Cromwell, in the height
of his power never exercised over the Eng
lish Parliament a more arbitrary, tyranni-
cal sway than Henry c. Warmoth has at
tempted to exercise over the people OF
Louisiana, or their chosen representatives
When the Parliament of Great Britain re-
fused to pass certain measures, what was
the action of Cromwell! He went down
into the house and, with his drawn sword in
his hand, babe them dispense. Governor
WarmOth has done almost the same thing.
Standing, as we are informed, near the
Speakers chair in the hall of the House of
Representatives, he demanded that they
should expel forty five members by the
votes of fOrty-three. Was there ever be-
fore such tyranny and oppression practiced
in civilized country! Now, Mr.. Presi-
dent, repeat. let the House of Representa-
tives settle this difficulty among themselves.
If Mr.. Carter was the legal Speaker during
the first four days OF the session, he is still
the legal Speaker If Mr.. Brewster is the
legal Speaker, let the House so determine.
Let us not, as Senators, attempt to throw
our influence in the scales in favor of either
party.
Mr.. Harris-Why do you not introduce
resolution to that effect! In the resolution
you offer this morning, you ask the Senate
to interfere.
Mr.. BIackman-No sir, do not; simply
ask that the Senate shall recommend the
two houses to meet together, and settle the
difficulty among themselves. do not de-
sire tue Senate to interfere. l contend that
we have no more right to recognize the
body of men assembled above this chamber
as the legal House of Representatives than
we have to recognize any sixty or seventy
men that the Governor may call in from the
streets. 1t was for this reason introduced
that resolution this morning. asking both
houses to assemble together, without mo-
lestation by armed militia, sergeants-at-
arms or metropolitan Policemen, 10 settle
their legal status, SO that we can proceed to
legislate in the interest of retrenchment and
reform. But there seems to be a disposition
to recognize this House which his excellelcy
has organized. YOumay attempt to pump lite
into dead body, but you can not succeed.
1t came into the world stillborn. and no
action of the Senate can give vitality to it.
l say this is not the proper time for
the Senate to act upon this resolu-
ton. Let us inform his excellency
that we are organized. and ready to receive
any messages he may be pleased to send us
but let us not undertake in the interest of
Eaatioaa To luull