The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-16
HOLDING ON.

HOLDING ON.
The Republican closes its report of the pro-
ceedings Of the House on Wednesday by re-
marking:
After the adjournment there wss some talk
between Republicans and Democrats, in
groups. It was generally claimed by the
former, and in most instances conceded, that
the business Of the day had quoted Speaker
Hahn in his seat. The almost unanimous
vote adopting the resolution of notification of
organization the subsequent unanimous
agreement with the resolution referring the
contested seats to the Committee on Elec-
tions, and. especially, the refusal to second
the appeal from the Speakers ruling that the
rules OF the House governed the session, indi-
cate an acquiescence in the present officials.
The rules themselves provide that to remove
any officer two-thirds vote is necessary.
And editorially referring to the same mat
ter, the official journal says:
In reference to the first, it will be seen that
the House has formally adopted the rules of
the last session, and then ordered that the
Governor and Senate be notified that the
House is now organized and ready to proceed
to business. This doubtless has the effect to
the session. The House rule No. 76 provides:
The Speaker or other officers of the House
shall not be removed from their positions
without three days notice being given to the
House by the member making the proposition,
and then only by q two thirds vote.
As the House has been declared duly organ
lied and these rules adopted, it seems the
question of Speaker has been postponed for
the present.
From this it seems that the purpose Of the
minority in the House is to defeat the right of
the majority by adhering to the officers chosen
when the majority, as they admit, were absent,
and when, without the possibility Of quo
rum. Rules adopted when no more than
ffty-four members were present, are now
stretched SO as to control the few who adopted
them and the majority Of the whole House
who were absent II the rule as quoted had
been adopted by a legal House with the neces-
sary quorum, it could only be binding upon
the House for the session during which
it was adopted. The readoption of the
rules of the quorum:ess House of January
for the temporary purposes OF reorganization,
cannot be understood as havi"g the effect Of
defeating reorganization by precluding the
election Of Speaker. The vote to adopt the
rules of last session in bulk as the rules of the
extra session may be reconsidered. Or, when
it comes to the merits of the matter, the fact
can easily be established that the House has
adopted no rules and could not therefore re-
adopt on tine 14th. During the period for the
regular session there was legal quorum but
once, when Mr.. Wilt was elected Speaker
over Mr.. Hahn, who acquisced in the result.
Wilt and the quorum Of the House
left it shortly afterwards and
from, that hour until midnight of March 3
no quorum was present, no legal officer was
or could have been elected nor any rules
adopted.
Mr.. Hahn has presided over the fractional
House with apparent average satisfaction to
himself and friends. He may suit the City
four well enough, but he is not the member
whom the majority want for Speaker. We
can scarcely think he will consent to retain
by bubble Of the rules position which the
majority Of the House desire to be otherwise
He is man Of sagacity, and
sees plain enough that intrusion and
are going out of fashion in
Louisiana. 1t can hardly be believed that he
will consent to have his name heralded to the
four points Of the compass as one who gained
q position as the fruit OF military violence,
and then held on to it by rules and tricks in
spite of the settled and known wishes of the
majority Of representatives. The House being
anti Radical, should not be obliged to carry a
Radical Speaker. Such defiance of the
wishes Of large majority will scarcely be
sanctioned by the better class of Radical
It were far better to retire grace
fully than to be thrust out by two-thirds
vote.