The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-01-14
The Louisiana Legislative
Usurpation - How t Was
Carried Out by the Con
Servatives."
A Scene of Confusion Worse
COhfonnded.
The Democrats of the House
Call for Military Tnterter-
cree, and What Came
of 1t.

| The st. Louis Democrat published, under
date of New Cfleans, January,5, the follow
| Ing full and graphic account OF the scenes
enacted in the Louisiana House Of Represen.
tatlves, on the decision of it's frat meeting
on that day:
| 1t Is we'll known that troops were here
They should always be where State Covert
ments ard Legislatures are wen Or lost on
the gallop and at the music Of the pistol
This day, 40 anxiously awaited, has seen a
nsurPed parliamentary body formed with the
hands of half the members on their hip
| pockets. It has seen that body disorganized
at the point Of the bayonet and another
Republican body legally organized. A poi.
iticsl hell has yawned here since noon, and
although the floor OF the hall OF the House
| OF Representatives has not beea stained
| with blood, reyolvers were whirlcd defiantly
above hot heads, aud cleaning bowie blades
flashed in desperate hands. At times a word,
or shot almost fired, would have made of q
legislative chamber
| sLAUaHTER.HoUsR
with representatives of the people as the
victims. The Democrats, who have com
planned of so much usurpation here, were in
this case themselves the usurpers They
captured the House of Representatives
as they stated, for political effect, in order
| to compel the use of troops. They mai n
tanned their incipient revolution until their
fraudulent acts were interfered with by
United States troops under General De Tro-
BRAND, and then they dispersed because they
were not allowed to perpetrate their wrong
Upon their dispersal, the Republican mem.
beers, who constitute a majority, organized
the House and received message from the
Governor, and one from the Senate
Let me sketch briefly
THE SCENE
| The House was to meet - o'clock noon.
Shortly before that hour the Democratic
members filed into The Legislative hall
which had been previously occupied by the
Republican mem )ers. Messrs. Foster,
Potter and Phelphs. constituting the Con
gressional committee, were also present.
Mr.. Potter remaining spectator over the
railing of the lobby, and the other two TAX
ling seats on the floor in front of the Speak
Ior's able.
In accordance with the law, Mr.. Vigers.
Clerk Of the previous House, called the roll
OF members furnished nim by the Secretary
ofdState, which was the same as that made
by the Returning Board. As he finished
the call. he stated that the House was ready
to elect Speaker. It was Mr.. Vigers' duty
to await nominations, put the motion, and
declare who was elected. But upon the
instant Democratic member jumped up
and yelled Il nominate l.. A. Wilt for
Speaker" He put the motion while the
Republicans were putting the name Of their
candidate, Mr.. Hahn, and declared Wilt
elected without recognizing the fact that
anybody else had been nominated, and
without calling the nays on the motion.
Wilt, who is an ex-Mayor of New Orleans.
r.
Speakers rostrum, and. before he was an
nounced elected, at single leap landed In
the Speakers chair, seized The gavel, and
commenced calling "Order - 1t was
UsURPAT1oN sHREwDLY PLANNED AND
EXECUTED.
| Imagine, II you can, the scene that ensued
Nothing was ever further removed from Or
der. While the Republicans shouted their
protests, and insisted that they should be
allowed to name candidate, and that the
| motion should be fairly put by Mr.. Vigers,
the only one authorized to act, and that the
yeas and nays be called, the Democrats were
rending the air with that same old rebel
yell, ''Sit down - "Out of orGerV' "Put
them out u and the Speaker hammered
fiercely with his gavel, and vainly cried
"Order Ia the midst CT the uploar 1t was
pretended that clerk was elected, and the
House was declared temporarily organized.
Wiltz called up MIR. Lowell, q Republican,
and the Oldest member of the House to ad-
minister the oath to him, out Mr.. Lowell
refused, protesting against the illegality of
the whole proceedings, and showing conclu-
sively that, under law passed in 1870, which
he read, only Mr.. VIgers. the last Clerk,
could put the motion for the Speaker. In
the meantime body Of Sergeants-At-A Arms
were declared appointed, as soon as Wilt
had landed in the chair, and they were
DIRECTED TO CLEAR THE HALL
and preserve order, bat there could be NO
order. Republicans protested and vainly
addressed The Chair for recognition. Wiltz