The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-01-19

tlOH OF the House, bhe governor placed the
state house under the military comRIand of
General Hugh J. Campbell, OF the state
militia, who was ordered to assist and
sustain the police under this order.
Gen. Campbell excluded from tbs building
on Monday all but the officials OF the state
government, the members OF tie general
assembly and persons claiming to be men,
bers, judges, msmbers OF congress, and
members of the United States civil, military
and naval forces. The
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS
to govern the organization Of the House are
as follows: Article %. The House Of Rep
resentatives shall choose speaker and other
officers" "Article "a. Each house Of the
general assembly shall judge OF the
qualifications Of elections and re-
contested election shall be determined In
such manner as may be prescribed by
law" "Article SO. Each House OF the gem
eral assembly shall keep and publish weekly
a journal of its proceedings, and the yeas
and nays of the members on any question,
at the desire OF any two of them, shall be
entered on the Journal" The law govern
ing the organization Of the House
is as follows: "Section A, act
%, approved Nov. 30, 1872. That
j; shall be the duty of the secretary Of state
TO transmit to the clerk of the House of Rep
resentatives and secretary of the Senate, of
the last general assembly, "a list of the names
ofsuch persons as, accordingly to the returns,
shall have been elected TO either branch OF
the general assembly, and it shall be the
duty of the said clerk and secre-
tary TO place the names of the
representatives and senators elect, so
furnished, upon tie rolls of the House.
and of the Senate respectively, and thoss
representatives and senators whose names
are so placed by the clerk and secretary
respectively, in accordance with the forego-
ing provisions, and none other shall be COM
petent to organize the House
OF Representatives or Senate. Moth
ing in this act shall be construed
to conflict with article "a of the constitution
of the state" At II NJ, Monday. January
4, 1875, the state house being surrounded by
an excited crowd of several thousand per-
sons, the members assembled in the hall of
the House, and the chief clerk called the roll
of the House. immediately afterward, or q
little before the clerk had finished
the announcement of the number OF mem
bers who answered to their names, which
was l02 Mr.. Billien, representative from
Lafourche, moved that l.. 4. WiltZ, repre-
sentative from Orleans, be elected temporary
speaker. The chief clerk replied that
the legal motion was to elect a
speaker, Mr. Billien, paying no attention to
the protest of the clerk, proceeded hurriedly
To publish his own motion against the pro-
test of all the republican Representatives.
The motion was put in quick and excited
manner, and not in loud voice, and was
voted for only by portion of even
the democratic members. The negative was
not put at all. Mr.. Wiliz having previously
taken position near the clerks desk,
AS QUICK AS THoUoHT
upon the putting OF the motion, without
waiting tor any announcement OF the vote,
sprang to the speakers desk, where
the clerk was standing, seized the
gsvel from his hand, dashed the clerk
violently from the stand aud declared him
was w. L. Houston. first justice Of the
peace of the parish of Orleans. who took
from his pocket a book, looking like 2
Bible, and proceeded to go through
the form of administering an oath.
Mr.. Wiltz, as temporary speaker, assumed
TO administer the oath to the members en-
masse, against the protest OF The republican
members. Some democratic member then
made a motion to elect TreZevant clerk
MIR. Wilt put the mosiOn and declared il
carried. Mr.. Trezeyant ut once sprang
Forward and took the clerks chair.
aud excited manner, Mr.. Flood
was elected sergesnt-at- upon the mo-
ton ofa democratic member. Also a mo-
ton was made from the same side of the
House thst number of assistant sergeant
alarms be appointed by the chair, which he
declared carried, when a large number OF
persons at once appeared, wearing badges,
on which was printed assistant
sergeant at-4rms." While all the
above motions were being put the reprrbli-
can members objected and called for the
yeas and nays, all Of which were disregsrdsd
by tho acting speaker. Col. Lowell, repub-
lican memb ber made point of order that
hn fnrsa nf to- oil cd
any two members to call the
yeas and nays on any motion. Mr..
Wil,z decided the point OF order lct well
taken. (See constitutional provision above
The pretended House then proceeded, In
defiance, TO swear five additional democratic
members, to-wit: James Bright, Bienville;
Chas, Shaier and John l.. Scales, OF DeSoto;
C. C. Dunn, of Grant, and Gsorge s. Keller,
ofUnion, by which the democrats gave
themselves a majority. The republicans
protested against this violence and lawless-
ness, but their protests were disregsrded.
The democrats then assumed to elect a
permanent speaker. Mr.. Wiltz claimed him
SELF elected after going through the usual
form, having received, as he claimed, IS
votes, which included Eve men seated in
violation of the law, the republican mem
bers Withdrawing and not voting as they
deemed the proceedings Illegal. About the
TIME of tho withdrawal Of the republican
10
WITT gave or caused instructions
to be given to the persons assuming to be
sergeant-at-arms not to allow any one to
pass out of or to enter the House. A great
commOtiOD at once ensued, and quite q
number OF knives and revolvOrs were
drawn and diplayed in threatening man
ner. Most of the republican members
had already left the room amid great cOnfu-
sion, when Mr.. Dupre, of New Orleans, a
democratic member, moved that the speaker
be requested to call on
THE UNITED STATES TROOPS
to preserve the peace OF the House
The motion prevailed ard committee OF
W bich Mr.. Dupre was appointed chairman,
was appointed co wait on Gen. DeTrcbriand
and request the interference OF the United
States troops to preserve the peace. In a
short time the committee returned
accompanied by Gen. DeTrobriand
and staff. Upon the appearance
OF Gen. DeTrobriand on the floor, Loud ap-
plause came from the democratic side of the