Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-01-15
THE LOUISIANA TROUBLES

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY
DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
NEW ORLEANS, January 3,

To W, w. Belknan, secretary oil war,
Washington: L have the honor to submit
the following brief report Of affairs as they
occurred here in the organization OF The
state l. gisature, January 4, 1875. 4 was
not in command Of this military depart
ment until O'Clock ut night on the Attn
inst, but fully indorse aud am willing to
be held responsible for the acts OF the milf
tary as conservutUrs OF the public peace
upor that day. During the few days in
which l was in the city prior TO tho 4th of
January, the general topic of conversation
was the scenes of bloodshed that were LA
| bic TO occur on that day, and | repeatedly
| heard threats of assassualing the govern
or, and regrets expressed that he was not
killed on the oath of September last, also
| threats of the assassination Of republican
| members of the House of Representatives
| in order to secure the election of demo-
cratic speaker. also know of the kidnap-
| ping by the .bauditi Of Mr.. Cousin,
| one of tue mpmbers-elect OF the Legiala-
| ture. In order 10 preserve peace aud to
| make The state house safe for the peaceable
assembling of the Legislature, Gen. Emo.
| ~, upon the requistion of the governor,
| stationed troops in the vicinity Of the build
| ing. Owing to these precautions the Leg
lslature assembled in the state house with
out any disturbance Of the peace.
Al Il O'clock, William Vigers, the clerk
of The last House of Representatives, pro-
| ceeded to call The roll, as according to law
| Re was empowered TO do. One hundred
and two legally returned members answer
| cd their names. o. this number 81 were
republicans and so democrats. Before en-
| teiing the House, Mr.. l.. A. Wilt had
| been selected in caucus as the democratic
nominee for speaker, and Michael Hahn
| us the republican nominee. Mr.. NIgers
had not finished announcing the result
when one of the members, Mr.. Bilieu OF
Lafourche nominated Mr.. l.. a. Wilt for
| temporary speaker. Mr.. Nigers promptly
| 1aoIapa1 a M of nvlnr nj i,af
time, when some one put the question, and,
amid cheers on the democratic side of the
| House Mr.. Wiliz dashed on 10 the ros-
trum, pushed aside Mr.. Nigers, seized the
speakers chair and gavel, and declared
himself speaker.
A protest against this arbitrary and un-
lawful proceeding was promptly made by
members of the majority, but MIR. Willz
paid no attention 10 these protests, and, on
motion from some one on the democratic
side Of the House, 1t was declared that one
Trezevant was nominated and elected clerk
of the House. Mr.. TreZevant at once
sprang forward and occupied the clerks
chair, amidst the widest confusion over
the whole house. Mayor Wilt then again,
on another nomination, from the democrat
ic side of The House, declared one Flood
elected sergeant-at-arms and ordered GER
tain number OF assistants TO be appointed.
Instantly, a large humble: of men through
out the hall, who had been admitted on va
riOus pretextS, such as reporters and mem
hers' friends aud spectators, turned down
the lappels of their coats upon which were
pinned blue ribbon badges, ON which were
printed in gold letters the words, assist
ant-sergcanl-at-2 arms and the Assembly
was in the possession OF the minority, and
the white league of Louisiana had made
good its threat Of sezing the House ma
ny of the assistant sergeants-at-armsb being
well known as captains OF white league
| companies in this city. Notwithstanding
the suddenness Of this movement the lead
ing republican members had not failed TO
protest again and again against this revo-
| lutionary action Of the minority, but all to
no purpose, and many OF the republicans
rose and left the House in body, togeth-
er with the clerk, Mr. Nigers, who carried
with him the original roll of the House, as
returned by the secretary Of state.
| The excitement was now very great, and
the acting speaker directed the sergeant at
arms TO prevent the eGress or incress Of
| memb rs or others, and several exciting
scuflles, in which knives aud pistols were
| drawn, took place, and for few moments
1t seemed as if bloodshed would ensue. Al
this juncture, Mr.. Dupre, a democratic
r member from Orleans parish, moved tha
the power of the general government be in
. | voked to preserve the peace, and that {
committee he appointed to wait on Gen
3 | De Trobriand, the commanding officer o
c | the United States troops stationed at thI
; clearing the lobby. The motion was adopt
G ed, a committee of five, Of which Mr.. Du
D | pre- was made chairman, was sent TO wal
q upon Gen. De Trobriand, and soon return
ed with lnat officer, who was accompaniet
5 by two OF his staff officers. AS Gen. d,
4 Trubriaud walked down TO the speaker
o desk, loud applause burst from the demo
n cratic side of the House. Gen. De Trobrl
: and ask ed the acting speaker if ii was no
possible for him to preserve order wlthou
i appealing to him 10 preserve order as
v United States army officer. Mr.. WIZ salC
il was not, whereupon the general proceed
ed to the lobby, and, addressing few
u words 10 the excited crowd, peace was n
o once restored. Mr. Dupre and Mr. wiz
# then in the name OF the General Assembl!
of the State OF Louisiana, thanked Gen
e De Trubriand for his Interference in bebal
S of law and order, and the general with
Il drew. The republicans had uow general
! ly Withdrawn from the hall, and united II
" signing petition to the governor Stain
II their grievances and asking bis aid, whic
IF petite n, signed by dity-lwo legally ro
j. turned members Of toe House, Is in III.
n possession.
. Immediately subsequent TO the action @
u Mr.. Wilz in ejecling the clerk OF the O.!
'e House, Mr.. Dilleu moved that two gentle
n men from the parish OF DeSoto. one fror
VIM, one from Rienvile, and one iron
$ Iberia who had not been returned by th
e returning board, he sworn in "a members
Is They were accordingly sworn in by DlI
n Wilt, and took their seats on the noor q
members of the House. \ motion wa
II now made that the House proceed with II
IS permanent organization, and according 5
NJ the roll was called by Mr.. Trezevant, III
acting clerk, and Wilt was declared speak
er and TreZevant clerk of the House.
% Acting on the protest made by the ms
l. iority of the House, the governor now r1
Of queSted the commanding general Of tn
I 4 Il EI..s t mr.
y and enable the lelally returned member
ie of the House to proceed with its organic;
'e ton according to law. This request wa
At reasonable and in accordance with Law
:, Remembering wildly tho terrible massi
y ere that took place III this city on the a.
i semb'ing of the constitutional conventio
e. in 1866 at the Mechanics institute, aud bt
n | lieving that the lives of the members of I'll
Legislature were or would be endangeTe
in case an organization under the law VI
as attempted, the posse was furnished VII
n tho request that care should be taken tn
-, no member of the Legislature returned
= | the returning board should be elected fro
IL the floor. This military posse performC
ed its duty under directions from The govern
a | or Of the State, and removed from the no'
+, of tho House those persons who had bee
!" illegally seated, and who had no legal rig
es to be there. Whereupou the democra
it rose and left the House, and the remainiT
ad members proceeded to effect the organic
ton under the state laws.
W In all this turmoil, in which bsoodsht
on was Imminent, the military posse behave
ly with great discretion. When Mr.. Will
-. the nsurping speaker Of the House, calf
for troops to prevent boodshed, they wei
an given him; when the governor of the Sta
We called for the same purpose and TO enfor
IS the law, it was furnished also. Had %
"a not been done, 1t is my firm belief tn
~ scenes of bloodshed would have ensued.
e. p. II. SHERIDAN, Lieutenant General.
lf-
as,