New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-12
REVOLUTIONARY TACTICS OF WOOD
a-a. AND LANAI, --...-.-..---..---
How They Were Regarded by the Nerih.
ern Press.

stone, and to reopen the Louisiana question
after it had been considered settled by Re
puol!cans and Dem o:,ats alike, seems &c
have met with censure and rebuke from the
press of the country, irrespective of party
| special from Washington TO the New
York Times says.
The first partisan movement by the Dem.
| ocrais IN the House was decidedly interest.
ing. 1t affords some signs OF the Democratic
line OF policy, and il brought several OF the
most prominent men on both sides into the
| debate. The case briefly stated is as fol.
lows; -Four OF the six Louisiana members
| Tied with the Clerk OF the House certificates
| from both Kellogg and McEnery. Nash
mad a certificate from Kellogg only, but
| there was no contestant for his seat. Frank
Morey. from the fifth district, had certi-
hcate from Kellogg, and Spencer fled a
certificate for the same district from Nc.
| Emery. The members who had two certi-
hcates were sworn in. Nash, with KEEL
| iogg certificate, was sworn in. but Morey.
VINO had certificate precisely like Nash's,
was ordered to stand aside because Spencer
| presented his McEnery credentials Clerk
| Mcpherson placed Morey on his roll as hay-
| ing prima tacie right TO his seat, aud no
| voice is raised to dispute that. In this he
did no more than the law demanded.
| When the members with undisputed
| rights were all sworn in Fernando Wood
| offered long preamble and resolution, re-
| terring the cases of Morey and Spencer to
the Committee on Elections when appoint
| ed. HIS resolution was SO drawn as to
| compel that committee to pass, not upon
| the prima facie case, but absolutely upon
the rights of the contestants on the EVIL
dence filed in the Clerks office. This was a
close imitation of the old Chorpennlng res
n " INT lad 90 -
| me Mt. The real effect and purpose of his
resolution was to open up the question of
| who ought to be Governor of Louisiana to
| a new discussion and settlement. He
| stated plainly that that question would be
| raised in due time, and Mr.. Cox, in brief
| speech said he had never consented to the
compromise of last winter. Lamar de.
| clared that he had no desire TO reopen
| the Louisiana quarrel, and offered a
| moderate substitute for Woods PROPOSE.
| ton. Mr.. Blaine, Mr.. Wheeler and Mr..
lioar made some strong points against
| the proposition of reference to committee,
| but the Democrats could not afford to
| abandon the lead of Mr. Wood SO abruptly
| as to allow Morey TO be sworn in imme-
diately. Blaine and Wheeler both showed
| that the Democracy was trampling on the
compromise to which they had consented.
The McEnery credentials are more than a
year old. The House has recognized KEEL
| logg formally as the 9e tacto Governor. The
people of Louisiana have recognized him by
ac- of their Legislature. McEnery has not
recently made pretense of being Governor.
TIE claimant to the seat has shown that he
regarded his credentials as worthless, be-
cause he has filed notice of a contest, and
taken testimony to establish his claim Hol-
man alone among the Democrats favored
the swearing in of Morey without reference
The movement led by Mr.. Wood was in
the end complete failure. The motion for
the previous question was seconded by the
tull Democratic vote at first, but when the
yeas and nays were called the untenable
nature of the position began to be recog.
niZed, and Mr.. Wood only secured a bare
majority. On the direct question of refer
ence no roll call was had, but the Demo-
Gratis withdrew from their leader, and, on
motion of Mr. Blaine, Mercy was called and
sworn in as a member Of the House. This
should have been done at first without OPP
position, because his prima facie right was
perfectly clear. Mr.. Woods first attempt
70 lead the House can hardly be said 10
have given him much prestige. The incl
dent served to show how much stronger
than the Democratic the Republican side is
IN able and clear-headed debaters. Against
Wood, Lamar and Cox, in to.day's contest,
were Blaine, Garfield, Wheeler, Hoar and
Frye. Mr.. Wood regretted that Mr.. Blaine
nave TdlstO partisan objection
10 his resolution and its preamble.
The New York TribHne's Washington
correspondent says:
The objection to Mr.. Morey had conse-
quences that were unexpected and aston
ishing. 1t revived the vexed Louisiana
question, broke the Democratic majority
almost in halves on the first party vote of
the session. blighted the budding leader
ship of Fernando Wood. discounted his
iieutenants, Lamar and Cox, and resulted
in d victory, the honors of which. singu-
larry enough. were divided by Mr. Blaine
and. Mr.. Holman. Tney really belonged,
however. in large part, TO Speaker Kerr,
Who rather than see his party take wrong
position and commit serious political
plunder, took the alternative of accom-
plishing its defeat, which he did by send
ing advice from the chair to his friends on
the floor. Four of the Louisiana members
held certificates from both Governor kel.
logg and Mr.. McEnery; one held certiti-
cate from Governor Kellogg, and had no
competitor, and the remaining member, Mr.
Morey, presented Governor kellogg's GER
titicare, and was met by certificate for
warded by W. S. Spencer, and signed by
Mr.. McEnery. Clerk Mcpherson put Mr.
Morey on the roll with his five colleagues.
but stated the facts about the conflicting
certificates to the House. Everybody knew
it was part Of the Louisiana cOmpro.
mise, that the members commissioned by
Governor Kellogg should be recognized; but
in the face Of this understanding, and of
the action of the House in the last Congress,
Mr.. Wood endeav9red to lead the Demo-
Gratis into the blunder Of reopening the
yexatious dispute; excluding Mr.. NIorey,
recognizing Mr.. Spencers McEnery certifi.
cate as just as good evidence as one given
by Governor Kellogg; and sending both
OF n q n flie taA m Co..,
decision on prlma facie case. After
throwing this bone of contention into the
arena, Mr.. Wood left the defense of it to
Mr.. Lamar, who engaged Mr.. Blaine in
sharp and exciting battle Of argument. Mr..
Cox came to the help of the Mississippi
orator, and the ex-Speaker was sustained
by Mr.. Wheeler, who was chairman of the
committee that quoted the Louisiana i'm
brogliO, and who therefore spoke by the
card. On one side it was maintained that
doubt as to who had prima facia right had
been raised'by the statement of the Clerk
and on the other it was argued that the
certificate of Mr.. McEnery was an imperti-
nence, and of no more consequence than so
much waste paper, and that If it were per-
mitted to keep Mr.. Morey out of his seat,
some pretended Governor would some day
exclude whole State delegation by pre-
tended certificates.
Mr.. Woods bad lead like 60 many sheep
when Mr.. Holman took ground with the
Republicans in favor of permitting Mr..
Mercy to be swOrE. AT first this impor-
tant diversion appeared TO have very slight
effect. The previous question ON Mr..
Woods resolution was seconded by vote
of li2 to Ill by tellers. On ordering the
called. About midway of the roll call the
IlprnnPrQfa hppan In find ont that tho