New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-10

Incidents Of the Organizatio of the
House.
The Washington correspondent of the
Inter Ocean says:
Mr.. Kerr, so tar, has disappointed his
very best friends, and it is predicted freely
that he will have to retire from the chair
durlnR the greater part of the session. In
taxing the chair to-day he was very much
embarrassed, and his speech of acceptance,
winch had been carefully prepared on Sun.
day and committed, escaped his memory
entirely, and he Numbered through few
words, which were not heard by apy ex.
cept those in his immediate vicinity This
embarrassment, when the Louisiana dis.
cuesion came on, was very evident. His
friends called for division of the question,
when ne decided that the nays had it, and
ne called for standing vote whether there
should be q division or not. His friends are
alarmed at the feeble state of his health,
and cough that is very ANNOYING. The
huskiness of his voice to-day made it al.
most impossible to hear him. Randall will
probably occupy the chair the greater part
OF the session, and o sop will no doubt fire.
him with it.
Banks position in the House is a matter
OF great deal of discussion. He saws he
Intends to act entirely independent and he
lodged the speakership issue to-day, cast
ing his vote for an indefinite mem Der of the
Williams family, of which there are five or
Six IN the House. In other respects he
manifested decided disposition to attract
the attention of Democrats to the fact that
his sympathies were with them.
Anderson and Campbell, the Illinois in
dependents, have been careful so far not to
act with either party, having gone into
neither caucus and voting for each other
tor Speaker, Campbell calling out Ander-
sons name loudly when it caWe his turn to
vote, aud vice versa. Stephenson did not
20 into either caucus, but voted for Kerr.
Kelley. of Pennsylvania, made a decided
impression in his manner of administering
the oath to the Speaker aud his impressive
eiocntlon was frequently remarked. Kerr
has the reputation of having been bitter
copperhead during the war, and member
OF the notorious knights of the Golden Cir
Gle, hence Kelley selected what is known as
the iionclad oath for him, and read it in
such a manner as to bring out its strongest
points. The oath read as follows:
"IOu, Michael G. Kerr, do solemnly swear
that you have never voluntarily borne arms
against the United States since you have
been citizen thereof; that you have yolun.
tarily given no aid nor countenance, coun.
sci or encouragement to persons engaged in
armed hostility thereto; that you have
neither sought nor accepted, nor attempted
toexercse the functions of any office what
ever under any authority or pretended au.
thOrlty in hostility to the United States:
that you have not yielded voluntary sup
port to any pretended government author
ity, power, or constitution with the United
States hostile or inimical thereto. And YOU
do further swear that, to the best of YOUR
knowledge and ability, you will support
and defend the constitution of the United
States against all enemies, foreign or domes-
tic; that you will bear true faith and allegi-
ance to the same; that you take this obliga.
ton freely, without any mental reservation
or purpose of evasion, and that you will
faithfully discharge the duties Of the office
on which you are about to enter, so help
you God"
10 swearing in the members Mr.. Kerr se.
lected what is known as the modified oath,
which ia the latter part of the above
Among those thus sworn in were tfty-four
ex-Confederate officers. Mr.. Kelley was
further honored by unanimous vote of
the House, on motion of Mr.. Savior, of Gin.
cihnati to allow him, as father of the body,
to select his own seat The same honor was
conferred on Mr.. Alexander II. Stephens
who by reason of his feebleness, requires a
seat near the Speakers stand. Mr.. Stephens
ia not here, and gentlemen from Georgia
speak very discouragingly of his prospects
OF being able TO come, but the same seat he
occupied last session will be reserved for
him. There has been some gossip over Mr..
kelley's position, but he gave your CORE.
spondent authority to say that he went into
the Republican caucus and was as much a
Republican as ever, and should act with
the party on every measure except on the
financial question, on which he will make a
vigorous opposition to resumption by con-
traction, let it find support where il may.