Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-01-14
General News.
Gen. Shendan's Stat ement Of the
Trouble in Louisiana.

"AsHiN'roN, Jan. 9.-Thc following ofic.
III disratch has been received here. dateI
heaI-quarIers. Military Division Of Missouri ::
Netc Orleans. La. Jan. ..
To Hon. W. W. Belknap, Secretary Of War.
Washington, ID. q.
! have the honor to submit the following
brief rep"rt OF n .irs Is they occurred he re in
The org.nl.a ion Of the state Legislature Of
Jan 4. l>14:
! was rot in command ofthis military DEPART
ment till O'Clock ut night on the 9Th inst, but
iuiiy 'niorse and .m willing to b. held re-
sponsbie ror acts Of he militia as con-crya-
tor OF the pablo pesce on that day. During
the fw DAYS In which was In the city prior
to the <th OF inuary, the general topic OF con.
'eisatton was the scenes Of bloo,lshed that
were tkely TO occur that day, and repeatedly
heard threats Of assrssiaatiug the Governor
ana r-erets expresad thst he was not killed
ON lbs u " >spts nber last. also threats OF A.
.as.inAtion Of the Repub lean members Of the
IL 'u-c, In order 10 secure the election Of Dem
ocrAfic speaker. also know OF kidnzp ping by
the ezn'!iti ola cousin Of one IN NIB r elect Of
the Legislature.
In ord-r 10 preserve peace and 10 make the
state house safe for pe,ceable assembling OF
The Legislature. Gen. Emory. up IN requi,itinn
Oh Tue Governor. stationed troops In the vicipi.
tyoi tue building. Owing to these precautions
Ne Le.islature assemb ed in III, state house
wuhcu vi any disturbance OF the pesce. Al Il
O'Clock Mr. Viyers. the clerk OF the last House
oil kfpres 'stives, proceeded a. call the ROLL
AZ acrorulng To INV he was npowered to do.
One hundred aud two legally returned mem.
6ers sn,~ered to their III mes. OF this mum.
b hty-tNow re Republican. aud inv DE no.
erals. Before .nteriag the House l.. A. Wiltz
had be n ,eiecied in caucus a, the Democrat:
nominee Tor Speaker. AID Airhacl Hshn a. the
Republican nominee. MIR. Nigers hid not i'm
i.hed annou icing The result when Mr. Bilii-n
OF i-afourche. nominated L. A. " iltz for tenn
pbra'y Speaker. Wig rs promptly declared
tn motion out Of order at that time, when
so1he on put the question. and mid cheers on
on the Democratic side of the House Wilt
da.5e. on % he ro>trum. pushed aside Viy.rs.
seized the speaker gayei and declared him
sell Speak r. protest against this arbitrary
AMI unla" fui proceed ng Wa. promptly mad.
b meihbers OF he III jorty, but " illx paid 30
attention TO those protests and on mot ion from
SON, one OF the Dem ,crl'ic sid of the
iiou I was declared that one Trek.yant was
npmnated and elected clerk Of the uo lie IRE
want at once sprxng forward and occupied
the clerks chair amid the widest confusion
over tn " bols Rouse. wiltI then again on
another nomination from the De;nocra ie i lie
Of the House declared one Flood elected Ser
Sran ~ -Arms ordered certain number oil ~.
,i-tants TO be appointed. Instantly \ l,rg.
number 81 men throughout the hail who had
been admitted on various pre- exits. snch as re-
porter and members, TREND or spectators,
turnrd down the lappeis Of their coats, upon
which were pinned blue r bboa ba ige, on
which were printed in gold letters tn words
:" Assistznt-sergcant-at.s and the Assem-
bly, was in posses sion Of the minority and the
White League Of Louisiana had male good its
threat OF seizing the House. many Of the a.sis-
ttnt SergJant-a'-arms being well known a.
captains Of The White League comp Anies In this
city.
Notwithstanding he suddene.s Of this move
ment. the leading Republican mem ers had not
lhieJ 10 protest again and a2tin against thi,
revolutionary action of the miuoriy but a TO
r ha Ran ,l.li
anu ieft the House in body together with he
clerk. Mr.. Nigers. who carr ed away with
him the original roll of the House a, returned
by the Secretary Of STATE.
ne excitement was now very great, and the
acting Speaker directed the Sergesn -,t-Arm.
To prevent the egress or ingress Of members
and several exciting scuffi-s with knives anJ
pistols d. avn took p ace. and for u few mo-
IN .uts il seemed rs If blOOdshed would en,ue.
At this juncture Mr.. Dapre, the member tr IN
Orleans parish. moved that the military power
OF the general government be invoked to pre-
sers" the peace. ali that committee b., ap-
pointed 10 wait on Gen. De TrObriand, the
comm ,nding officer Of the U. s. troops. sta
toned at the State House, and request hi'
s.stance in Gle airing the lobby. The motion WIS
adopted. and committee ofiye, OF which Du.
IRE wa IN sdc chairman. WAS sent To wait on
Gen. De TrvbrisnJ aud ,Oon returned with
that officer. who wa. sccomp inied by two OF
his stat offer. Wilz said it (D was not,
~" shS oSuet - SCSCucu " Tue lOuuS
and addressed . few words to the excited
crowd. Peace was 1T ono. restored. On mo
ton OF Mr. Dupre, Wil'z then. in the name Of
the General Assembly Of The State Of Louisiana
thanked De TrObrixnd for his interference In
tehaf VI law and order. aud the Geaerxl with.
drew.
The Republicans had now generally with.
dra WI from the hal aud united in signing y
pet itiOn to the Governor, stating their grieyan-
ces and asking his aid. which petition. signed
hV x I..xva slxs r.H,.
Is in my possession. Immediately subsequent
to The action Of Wilt in rejecting the Clerk Of
the old House. Mr.. Bullion novel that Two
Gentlemen from the parish of De Soto, one
from Blenvile and one from Iberia. who hal
not been returned by the returning board, be
sworn In ~ members. and they were xccard.
tngly sworn by Wiltz and took their seats on
the door ~ members Of the House. A motion
W ~ now made that the House proceed with
its permanent organic alton and cordingly
the roll was called by Mr.. Trezevant, the Act.
ing Clerk. aud Witt was declared Speaker,
an Trezevant. Clerk Of the House. Acting
on the protest made BY the majority Of the
House, the Governor NV rsQue tied the co n
manding General Of the depsr ment to aid him
In restoring order u enable the legally re-
turnsd members OF the House to proceed with
the organization according 10 law.
Remember wildly the terrible u assacre that
took l.;e In this city on the assembling Of tn.
con-ii utiOn 81 convention IN lisa, ut the Me.
chanics' Institute, and believing that the lives
OF the membrrs Of the Legislature were or
would be ENDANGERED in case an org Anization
. oder the law was attempted. the ,sse WAS
furnished Sith the r.Quest that care should be
taken that no member et the Legislature return.
ed BY the turning board should be rejected
from the floor. This military posse performed
~ duty g1der direction. from the Governor OF
The state. and removed fsom the floor Of the
House tn &c perso is whS hsd bsen illegally
sestesi. ~ who bad no legal right b be there,
.beieapoq The Dem Dcrsts 1859 and left the
s, ao9:s, .ad tDs r:q1!a:a. 7e@S q Precsesed