New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-24
DEBATES IN THE HOUSE.
TUESDAY, January @, 1879.


After the call of the roll, Mr.. Huston
asked permission to speak on a privileged
question. Leave being granted. he said:
Mr.. Sneaker, as the House has no question
before it at present, wish to make few
remarks in reference to the action OF the
Senate yesterday.
Byaccident, Yesterday, was in the Senate
as a spectator, and heard several speeches
and remarks in reference to the legality OF
the organization of the House OF Represen-
tatiyes of the State of Louisiana, and the
LEGALITY of the election of the Speaker. One
member said we had no right to elect
Sneaker unless hy majority vote. lhey
took the liberty of saying this. NOW, sir;
what right has the Senate to say we shall
not elect who we please and when we please!
We have right to elect Speaker when-
ever a majority of the House votes Tor IT..
They say we are not organized. Ihey eau
not constitutiOnally say that we are not
organized.
Now, want to ask the members OF TINS
House. as members of a House OF Repre-
sertatives. as representatives Of the people,
az the legal House Of Representatives., 40
YOU recognize o. H. Brewster as the
Speaker Of the House Of Representatives
(Cries Of "1es.'J
the insult that the Senate has offered you
No: can not Let us hurl it back IN their
teeth. just think of the insult and indlg-
nity that has been cast upon this Assembly
Now, sir, | want the Senate to distinctly
understand this point that we organize this
House to suit ourselves, individually anu
collectively. We want them to understand
that we organize and reOrganize as 1t suits
us, and no pressure they can bring to bear,
no words of theirs can change the condi-
ton of this House. They have nothing to
do with it.
We can make speakers and unmake
speakers. We make, and unmake as fast
as we make them and the Senate has no
right to interfere: and l want them to
distinctly understand that they have Of
fered an insult and indignity to this House
by their action yesterday. They say that
the extra session was illegal: that there
was no quorum in the Senate, therefore it
was illegal. There was a call tor the Sen
ate, but they know the reason as well as
the members on this floor; they were on the
Wilderness, and it was put out of the reach
of the State government, that prevented the
Senate from having quorum. Nineteen
precious days have been wasted because we
could not get quorum in the Senate. All
this time we could have spent in passing
measures of reform. And just here allow
me to remark that we are pledged to have
reform. We are representatives who have
been sent here to secure this reform. We
want reform; we are anxious for reform.
The Democratic members of this House
have acted nobly. They have been always
ready for reform; aye, anxious for it,
and a great deal of credit is due them.
In conclusion, Mr.. Speaker, | want the
Senate to understand one thing-that we,
as the House of Representatives, intend to
organize and reOrganize whenever we
please: that we will elect any one we
choose as Speaker; and that we do not re-
quire any suggestions or dictatiOn from
them.
The Speaker wish to call the attention
of the House to one important fact and well
known fact, that there is considerable doubt
among many of our best citizens in refer
ence to the legality of the present organiza-
ton Of this House.
Now, the Chair will not do anything that
will prevent the settlement of this question.
and for the purpose of testing this matter,
now tender my resignation as Speaker of
this House.
Mr.. Worrall-I think we have a better
and more satisfactory way of settling this
question.
The yeas and nays were called for.
and the Speakers resignation was not &C
eepted.
Mr.. Brown-To settle this question |
propose to Introduce resolution that will
settle it.
The Clerk read the resolution.
Mr.. HustOn-I object to the resolution
We do not recognize Mr.. Carter as Speaker
OF this House, or as a member. We have
nothing to do with him.
Mr.. Carr-The adoption of this resolu-
ton looks as if we doubted the legality of
our own former proceedings. l do not
doubt that everything we have done is
legal We have adopted a resolution which
indorses the proceedings of the extra SEES
sloD, and to adopt this resolution, it looks
to me as if we doubted the legality of the
former meetings. | am convinced myself
that all we have done at the previous meet
lngs is legal and right.
Mr.. Brown-My reason for offering the
resolution is, the Speaker decided yester-
quorum OF this House, and l thought that
some of the proceedings were acted upon
with fifty -three members.
Mr.. Harper, of st. Charles-I rise to op-
pose this resolution. l think it entirely un-
necessary. We have adopted resolutions
which have settled this question. We elect
a Speaker We must do it according to the
constitution. That we have done, and
contend that the constitution is stronger
than resolution.
Mr.. Worrall-I do not altogether agree
with the gentleman from st. Charles. This
resolution is to place, beyond a shadow of |
DOUBT, the question as to the legality of
the election OF Speaker. l do not want the
question called up again. l want it set
tied now, and we can never do it unless we
adopt a resolution like the present one. / !
want y. II. Brewster declared Speaker of
this Honse. This resolution states that
point, and if it is adopted he is elected
Speaker OF this House. Now. hope the |
resolution will be adopted. for it will then
show that 0. H. Brewster is the legal |
Speaker of the House of Representatives. |
MT. huston asked the privilege of chang
ms his vote from no to yes, and also to eX. |
plain his vote He said:
Mr.. Speaker, when | voted no ON this
question thought that it recognized Mr.. |
Garter as Speaker of the House | am now |
convinced that it does not; SO |, therefore,
mango my vote from no to YES. MANY of |
my friends on this floor have voted as | did
aud will change their votes.
Mr.. Huston called up his bill, and asked
hat it be referred to a special committee.
MIR. Oplatek-I rise to a point of order.
At the las: session of this House rules were
adopted which provided for COMMITTEE, s.
The rule said that no special committee
'ould be appointed that would come in
'ontactor conflict with standing commit
ZEE NOW there is standing committee on
ne same subject. l do not think the spe-
'lai committee should be appointed
Mr.. Murr1y-I rise to a question of in
ormation. l would like to know what rule
a!s we shall not appoint these special com
nittees.
MIR. Garstkamp-We have adopted the
ults OF the last session, and of course we
re to be governed by them. At the last
esslon IA resolution was offered which said
hat no special committee could be appoint
q that would conflict with the standing
ommlttees. This was not printed in the
9les of the Assembly, but the journal of
81 shows it.