Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-05-12
NEW YORK.
What Congressman Wheeler says
about Louisiana Affairs.

NEW YORK, May l0.-The new fifth
avenue Presbyterian Church was dedicated
yesterday. 1t seats 2,l00, and cost 81 ,000,-
600
Mr.. Wheeler, of the Congressional Lou
isiana Compromise Committee, in letter
to the Times in relation to the adjustment
of the differences in that State, effected
under the award of that committee, says
there is a class of people who seem to have
expected that the adjustment was to inau-
gurate political millennium in Louisiana /;
that henceforth that State was to be wholly
free from the friction which attend the
workings of political parties elsewhere.
This class will probably pronounce the ad-
justment n failure, for undoubtedly party
warfare will continue TO be waged in Lou
isiana very much as it is in New York and
other States of the Union. She will have
her dishonest officials and corrupt legisla-
ton as other States have, and she will
for years to come stagger along under the
load of her accumulated financial burdens,
and her obligation may at times 60 to pro.
test. Louisiana from her existence as a
State, has had exceptionally stormy
record.
This condition of things, arising from q
diversity of races and character in the State,
with it most unavoidable disturbances
growing out Of the war and the upheaval
Of the cry foundations of labor and society,
is not to be changed in day by any one
act, however potent, or beneficial. Never
theless firmly believe that even Louisiana
has at last caught the inspiration from the
new order of things, and that exhausted as
she is with tumult and violence, yet with
just government and education of her peo-
pie, the last just now her greatest need, she
will with steady but slow pace, emerge
from what seemed to be her utterly hel pless
condition. There is another class, who will
regard the adjustment as a failure. Those
who sought in it simply partisan advantage,
without arrogating anything for the GENTLE
men, who composed the late Congressional
Committee on Southern affairs. think /
may safely claim for them, that they are
not of this class. Regarding all allega-
lions that one of the provisions of the sad-
iustment has already been violated by the
Democrats. Wheeler says | can not sub
scribe to me truth of this allegation. The
arbitrator, hid nothing to do but to pass
upon the q .iins of the members and Sena-
tors, who sh uld sign the agreement of
course the award could affect no one else
1t was merely advisory to Republican
members of the General Assembly. 1t
could not and did not seek directly TO in
terfere with the rights of members then sit
ting, and who had certificates of the Re-
turning Board, but whose seats were claim
ed by the Democrats. After the Democrats
left the House on the fourth of January and
sometime during the winter session the Res
publicans uuseated four Democratic mem
bers who held certificates of the Returning
Board, and whose names were on the list OF
members used by the Republican clerk at
the attempted organization in January. No
one of these four Democrats who were re.
seated at the recent extra session Of the
Legislature, of which complaint is made,
was party to the articles Of adjustment.
No one can be found in Louisiana to assert
that at the time these four Democrats were
unseated there was quorum Of the House
present, so these four Democrats had never
been legally deprived of their seats, but il
is replied to by those who imputed faith &c
the Democrats that IT, reement contains
this provision. The House Of Representa-
tives, as to its members as constituted I'M
der the award, shall remain without change
except by resignation or death of members
until a new general election, and this condi
ton has been violated. The Democrat!
never questioned the action Of the Return
lag Board, except in the cases referred L
the committee. They were willing, witt
these exceptions to abide by it. Ny un
! Outstanding Of the above provision is tina