Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-01-15

GEN. sHERIDAN's REPORT OF TIE AFFAIR. --
THE DEMOCRATS FIRST CALL IN THE MIL
TARY.

The Louisiana Trouble.
GEN. SuERIDAN's REPORT OF TIE AFFAIR --
THE DEMOCRATS FIRST CALL IN THE MILL
TARY.
HEADQUARTERs MILITARY
DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. ;, 1873 )
To the Hon. W. ". Beiknap, Secretary ui
War, Washington, ID. C..
! have the honor to submit the following
brief report of affairs as they occurred here
in the organization of the State Legislature
of Jan. 4, 1875. was not in command OF
this military department until 9 o'clock at
night on the 4th inst, but fully endorse
and am willing to be held responsible for
acts of the military as conservet0rs of the
public peace upon that day During the
few days which was in the city, prior to
the 4th of January, the general topic Of
conversation was the scenes of blO0dShcd
that were liable 10 occur on that day, and
| repeatedly heard threats of disseminating
the Governor, and regrets expressed that he
was not killed on the nth of september
last: also threats of the assassination Of
the Republican members OF the House in
order to secure the election Of q Democratic
Speaker. also know of the kidnapping by
the banditti Of Mr.. Cousin, one of the mem
bers-elect of the legislature.
In order to preserve peace and 10 make
the state house safe for the peaceable as
sembiing of the legislature, Gen. Emory,
upon the requi-itiOn of the Governor, sta
toned troops in the vicinity OF the building
Owing u these precautions, the legi-.a-
turc assembled IN the state house without
any disturbance OF the peace. Al l. o clock
! William Nigers. the Clerk OF the last House
! of Representatives, proceeded To call the
roll a., according to law, he WAS cmpoHc r-
ed to do. One hundred and two legally re
turned members answered To their names
OF this number - were Republicans and 90
! Democrats. Before entering the house.
! Mr. l.. \. Wilt had been selected
in caucus a. the Democratic uOmi-
nee for Speaker, and Michael Hahn
a. the Republican nominee. Mr. NIscrs
! had not finished announcing the result when
ore of the members. Mr.. Biilieu. OF La
! four,he, nominate. Mr. l.. \. Wilt Tor
temporary Speaker llr. Nigers promptly
| declared the motion ont u. order at that
| time. when some one put the question, aad
amid cheer, On the Democratic side q the
! House. Mr.. Wit dashed on - the r0stram,
pushed aside NJ Nigers, seized the
Speakers chair md gayel, and declared
himself Speaker \ protest against tins
arbitrary and unlawful proceeding was
promptly made By members o.. the majority.
but Mr.. Witt paid no attention t. these
protests. and on motion from s0Nc one On
the Democratic side OF the House It ~a- uc-
clared that one TrezcyGnt vas nominated
and elected clerk of the House. VT. Tree
want IT once Spraug forward ana occupied
the clerks chair amid the widest confusion
over the whole House. Mayor Witt then
again. on another nomination from the
Democratic side Of the llou~e. declared enc
Flood elected observation-disclosures, ana ordered
a certain number OF assistants L. be ap-
pointed. Instantly large number %. zen
throughout the hall, who had been adnitte1
on various prctexts. such u reporters ana
members ircnd~, and spectators, turned
down the iapcl- OF their coats, upon winch
were pinned Lluc ribbon badges. On which
were printed in gold letters the words,
Assistant Scrge@nt-at-Arms, and the
assembly was IN the possession ot the hi
ority, and The White League OF Louisiana
ha d made good It's threat OF -eiz!ng the
House. many II the assistant sargeaut>-at-
arms being well known as ca9alns VI
W hitc League cOmpanlc- IN this eng.
Notwithstanding the sudionnc-- 81 the
movemo n, the leading Republican mem
berS had not failed II pr0te-, AGAIN and
again aga INST this revolutionary gc;lou Of
the minority. but all TO DO purpose, and
many Of the Republicans rose ami lett the
House in b3Qc, together with the clerk,
Mr.. VisoT-. w11 carried wiki ham the orig
inal roll OF the u Jusc O. returned by the
Secretary Of State. The excitement was .
now very great, and t1c acting Speaker o.. .
rected the >crgeant-at-a rms to prevent t.S .
egrcs- or ingrc-s Of nemi ers OF others. and I
several exciting sclliics, IN " hlch knives and I
pistols were draw, took place, and ior lew
moments i, seemed a. If bigJt!>hcs would .
en>ue At ;hIs iuncture Nr. Duure.
