Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-01-11
Sheridan's Report.
HEAD QRs. MILITARY Div, OF MISSOURI.
New ORLEANS Jan. &


ingt0n, u. C.:
have the honor to submit the following
brief report of affairs as they occurred here 10
the organization of the Stale Legislature on
January 4, 1875 Was not in COMMAND vi this
military depar. ment unit clcck al night on
the 4 h lust, but fully iudorse aud az, w.ling
to br held responsible tor the acts OF the mill
lary as cOusrrvatorS OF the pubic peace upon
that day. During The few days | vas in the
city prlUr to the 4,h of Jauuary, the general
topic OF conversation was the scenes Of blood
shed that were Liable to occur % that day, aud
repeatedly heard threats OF assasslnatiDa the
Governor, and regrets expressed that be was
DOT killed on the 18th Of December last also
threats OF the assassination of Republican mrln-
bers OF the H'usc, in order to secure The cleo
ton OF Democratic Speaker. | also knew Of
the kidnapping by the banditti OF Mr.. Cousin
Ter, one OF The memtcrs-elect of the Lcgisia-
ture. lu order 70 Preserve the peace aud to
make the S,alt house sale for the pcacrabe as
s:ubiing OF the Legislature, General Euory.
upon the requslton Of the Governor. >tatioucd
troops in the vicinity OF The building. Owing TO
these precautions, the Legislature assembled in
the State-huus@ without any disturbance OF the
public peace. At - o'clock William ' lgers,
the clerk ol the last House Of Representatives
proceeded 10 call the roll as according t. Wv
be was empowered 10 do. Ouc huatrcd AID
Two legally returned members answered to ihcir
uancs; oil this uuulheG h!ly-!Ro We're rcpIhIl-
caus aud fifty wcrc Democrats. Before entering
the House, sir l. a. WIZ had been selected
IN CAUCUS as theDcmDcratlc bOminec tor Speaker
and Mr. Michael Hahn as tie Republican IN
luce. FIgerS had not yet finished announcing
the result when one Of the members, Mr.. BIZ
Iicau, Of Laiiurchc nominated Mr. l.. Wiz
as temporary Speaker Vigers promptly &c
cared the motion cut Of order al that time,
when some one put the question, and amid tn.
cheers Of the Democratic side of rhc House Mr..
WiIiz dashed on 10 the platform. pushed aside
Mr.. Vgers, seized the Speakers chair ao
gavel aud declared himself Speaker. A protest
against this arbitrary and unlawu' pr cecuIng
was promptly made by the mcmbcrs OF tue m.-
jority, but Witt paid no attention 10 those nrn
| tests, aud, upon unt!ou from solnG one in the
ID. nIocratlc side of tie House, declared one
Ircz:vant nomi~atcd aud elected c.rk Of tie
! Ii Juse. Dir Irrelevant at once $prang forward
aud occupied the clerks char, alnid>: the
widest c'!iuSion over the whole II USE.
Wiz then again. on an0thcr NOMINATION
from the Dcruocrarlc sid" Of the House,
declared one Fioorcd elected sergeant a'-arm=
q
ants be appointed. lnSaut!y large number
OF men throughout the hall, who had b"en
admHted On various pretex:s, ~lcii rrpor-
tcrs aud memhcrs' friends and SPECTATORS,
turned down The lapelS of their coats, upon
which were pinned blue ribbon badges, on wich
were printed IN gold letters the words ''assis
taDJ sergeant. al-arms," aud the Assembly was
10 The possession of the minority. aud the
White League OF louisiana had made good its
threats OF s:Iziug the House, many of the as
sslaut scrgeauts at arms being we'll khown as
captains Of " bite League companies in this
city. Notwithstanding the suddcuuess of this
movement, the eaiiGg Republican mcu:b .rs
had uot failed to protest again and again
against this revolutionary action Of the mnnri
~. but all TO no purpose, and many Of he Re-
pubiicans ro,e and left The House in a body,
together with the clerk, Mr. Vigers, WHO car
ried with hun the riginal roll OF HE House
as rcturGed by the Secretary vi STATE. The
excitement Was now very great. Tie acting
Speaker directed the sergeant alarms 10 pre-
vent The cgress ol lugresS OF men bers or
others, ana several excilrs eff IS in
which knives an1 pistols We're drawn, took
place, aud Tor i lew moments it seemed tha,
ulpodshed would eusu@. At this juEcurc
Mr. Dupre, d Democratic member from the
power OF the Genera! Government be inv kid
to preserve the peace, aud that committee be
appontni to await up1n Gen. D.Trobriund
the con,mandirg officer Of the Unitcd States
troops stationed at The State house, and re-
quest bis assistance 10 clearing the lobby The
motion Was adopted a committee OF five, Of
which Mr.. Dupre was made chairman, was sent
10 wait UPON Gen D. Trobrand and soon re-
turned with that officer, who was ACCOMPANIED
by two of his staff officers. As Gen. Dcrro.
brand walked down to the Speaker desk Loud
applause burst from the DIM cratic side of the
House. Gen. DsTrobrland asked the acting
Speaker if it was not possible for HIN to pre-
serve order without appealing TO him asa Uni
ted States army officer Mr. Wiz said it was
not, whereupou the General proceeded to the
lobby, and addressing tew words to The crowd
peace was at once restored. On motion Of Mr..
Dupre, Mr.. Wilt then, in the name OF The
General Assembly of the State Of Louisiana,
thanked General De- Trobriand for his inter
ference in behalf Of law and order, and the
General withdrew. The republicans had now
generally withdrawn from the hall aud united
10 signing petition to the Governor, stating
their grievances, and asking his aid, which pc
titiou, signed By ffty-two legally returned mem
bers OF the House, is III my possession. lmrne
dlately, subsequent 10 the acton OF Mr W 'l'Z
in ejectng the clerk Of the old House, Mr.
BlIllen moved that Two gentlemen from the
parish Of De Sofa, one from Urim, one from
BiepvilIe, and one from iberia, who had not
been returned by the returning board, be sworn
10 as members. and they were accordingly
sw.rn in BIZ Mr Wiz and took seats upon
the floor as members Of the EIonsc. a mo!;oa
was DOW made thar the House proceed with It's
permanent Organization, and accordingly tbs
roll was called by Mr.. Ircz vast, the ac,i,g
clerk, and Wiz was declared elected SPEAKER
and lr, zovant clerk IF the House. AciUg on
the protest made by the majority, the Governor
NV rcqu. stcd the commanding general OF the
department to aid him in restoring order and
enable the cgaliy-returncd members of the
House to prcc"ed with liz organization accord |
ing to law. This rqaes was reasonable and
10 accordance with las. Rim, mheriug wildly |
the terrible massacrcs that took place IN this |
cttv on the assembling of the Constitutional |