The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-04-05
Compromise with the Kellogg
Party.
WHY AND HOW IT FAILED-WHO OP-
POSED AND WHO FAVORED IT.
From the Natchitocl les Times, l5tn.l

hlCEb UI1S uCt4IIS VI Ll1C lCCSI1b SUI
in New Orleans made by their represen-
tativcs to maintain the McEnery govern
ment, and how, with hope and fear al
ternating, the members Of the Odd Eel
lows Hall Assembly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
at their posts for three months, en-
deayOring to work out to a favorable
solution the problem which had been
entrusted to them by their constituents.
They know also that by the inactiOn of
Congress III the Louisiana question,
and the recognition of the Kellogg gov
eminent by the President, VIC were n
able to maintain the struggle any
lOnge", and that when we adjourned OIL
the last day of the regular session, we
did so i'll obscure rooms at the st. James
Hotel, and only pro tOrm0, knowing
that everything was lost, and that the
Kellogg government was firmly eStab-
lished in the State for the next four
years, without any relief to our people
except what it chose to extend to them.
But, while the readers of the Times
are COgnizant OF what tranSpired during
the struggle between the two contend
ing parties, they may not know of some
features developed inside our own
Legislature toward the close, after it
became apparent that we had lOst-and
especially i'll the matter of compromise.
On this subject we propose to enlighten
themStO some extent now and hereafter.
During the Whole of the regular SEES
sion several members of the Odd Eel
lows Hall Assembly, including the edi-
tor Of the Times, had been favorable to
a compromise, recognizing Mr.. Kellogg
rs Governor, with II good Legislature,
pledged to his support in a conservative
administration ofthe State government;
but these were so few in number that
all efforts in that direction were utterly
futile. During this time, the only
proposition which would be entertained
was a compromise $50 called) based
upon Il Legislature composed of mem
bers returned by both boards, which
was to count tie votes for Governor and
Lieutenant Governor, and, in fact Or
game the State government in toto.
AS this gave the FusionistS a majority
in both branches Of the General As
sembly, it was regarded by the Kellogg
men lis yielding everything, and the
proposition was never entertained. 1t
became apparent that there was no
hope i'll that direction, except through
the action of Congress and our Legisla-
tuTe therefore pressed the matter on its
attention Only-With what result is well
known. AS matters grew mOr serious,
however, and success became more and
more dOu btful, the compromise party
became much stronger, and efforts were
made to induce Mr.. Kellogg, who had
always expressed himself as favorable
to an am:cable adjustment, to state
positively what he was willing to do,
and to show his ability to accomplish
it. The result was that Senator Leon
a%.T IVrr,N = ~ 4I1 $500.
mittee, was able to lay before our
general caucus a proposition from Mr..
Kellogg offering to give US eight add
ti0nal Senators (making fourteen in all)
and sixteen new Representatives (mak-
ing forty-six in ally, with a pretty fair
showing of his being able to carry out
the programme. Under this cOmpro-
mise no change was to be made in the
State officers, though it was understood
that the Lieutenant Governor, and per-
haps the SuperinteT dent of Education,
would finally be conceded to us. This
proposition was met with opposition by
all the Republican Senators and by all
the city members, with n or two ex-
ceptiOns, and was favored in the main
by the country members, though not
with entire unanimity-thus giving a
decided majority to the opposition.
Pending this compromise, Capt. Texa-
da, of Rapides, introduced what was
called the Pardee proposition, which
proposed to give us eighteen Senators
Including the eight Republicans and
fifty in the House with Kellogg and
Penn as Governor and Lieutenant
Governor. It was decidedly better
than the KELLOGG proposition, but came
from Judge Pardee only, who was I'M
able to carry it out, while the other
came from a Ource which had the pow
er, if not the desire, to do what was
proposed. Those of us who we're really
in favor of compromise opposed the
Pardee proposition for this reason,
while all the other elements favored
it-some being misled to look at both
propositions i'll the same light as coming
from equally authorized sources, and
some supporting it in order to defeat
compromise altogether, knowing that it
approval by Mr.. Kellogg and his
fi.ends-and knowing also that its ac-
ceptarce was virtually the rejection Of
the Kellogg proposition. The Pardee
proposition was sustained in caucus,
without action upon the other.
Up to the time of adjournment,
therefore, Mr.. Kellogg had only the
pledge Of individual members on our
side that they would accept his PROPOSE
tiOn-and especially of six Senators,
that they would disregard the caucus
agreement and take their seats in the
Mechanics Institute Whenever the wav
was opened to them-with the under
standing that they would not remain
unless the compromise was carried out
as an entirety in good faith. Arrange
ments were made to. accomplish every
thing, but an indiscreet publication in
the PicdyNne Of our caucus proceedings,
frustrated the whole scheme, which was
necessarily secret in it's nature.
Following this came that ridiculous
fiascO on Jackson Square, and it looked
as it Our hopes for a compromise were
all gone. But the efforts of Senator
Leonard and others were not relaxed,
and when we left New Orleans the
prospect Of a compromise on the basis
proposed by MI. Kellogg seemed about
as good as it ever had been at any pre-
Vious time. We cannot say more here,
as the pledges which have been made
are OF. such a character and from such
q source as make it imprudent to pub
llsh the details in a public newspaper.
Suffice 1T to say, that while everything
EiSe Is losI, GIefe Is gOOQ reason to hope
than an early adjustment is highly
probable, which will be able to protect
the State from bad legislation, and re-
store confidence to our people.
ENGLISH LOVE OF JUsT1oE.-There is
nothing like English justice. When a
seOundrel knocks down and robs an I'M
offending citizen he receives twenty
stripes with the "cat," administered by
a shriveled old pensioner. When a sea-
man excites the dislike of his officers.
and is goaded into some slight act of
Observation-Disclosures Tho nonnlEr !. &C.