New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-14


which this petty United States judge issued
an order for the occupation Of this building
by United States troops, expressly pts
members Of the State Legislature. Il is
the theory Of our government that the rep
entatives of the people shall be untram-
meled in the discharge Of their duties.
Strike at your legislative bodies, cripple
their labors, stop their power, subject them
to the military arm, and you at once de
stroy and overthrow the entire system OF
government under which we have been lIv-
ing since this country has had q. govern.
ment Either the right OF the people must
be free to assemble in their own good way
under the provisions of law to discharge
their duties untrammeled by the presence
Of armed men, or revolution is accom-
pliEhed, and we live to-day under differ
ent form OF government from that which
descended to US from our fathers.
Mr.. Brewster-I4et me ask the gentleman
if he sees any more armed men around this
hall than he saw at this time last year?
Mr.. McMilen-I am not defending any.
thing that occurred last year. / am not
dealing with the occurrences of the past
God knows they were bad enough. One
year ago we had condition of anarchy in
this State brought on, in great measure,
by the same parties who are operating to-
day-brought or by the desire born Of the
greed of power to cripple the liberties OF
the people of Louisiana. With these events
am not occupying myself to-day. | de.
plored them when they occurred, and de-
plore them now / should hope that the
Senator from Ouachita Mr. BreWsterl, who
then, in q different capacity, stood eide by
side with me IN defeating and overthrow
ing revolution inaugurated by these
cormorants of power, would be the
last man to question me with regard
IL. - i e Lot No TV,F
desire to make clear is that there is, IN my
judgment, nowhere any authority in this or
any other statute properly exercised by any
court, which can interfere with the freedom
of the General Assembly of the various
States of the Union, and that when this dis
trict Judge, at the hour of midnight, under
circumstances which are certainly of pc
culiar and suspicious character, signed his
name in q peculiar manner to an arbitrary
order directing the United States marshal
to take possession OF the State House OF the
State of Louisiana, / pretend to say as
Senator and citizen of Louisiana, that
that act was most arbitrary, and unlawful,
and iniudici0us and impOlitic. He has
created a commOtion and instituted an
order of things which has deprecated the
value Of property to such an extent as has
never been done before by all the comm0-
tons, turmoils, riots, and threatened over
LLIOHS VI SUSSLuu.SuJ W4liA NLlASLA LAC Lis
tory of this State is rich, from the days of
reconstruction until now. lpretend to say
as Senator Of Louisiana that there is no
law for this act OF the circuit judge; that it
was without law; that he acted without
power simply from the fact and through
the knowledge of the fact communicated to
him before he signed this order, that the
army of the United States would be held
subject to the orders of this man who is
lv,n JIo1tnJ E+r-ac boI w.
community. ] pretend to say more, that
this contest today is simply contin-
uance of the anarchy and confusion
which occurred year agO-a continuation
of the cid fight between the United States
officials and the State government. Over
thrown as they were last year, they have
step by step made gradual progress.
They obtained the assurance that they
would have the assistance Of the United
States army, and for that reason, and for
that alone, in nv opinion, was that order
signed by that judge and executed by that
Had not the judge known that
the troops were already marching to this
building, he would have been the last man,
as a district judge, to order the United
States marshal to occupy this building in
the name of the United States. As early
as seven o'clock IN the evening orders had
been Issued that troops should be in readi-
lt55 ~ dbSiSb Viz iudISHiA IL Lub occupation
Of this building; SO it must have been
known to the judicial power and to this
particular Judge, who, in the good nature
IF bon ripU3jt, after hearty dinner at the |
house OF q friend, conveyed to his cham
ger through the dark streets Of the city |
1t the midnight hour, was made to |
sign his name to an order which is the |
ieath knell Of the liberties Of this State |
government. And the game rs being played |
MI Ina CF fltA .tI,,ki
presence this morning. The Senate Of |
4Guislana fourteen members being organ
zed-men holding over 5or the identical
purpose OF perpetHalng The legislative
sOWer of the State, thai there should be !
10 complete intarregnGm between one Cen
raj Assembly and anUther-these men so
olding 0ver-the only constitutional Sen
re OF Louisiana-in the eyes Of the United
tates army, in tine presence Of this Cham
er, covered with United States deputy
aarshals, in the presence Of cUanselors for
he oonspifators engaged in this attempt to
verthr0w the government of the United
tateS-a scene was enacted here such as
either this nor any other Senate Chamber
as ever sec since civil government was
amongst men. The President
f the Senate, not regarding the c0nstitu-
0nal rights of the Senate itself, or OF any
lember, in an arbitrary unlawful, and |
FllCNS ulIJOuSt luk1Und4 IDdGuCE, utulGU The
ight of any Senator to be heard on this
0or while they were claiming
his right, proceeded to call
re rolf and then denOmnated
lat body of men the Senate of Louisiana
say there is nothing in the history of Iegis-
alive government, nothing in the history
this body Of men, nothing il law which,
my Judgment sustaIns or iustities this
Dnduct on the part Of this body, and if this |
I- a H. FL
itutiOnal manner, ] lay down the further
rOpostiOn that all their acts must be null
I'D void. regret that / am not person
Iy clothed with that el0guence and sub
ETY. OF reasoning which has characterized
le arguments before the court Of the
niteQ States which has SO violently laid
8 hands on the legislative branch Of this
'untry; but there Is principle above all !
va principle invoking justice and truth
Id right, which the common mind can APP
'ehend to some extent, and which the com
on tongue claims shall be recognized by
ose who are free to speak in the name Of
W and order and the civil government.
as a Senator, came here ia response to
of the Governor Of this State.
,siring to 90 what l could to harmonic {
e troubles existing III this State,
allay these difficulties. to give
fcacy, if l could, by my voice
the act and the will Of the people.
desire men chosen to office by the people |
the recent election to exercise the func- .
2ns OF their various Offices. | desire the I
elected by the people to be
cOgnizcd in legal and constitutional |
amer. This is all | ask; this is all think c
patriot and citizen should ask. Ny face |
day is against Iactiono as it always has
en-. My voice today is raised against |
ranny and outrage as it always has !