Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-01-12
Congressional Pro ceedings.
SENATE.

of General Emtry of the United States Army, in
eercnce to any disorders in any way connected
with he late election in louisiana
Passed.
Mr.. Schurz then called up the resolution sub
miuei by him on Friday last, rstructing the judi
cary committee 10 enquire what legislation OF
Congress is necessary to secure TO the people CT
Louisiana their right of self government under
the constitution, AMI report with the least possible
delay, by bill or otherwise.
The galleries being crowded. Mr.. Stevenson
moved that the privileges of the floor III the rear
J of the seats be granted to the ladies who could
not gain admission to the galleries.
Mr.. llsmln objected.
Mr.. Schurz then commenced lengthy speech
follows, ia favor of the resolution submitted by
HIM
beg the Senate to believe that approach the
ubJect befoer us in no partizan spirit. About TO
retire TO private station, the of no party
can benefit, the defeat Of no party inlure me, eX
cept in those interests have in common with all
American citizens whose chidrens futures
bound up in those of this republic. have formed
my opinions with deliberation and in an impartial
manner. shall endeayoT TO express them iii calm
and temperate language The subject is 50 grave
That passion and prejudice should have 10 share
IN our Judgment. | confess that the news from
Louisiana has profoundly alarmed me. \ thing
| has happened which not only never happened be-
fore in this republic, but which | trust scarcely
one of us ever thought possible. In the debate Of
last week it was frequently said that expression
4 OF opinion for that occurrence was right until an
tail before rs. | do not think All the impor-
tant circumstances of the have come to
knowledge through multitude of concurrent
statements among them the elaborate despatch
OF General Sheridan and the statements of Witt
and Kellogg, and all the points that have been
mentioned still to be cleared up seem to me of
secondary consequence All reports agree as to
the following facts
On the ith Of January the legislature of Louis
lana was to assemble and organize. The State
House surrounded by armed forces, among
them troops of the United States Army. The leg
islature assembled without and disturbance Of the
public peace at the time and place fixed by law
The Clerk of the old House of Representatives
called the roll OF members returned as elected &C
cordng to the list furnished by the returning
board. legal quorum answered to their names.
W hle the result was being announced motion
was made by u member to appoint l.. A. Witt
temporary Speaker. That motion was put and
declared carried, not, however by the clerk. Mr..
Witt took possession of the chair and the oath of
office was administered to him by Justice Hous-
ton. motion was made to appoint p. +. Trave-
| SAINT Clerk, and f. Flood Sergeant-at- Arms, pro
TEN. The motion was declared carried.
luton was then offered to admit the following per-
sons to seats in the legislature; c. III. Schuyler
and John Stales of DeSoto parish James Bruce,
il, of Bienville parish; c. c. Dunn of Grant
parish, and George A. Kelley of VIM PARISH
he status of these persons was the following
I The returning board had declined passing judy
ment upon the elections in the four parishes
ed and expressly referred the claims of the FIVE
persons whose names have mentioned to the leg
islature ITSELF thus distinctly recognizing the pos
sbility of their being legally elected members of
the legislature. The question on the resolution to
seat them was put and declared carried thus adj
uniting them to seats, subject to further contest
1hey were sworn in aud motions were made to
proceed to the election Of permanent officers. l..
A. Wilt nominated for Speaker by the con-
servatiyos, and Mr.. Hahn and Mr.. Lowell by the
republicans. Mr.. Lowell declined. The roll
called and 81 votes were cast for Wilt as Speaker
and two for Hahn, legal quorum voting, and
fourteen members present refusing to vote
| Mr. Wilt was sworn IN, and the roll being call
ed the members were all sworn in by him at the
speakers stand 80 in all, among whom were five
republicans, who participated in the proceedings.
\ permanent clerk and sergeant alarms were
likewise declared elected.
| Upon motion Mr.. Witt as speaker then an
nounced that the house was permanently organi-
zed and ready for business. Upon motion of Mr..
l)upre a committee of seven elections and re-
turns were appointed, Meantime considerable
disturbance and confusion had arisen in the lobby
which the sergeanta at arms did not succeed in
quelling. Wilt, the speaker then sent for Gen.
! DeIohraud of the L. S. Army, who had some
time previous occupied the State House with his
soldiers, and requested him to speak to the disor-
derby persons in the lobby, that conflict might
be prevented. The General did so and order was
restored. The house proceeded with business.
The committee elections and returns reported
and upon their report the following persons
entered as members and sworn in John O. Quinn
OF the Parish Of Avoyelles, j. }. Koran, A. ID.
do, ]. J. Jetiries, II. l.. Tsckett and G. w. Stat
ford OF the Parish of Rapides and w. f. Scherv-
ing of the Parish Of Iberia Then at o'clock,
p. NJ. zen. Beforehand Of the U. S. Army
tered the legislative hall in full uniform and with
his sword by his side, accompanied by his staff and
Mr.. Nigers, clerk of the late house of representa-
tiyes, and exhibited the following documents
State of louisiana Executive Dept,
New Orleans, January 1, 1873,
Gen. Beforehand Commanding.
/ IN illegal assembly of men having taken pos
session of the hall of the house OF representatives,
and the police not being able to disodgc them,
respectfully request that you vii. clear the hall Of
the state House of all persons not returned as le-
gal members of the House of Representatives by
the returning beard of the state.
tSigned) w. p. KELLOGG,
Gov. of the State oil Louisiana.
Executive Department,
New Orleans, Jan. t.
Gen. Beforehand. In, clerk of the house who
has in his possession the roll issued by the Secrc-
tary of state legal members Of the House of
| Representatives, will point out 10 you those per-
Sors in the hall of the House of Repre- cnta
tIyes, returned by the legal returning board of
the safe. (>igned) ". 7. KELLOGG.
! Gov of the Stale of Louisiana.
lac chair refused to pcrmt Mr.. Ngers to read
these dc cuments to the house and to call the roll
of members, where@pOn ten. Detrobiland had
pointed out to him one Hugh j. Campbell and
/ elected from the legislature of louisiana, and
these persons refusing to go out he ordered file
of I. s. soldiers with fNed bayoncts III to that
legislative hall who seized the persons pointed out
to them, and against their protests elected them
by force from their seats in tho legislative hall of
a State. And who were those persons
! hen the Legislature convened they were claim
ants for seats, on the ground Of votes received,
some of them presenting claims strcng on the
ground of malotitios so large that a returning
board such "a Louisiana had did not dare to de
eide against them, and when they had been seated
in legislature organized as | have DIES libcd,
/ nited States soldiers with fxsd bayonel> decided
the case against them ard took them out of the
legislative hall by force. When that had been
done, the conservative members left The hall in
boiy with solemn protest. The nited States
soldiers kept possession and then the republicans
under their protection organized the legislature
to SUIT themselves.
This j, what happened in the state House of
Louisiana ~ The IN OF January.
i