American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-23
LOUISIANA.
Gen. Sheri:lan'S Ui,Icial Report.

port:
have the honor to submit the
following brief report of affairs ~
they occairej here in tie "rSaaiza-
ton OF the State Legislature o.
January 1, 1870:
was rot III coumaad Ct THIS
military department uuui 3 o'clock
at might on the 18th INST, Hut 1 ivi J
endorse and am wiling To bo held
responsible fur the ac;, of the mill
tary a. couservators of the pubic
pc ace upon that day. During the
few da,. in which | was in the city
prior 10 the 4th of january the
general topics ut conversation were
it..c scenes of b!oodshed which
were Liable to occur On that day,
and l repeatedly heard threats of
aS-asrina,ing the Governor, and
regrets expressed that he was not
killed on the l4th of September
last. Also threats OF assassination
of the Republican members of the
House in order to secure the cleo
ton of q Democratic Speaker. l
also knew of the kidnapping by
the banditti of Mr.. Cousin. one of
the members elect of the Legisla-
ture. Gen. Emory, upon the re-
QUESTION of the Governor, stationed
troops in the vicinity of the build
ing. Owing to these precautions,
the Legislature assembled in the
State House without any disturb
ance of the public peace. AT
twelve O'Clock VIM. Vigers, clerk
o; toe House of Representatives,
proceeded To call the roll, as &C
cordinS to law he was empowered
/ to do. One hundred and twenty
two legally returned msmbers an
swered to their names. OF thia
number fifty-two were ReDublicans
aud fifty were Democrats. Before
entering the louise, Mr.. l. A.
" iltz had been selected in caucus
as the Democrats nominee as
Speaker, and Mr.. Michael Hahn as
the Republican nominee. Vigers
had not yet finished announcing the
result, when one of the members
Mr.. Billieu, of Lafourche,) nomi-
mated Mr.. l.. A. Wiltz as tenn
porary Speaker. Vigers promptly
declared the motion out OF order
at that time, when some one put
the question, aud amid the cheers
of the Democratic side of the
House, Mr.. Witt dashed Oh to the
rostrum. pushing aside Mr.. Vigers,
hA oh anI
gavel, and declared himself Speak
err. A protest against this arbi-
trary and unlawful proceeding was
promptly made by the members of
.he majority, but iItz p:.id no at
tentlon to these protests, and upon
a notion from some one on the
Democratic side of the House, de-
clared one Irrelevant nominated
and elected Clerk of the House.
Mr.. Trezevant at once sprang for
ward and occupied the Clerks
chair, amidst the widest confusion
over the whole House. Wilt then
again, on anOth nomination from
the Democratic side of the House,
declared one Flood elected Ser
gean. at Arms, and ordered that a
Ger ain number of assistants be APP
pointed. Instantly large nun Der
of men throughout the House, who
had been admitted on various pre-
texts, such as reporters and mem
bers' friends and spectators, turned
the lapels of their coats, upon
which were pinned blue ribbon
badges, on which were printed In
gold letters the Words assistant
Sergent-at-Arms,. and the Assem-
nority and the d" White League of
Louisiana had made good its
threats of Selling the House, many
of he assistant Sergeant-at-A Arms
hong we'll known AS Captains of
White League companies in this
city. Notwithstanding the sudden
ness of this movement, the leading
Republican members had. not failed |
to 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 Il body, to-
gether with the3Cierk, Mr.. Viser-.
who carried with him the original
roll of the House as returned by
the SECRETARY of the State.
The excitement was now very
great. The acting Speaker direc
ted the Seargent alarms to pre-
vent the egress or ingress of mem
bers and others, and several excl
ting scuffles, in which knives and
pistols were drawn, took place,
and for u few moments it seemed
that bloodshed.would ensue.
At this juncture, Mr.. Dupre, a
Democratic member fiOm the par
sh of Orleans moved that the mill
larry power of the General Govern
nent be invoked to preserve the
peacc, and that a committee be APP
pointed to wait upon General De-
the commanding offic r
If the United States stationed at
he State house, and request his as :
,islancs in clearing the lobby. The
a lotion was adopted.
A committee of five, of which
Dir. Dupree was made chairman,
vas sent to wait upon General De- I
rrobiand, and aeon returned with
hat officer. who was accompanied
y two of bis staff. AS General
Beforehand walked down to the -,
speakers desk loud applause burst
rom the Democratic side of the
louise. Gen. Beforehand asked
DE Acting Speaker il it was not
'OssIble for hin, To preserve order