Democratic member from Orleans Plri-h.
moved that the military power OF the gen
eral government be invoked % preserve ilc
peace and that committee be appointed ~
wal; on Gen. De lrobriand, the command
ing officer of the nitcd States troops sta
toned at the state house, and request his
assistance in clearing the lobby. Tue mo
ton was adopted. \ committee Of five. OF
which Mr.. Dupro was made chairman. was
sent to wait upon Gen. de Iro5rland and
soon returned with that officer, who was ac-
by two of his staff officers. "
zen. de Trohrianl walked down To- the
,l)eaker's desk loud applause bust from the
} smOcratic side Of the House. Gen. de
-robriand asked the acting Speaker it il
vas not possible for him 10 preserve order
without appealing 10 him % preserve order /
= nited States army officer. Mr. Wiz
AID It wa not. whereupOn the General
Proceeded 10 the lobby, and addressing a
cw words 10 lAe excited crowd. peace Wts
{ once restored. On motion Of Mr.. Duprc.
lr. Wilt then. in the name o.: the general
ssembly Of the State OF Louisiana. thanked I
zen. dc T7obfiaud Cor his interference ia q
ehalt OF law and order, aad the General I
'ithdrew. The Repub, teams had now gen q
rally Withdrawn from the hall aLd united c
o signing petition to the bJvcruoS stat :
NJ their grievances and asking his AID. !
fhich petition, signed by - legally return I
1 members of the House, Is in nv po->es- !
on. immediately subsequent to the ac- I
on Of Mr. Wilt in electing the clerk OF !
10 old House. Mr.. BillIeu mJved that Two i
ntlemen from the Parish OF De Soto. )ne t
ON VIM. one from BienYIile, and one b
ON iberia, who had not been returned ~ ii
ne returning board. be sworn IN a> mem c
ar-, and they were accordingly sworn IN Z
= Mr.. Wilt. and took their seats on the p
Dor q members Of the House. i motion p
as nov made that the House proceed with q
re per, uSnent organization, and, accOci- II
gly. the rcll was called by Air. Trezevant, q
le acting clerk, and Wilt was declared Is
leaker, and T:ezevant clerk for the House. el
citing on the protest made by TIE majority q
the House, the Governor now requested | VI
&c comma ndiDg general of the department +
and MIN in restoring order and enable the Il
members of the House TO c,
oceed with lis organization according TO lie
". This request was reasonable and in il
cordaucc with law. Remembering vivid C.
thc terrible mIssGcres that took place 40 C
5 city Or the assembling OF the cdnstitg a.
nal convection IN lS6G, at the Mechaa- u
: Institute. and believing that the lives ia
the members Of the Legislature were or of
uld be endangered in cue an organ;za- re
n under the law was attempted, the posse
: furnished. with the request that care ma
,uld be taken that n0 member Of tao Leg vi
,ture returned by the retaining baard, be
,uld be elected from the floor. This Hsl- su
~ posse performed its 5utY under diree- ln'
rs from the governor of the state. ana CT
moved f-o;l the floor Of the House those y:
sons who had been illegally seated. and th'
o had no legal right TO be there, where be
IN tho Democrats rose and es the House
the remaining members proceeded to IN
ct an organization under the 5, ate laws. the
Il all this turmoil in which b.OOdshed pr
; imminent, the military posse behaved po'
h great discretion. When Mr.. WIZ, I u
usurping speaker Of the House. called ref
troops to prevent tloodshed, they were W
en- him; when the governor of the state fIv
led Tor posse for the same purpose and siS
enforce the law, ii was furnished also. pc,
4 this not been done, 1t is my firm belief the
I scenes of bloodshed would have euSued. sen
p. IL SHERIDAN, Lent zen. it 5
---- ten
LYhoUTH CHURCH.-The annual sale OF son
pews took place, last Tuesday evening. hel
the amount realized from them, for the ~
r 1873, is ST. .l65. Sl2. $50 more than .nd
year. 1t is said by reporter, that. har
m this res,tt w.s .rno,rcoI r. ,,a, the
I'd with feelings of deep distress by tim
her of sporting men who had made bets the
e or less weighty that there would he reg
ng of in the bids for pews." Among .iia