The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-01-15
REPUBLICAN TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Phelps. Off the Congress; ;onal Com
nlittcC. interviewed by the
Tribune COrrcS-
pOnicnt.

Tuesday evening the New Orleans
correspondent Of the New York Trib-
une called on Mr.. Phelps, of the Con-
gresional Committee, and stated that
he desired to obtain that gentleman's
views of the situation in Louisiana for
transmission to and publication in the
Tribune. After some conversation
touching the points chiefly interesting
TO the North, and 4 declaration on Mr..
phelps's part that he must be very clear
and positive in assertions which would
go to form his record before Congress
and the country, he dictated rs follows
to the Tribune correspondent
Touching the legality ofthe House,
as organized by the Conservatives yes
terday, he had in his speech last night
under the excitement Of the occasion
given his opinion, and reflection had
not changed it. 1t was illegal, and for
this reason: Louisiana has Il statute
passed in 1872, which in clear terms di-
reefs the manner i'll which the House
shall organize itself. The Returning
Board hands its returns to the Secretary
of State; the Secretary of State takes
these returns, and from them makes the
roll OF the House; this roll is given to
the clerk OF the last House, and with
this roll the clerk calls the House to
order, and presitles at the organization.
That nothing may be taken by intend
ment the statute says in SO many words,
'sThat Representatives whose names
are on this roll, and they only shall
take part in the organization OF the
LII u l.
tives, focibly supplying the place of the
clerk by chairman pro tenn. in deti-
ancc OF this express provision, swore in
five members whose names We're not on
the roll, and admitted them to partici-
pate in the election Of Speaker.
Mr.. Phelps has heard that the Repub-
licans have organized their Legislature
in the same fashion, and thus set a pre-
cedent, but doubted the propriety of
urging that Il Democrat might break
the law if he could prove that Il Repub-
iican had broken it. Besides, it was
claimed that the Republican Legisla-
turc referred to was organized previous
to the passage of the statute referred to.
This statute was of 1S72-that Legisla-
ture was of 1868.
Mr.. Phelps did not hesitate to declare
that the interference of the United
oliliS'S WAS S'i tlc
lature of q State was something the
Federal Government could not touch.
In his opinion, States should fight their
own battles within their own bodies,
without interference. If they MAIN
tanned a republican form, that was all
the United States ought to ask about.
Nor did he think the Federal Govern
mcnt ought TO insist beyond the form.
That was all the constitution spoke of.
But if the liberal cOnStrucrs insist upon
Il right of Federal Interference, here in
New Orleans was no case. There was
no insurrectiOn and no domestic vio-
lencc; the Governor had 800 policemen.
and there was no armed organized body
to oppose them. All whose DISPOSE
ton and position might induce them to
offer dangerous opposition where the
White League, and the organizations
had after public dclibcration, decided
finally to take no part and not to ap-
pear either with or without arms on
that occasSOn.
And this discrimination was publicly
known; the committee had the Chief of
Police, Saturday night late, before them,
and he had testified that he had no
definite knowledge of threatened dan
ger. And to allay all feelings of appre-
hension they subsequently questioned
in public, Il well known citizen. an
officer of the League, who testified that
the League would not assemble any
where on Monday.
He thought the committees presence
in New Orleans had done one good
thing. 1t had exploded tho dreadful
mystery of this White League. 1t was
not secret; it was not political; it was
not an organization of the State; it
numbered but $500 in the city; its con
stitution was published, SO We're all it's
resolutions; its deliberations are public,
and there has been no meeting at which
reporters and citizens were not present.
Its only act Of apparent lawlessness was
that of September II, and for that it
offers the justification that all beyond
the rescue of its arms was unprcincdi-
tatcd. Its officers are all men of char
actcr and property, and it intends to
act only rs a superior police in the in
| tcrcs;S of law and order.
| Touching the Republican Legislature.
organized after the Conservatives with
drew, Mr.. Phelps did not yet know ac-
curateiy the facts. 1t seemed from
runoF, that on the first roll call ;I3 mem
bers We're present, when u were neccssa-
f