Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1875-01-13

euiut ~ NOlu,
Sheridan's Official Rep yf New
Orleans Attain
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81 " '.l b.,
Ing iS q copy of telegra-. .,tvsr!
here I. lay:
lIENBQuARrLHS, MILITN
! DIVISION or Miss boz.
INV ORLEANS, La, Jam. 80
7o Ion w. w. Beiknop. Sc. ...y oj
I Var, Washington
have the honor to submit the fol-
lowing brief report of affairs as they
occurred here in the organization of
the State Legislature on January 4th,
1870.
| was not in command of this mil
itary department until . O'Clock ut
night on the 18th inst, but fully en-
dorse aud am willing to be held re-
spousihle for the acts of the military
~ conservatives of the public peace
upon that day. During the few days
IN which was IN the city, prior to tn e
4th OF January, the general topic of
conversation was the scenes OF blood
shed that were liable to occur on that
day, and | repeatedly heard thrpat- of
assassination of the Governor and res
grets expressed that he was not killed
on the l4th of September last; also,
threats of the assassination of Repub-
llcau members of the House in order
to secure the election of Democratic
Speaker.
| also know of the KIDNAPPING 10y
the banditti, of MIR. CONSUMER, one Of
the members elect of the Legislature
In order to preserve the peace aud to
pnnlgn thu (tafA.langa -af,. fp ln
: peaceahle assembling of the Lpgisla-
ture, Gen. Emory, upon the requisi-
tiOn of the Governor, stationed troops
in the vicinity of the building. Owing
To these precautions the Legislature
assembled in the stated house without
any disturbance of the public peace
At twelve O'Clock Mr.. Nigers, the
clerk of the last House of Represent
tatives, proceeded 10 call the roll rs ac-
cording to law he waJ empowered
to do.
One hundred aud two legally re-
turned members answered to their
. names. Ofthis number fifty~two were
. Republicans, aud fifty-nine Demo,
crais. Before entering the House Mr.
r. y. Wilt had been selected in eau
Gus ~ the Democratic nominee for
Speaker, and Mr.. Michael Hahn as
the Republican nominee. Nigers had
not yet finished announcing the result,
when one of the members, Mr.. Belli-
can, of La Fourche, nominated Mr. L.
A. Wilt for temporary Speaker. vi.
p gers promptly declared the motion out
of order at that time, when some one
put the question, and amid the cheers
u of the Democratic side of the House,
| MIR. Wilt dashed on to the rostrum,
> pushed aside Mr.. Nigers, seized the
, Speakers chair and gavel, aud de-
clared himself Speaker.
A protest against this arbitrary and
1 unlawful proceeding, was promptly
{ made by the members Of the majority,
but WiliZ paid no attention to these
protests, and upon motion from
, some oneon the Democratic side of the
= House, declared one Trezevant nomi
4 mated and elected Clerk of the House.
Mr.. Trezevant at once sprung forward
and occupied the Clerks Chair amidst
the widest confusion over the whole
e House. Wilt then again on another
I nomination from the Democratic side
of the House declared one Floord elec-
= ted Sergeant at Arms, and ordered
{ that certain number of assistants be
appointed. Instantly IA large number
f of men throughout the hell, who had
10 such as reporters and members
Friends and spectators turned down
the lapels OF their coats, upon which
We're pinned blue ribbon badges, on
which were printed in gold letters the
words, " Assistant Sergeantat-arms, y
and the Assembly was in the posses
sion of the minority, and the White
League of Louisiana had made good
its threats of seizing the House. Many
of the assistant sergeants- -at-armS be
II ing well known rs Captains of White
Ic League Companies in this city. Not
withstauding the suddenncss of thi:
,e movement the leading Republican
" members had not failed to protest
= again and again against this revOlu
= tionary action Of the minority, but al
$, 10 no purpose, and many of the Re
"a puhliCauS arose and left the House in
At body, together with the Clerk Mr.. vi
p gers, who carried with him the origin
r al roll Ot the House rs returned by tn,
II Secretary of state.
u The excitement was now very great
j. The acting Speaker instructed thu
lu Seargeant-at-Arm TO prevent tn,
-- pgre-s or ingress of the members o
!, others, and the several exciting scuf
al o. :, iu which knives and pistols wer
l. drawn, took place, andifOr few mo
70 ments il seemed that blOodshed woull
ii ensue. AT this juncure Mr.. Dupree
Is a Democratic member from the parisl
10 OF Orleans, moved that the militar,
n power of the General Government b
er invoked to preserve the peace, an,
that a committee he appointed to wal
ne upon General DE Trobrland, the com
n mauding officer of the United State
ld troops, stationed at the State House
~ and request his assistance in clearin
lie the lobby. The motion was adopted
G. and committee of five, of whic
m Mr.. Dupee was made chairman
was sent to wait upon Gen. DeTrc
to BRAND, and soon returned with tina
n officer who was accompanied 10y tw
e. Of his staff officers. AS Gen. DeTrC
st BRAND walked down to the Speaker
be desk, loud applause burst from III
nd democratic side Of the House. Ger
he DeTrobrind asked the acting Speakt
Is, if it was not possible for him TO pr,
ed serve order without appealing TO hin
es as United States Army officer "