The weekly Louisianian., 1874-06-20

CeSpeCt1uuy, W eAAAoA
from him in his premises as well as in
his conclusions. I will take them up,
however, later on IN the discussion.
Ipropose first to bring the House to
the direct question at issue. You have
not, Mr.. Speaker, permitted us to ex-
press our opinions on this floor for q
display of oratory, however entertain
such displays may be. I understand
the House desires to get at some OF the
facts which underlie this question.
What aee these facts? Ifthis report
of the committee has shown the House
any single thing, Il is in the first in
stance that I am entitled p1ipsat facie to
a seat in this body lam told by
some of the best legalamindai in this
Capitol that it is a well;established
rule in the House where the member
has a psima facie right that right
holds good on its merits until it is
overturned,
But, I repeat, what + the facts?
These gentlemen say I present myself
before the House on credentials com.
ing from my self as acting Governor of
and they go on TO- say my
solf and friends have shown a lack of
interest in this case because we have
not prepared the evidence to meet the
ease properly before the committee.
They fail to recogfze this other impor:
Etant fsct of history that, after my cleo
ton as Congressman ut large, I was
elected by the Legislature Of Louisiana,
whicA had been and still is recognized By
the President Of the United States
through the Attorney General as the
legal Legislature Of that State, to a
seat in the United States Senate and
have been and am now contending fol
q seat in that body.
This fact, I am told, sir, has been
used both in the committee and on the
floor of this House to prejudice the
House against the recognition of my
claim upon the aimsy, the false, and
the absurd idea that I in some manner
acted contrary to the dignity of this
House when I saw fit to make applica-
ton for q seat to which I had been
chosen in the Senate of the United
! States and at the same time contest fol
a seat in this House. Why, sir. let me
ask any Republican member Of this
House or any Democratic member
whether if he had been in my position,
elected on the 4th' day of November to
the Congress of the. United States by
q popular vote Of his State, and'his
State had subsequently elected him
to the Senate of the United States by
what was recognized as the legal Leg
islature thereof, would he have done
otherwise than Ibid; whether the gen
tleman would have been SO patriotic
and considered the dignity of this
House so far above that of the Senate
as to have said II will not take the seat
in the Senate, I viii take the scot in
the House?" II this House is com
u .. -" -
l.pased OF gentlemen Of that character
lam frank to admit. chat they are more
di~sinterested patriots than I have ye1
found in my brief political career
The rule adopted: by all those I am
acquainted with has been to take the
|best Office they could obtain, anai
1 follow IN the footsteps OF my illus
thious predecessors I suppose they
must attribute it to the characteristic
which they are pleased to ascrlbe tc
our race, that Of being initiative, and
sy I have simply initiated them. Now,
sir, I do, not believe there isa single
member of this House who situated a
FI was wonld have actedln a single par.
Ekcu]ar otherwise than I have done q
to this preference
Mr.. Sheridan comes before thia
House without any claim whatever.
He has not even q prima Tacie case.
He has no authority before this House,
on the admission of the committee Il
self. TO show that he is entitled to q