The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-01-15

70 protest again and again against
this revolutionary action of the
minority, but all to no purpose,
and many Of the Republicans rose
and left the House in . body, to-
gether with Clerk Vigers, who car
ried with him the original roll of
the House, as returned by the
Secretary of State. The excite
ment was now very great, and the
acting Speaker directed the Ser
geant-at,Arms to prevent the
gress or ingress OF members or
others, and several exciting scuf-
fles, in which knives and pistols
were drawn, took place. Mr..
Dupre, Democratic member from
Orleans parish. moved that the
military power Of the government
be invoked to preserve peace, and
that committee be appointed to
wait on Gen. De Trobriand, com
handing officer of u. S. troops,
stationed at the State House, and
request his assistance in clearing
the lobby. The motion was
adopted. The committee of five, of
which Dupre was made chairman,
was sent to wait on Gen. De
Trebriend, and soon returned
with that officer, who was accom-
panied by two of his staff officers.
AS Gen. De Trobriand walked
down to the Speakers desk, loud
applause burst from the Demo
cratic side OF the House. Gen.
De Trobriand asked the acting
Speaker if it was not possible for
him to preserve order without APP
pealing to him as a u. s.
5. army officer. Wilt said it was
not. The General proceeded to
the lobby, and addressing a few
words to the excited crowd, peace
was at once restored.
On motion of Dupre, Wilt
then, In the name of the general
assembly of the State of Louisi
ana, thanked Gen. IDe Trobriand
for his interference in behalf of
law and order, and the General
withdrew.
The Republicans had now gen
orally Withdrawn from the hall
and united in signing the petition
to the Governor, stating their
grievances, and asking his aid,
which petition was signed by 50
of the legally returned members.
The House was in my posses
sion Immediately subsequent to
the action in rejecting the clerk of
the old House.
Mr.. Billen moved that two gen.
tlemen from the parish of De So
to, one from Winn, one from Bien-
vile, and one from Heria, who had
not been returned by the return
ing board, be sworn in as mem
bers, and they were accordingly
sworn in by Wilt, and took their
seats on the floor as members of
the House. Is
A motion was then made that
the House should proceed to its
permanent organization, and &C
cordingly, the roll was called by
Mr.. Travazant, acting clerk. and
Mr.. Wilt was declared Speaker
and Mr.. Travazant Clerk of the
House.
Acting on the protest made by
the majority of the House, the
Governor requested the command
ing General of the Department to
aid him to restore order and ena-
BILE the legally returned members
of the House to proceed with its
organization according to law.
This request was reasonable and
in accordance with the law. Re-
membering wildly the massacres
that took place in this city on the
assembling of the Constitutional
Convention in 1866, at the Me-
chanics Institute, and believing
that the lives of the members of
the legislature have been or would
be endangered in case ap organic
alton under the law was attempt
ed the posse was furnished, with
the request that care should be
taken that no member of the legis-
lature returned by the returning
board, should be elected from the
floor. This military posse per-
formed its duty under directions
from the Governor of Ihe State,
and removed from the floor CT the
House, those persons who had
been illegally seated and who had
legal right to be there; whereup-
on the Democrats rose and left
the House and the remaining
members proceeded to effect an Or
ganigatioh under the laws of the
State.
In all this turmoil, In WHICH
bloodshed was imminent, the mil
itary posse behaved with great
discretion. When Wilt. the
usurping speaker of the House,
called for troops to prevent blood
shed. they we're given him; when
the Governor of the State called
for a posse for the same purpose,
and to enforce the law, it vas Civ
en- him also. Had this not been
done. 1t ia my firm belief that
scenes Of bioodshsd would have
ensued.
Signed,l P. H. SHERIDAN,
Lieut.. General.
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II pOStOfjce; Jan. IL, 1875. Persons calling