The Portland daily press., 1875-01-11
LOUISIANA.
Gen. sheridan's Statement of the Row in
the Legislature.

Gen, Sheridan,s Statement OF the Row IN
the Legislature.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9-The following official
dispatch has been received here, dated Head
quarters, Military Division of Missouri:
Ne,c Orleans, La., Jan, 8.
To Eon. w. W. Belknap, Secretary of War,
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, 1874:
| was not in command of this military de-
partment till o'clock at night on the 4th
inst, but fully endorse and am willing to be
held responsible for acts of the military as con-
SENATORS of the public peace on that day. Du-
ring the few days in which was in the city
prior to the 4th OF January, the general topic
of conversation was the scenes of boodshed
that were likely to occur on that day, aud L re-
peatedy heard threats of assassinating the
Governor and regrets expressed that he was
not killed on the 4th of September last, also
threats of assassination of the Republican
members of the House in order to secure the
election OF Democratic Speaker. l also know
of kidnapping by the banditt of a cousin OF
one member elect of the Legislature.
In order to preserve peace and to make the
of the Legislature, Gen. Emory, upon requisi-
ton of the Governor, stationed troops IN the
vicinity of the building, Owing to these pre-
cautions the Legislature assembled in the state
At 10 o'clock Mr.. Vigers the CLERK --e the last
House of Representatives, proceeded to Ual
| the roll ss according to law he was empowered
| TO do One hundred and two legally returned
| members ans wered to their names Of this
number fifty-tw were Republicans and fifty
| Democrats. Before entering the House L. A.
| Witz had been selected in caucus as the Dem
ocratic nominee for Speaker and Michael
Hahn as the Republican nominee. MIR. Vigers
had not finished announcing the result when
Mr. Ri1ipu nf T.of rpbp Nominated Ia A WiitZ
for temporary Speaker Vigers promptly de-
clared the motion out of order at that time,
when some one put the question, and amid
cheers on the Democratic side of the House,
Wilt dashed on to the rostruD, pushed aside
Vigers, seized the Speakers gavel and declared
himself Speaker. protest against this arb-
trary and unlawful proceeding was promptly
made by members of the majority, but Wilt
paid no attention to these protests and on mo
ton from some one of the Democratic side of
the House it was declared that one Trezevaut
was nominated and elected clerk of the Hsuse
TreZevant at once spIang forward and occupied
the clerks chair amid the widest confusion
over the whole House. Wilt then again on
another nomination from the Democratic side
of the House declared one Flood elected Ser
geant-at-arms ordered a certain number of as
sstants to be appointed. Instantly large
number of men throughout the hall who had
been admitted on various pretexts, such as re-
porters and members, friends or spectators
turned down the lappels of their coats, upon
which were pinned blue ribbon badges on which
were printed in gold letters the words assist
ant Sergeant-at-armS, and the Assembly were
in possession of the minority and the White
League of Louisiana had made good Its threat
of Selling the House, many of the assistant
Sergeant-at arms being well known as captains
of the White League companies in this city,,
Notwithstanding the suddeness of this
movement the leading Republican members
had not failed to protest again and again
against this revolutionary action of the minOri-
ty, but all to no purpose, and many OF the Re
publicans rose and left the House in a body
together with the clerk, Mr. Vigers, who car
ried away with him the original roll of the
House as returned by the Secretary of State.
The excitement was now very great, and the
Acting Speaker directed the Ser9eat-at-Arms
to prevent the egress or lngress OF members,
aud several exciting scuffles with knives and
pistols drawn took place, and for few mo-
ments it seemed as il bloodshed would ensue.
At this juncture Mr. Dupre the member from
Orleans parish, moved that the military power
of the general government be invoked to pre-
serve the peace, and that committee be APP
pointed to wait on Gen. De Trobriand, the
commanding officer of the O. S. troops,
stationed at the State House, and request bis
assistance in clearing the lobby. The motion
was adopted, and committee of five, of
which Dupre was made chairman, was sent to
wait on Gen. De Trobriand and soon returned
with that officer, who was accompanied by two
of his staff officers. Wilt said it (?) was not,
whereupou the General proceeded to the lobby
and addressed few words to the excited Gro ~d.
Peace was at once restored. On motion of Mr..
Dupre, Wilt then. in the name of the General
Assembly of the State of Louisiana, thanked
De Trobriaud for his interference in b-half of
law and order, and the General withdrew.
The Republicans bad now generally with
drawn from the hall aud united in signing a
petition to the Governor. stating their griev-
auces aud asking his aid, which petition, signed
by 50 legally returned members of the House,
is in my possession. Immediately subsequent
to the action of Wilt in rejecting the Clerk of
the old House, Mr.. Billieu moved that two
gentlemen from the parish of De Soto, one
from Whine, one from BenVile, and one from
IBERIA who had not been returned by the re-
turning board, be sworn in as members and
they were accordingly sworn in by Witt and
took their seats on the floor as MEMBERS OF the
House. A motion was now made that the
House proceed with its permanent organiza-
ton, and accordingly the roll was called by MIR.
Trezevant, the Acting Clerk. and Wilt was
declared Speaker, and Trezevant Clerk of the
House. Acting on the protest made by the
majority of the House, the Governor now re-
auested the commanding General of the de-
partment to aid him in restoring order and
enable the legally returned members of the
House to proceed with the organization accord
ing to law.
Remembering wildly the terrible massacre
that took place i'll this city on the assembling
of the constitutional convention in 1866 at tbe
Mechanics Institute, and believing that the
lives of the members of the Legislature were
or would be endangered in case an organization
under the law was attempted, the posse was
furnished with the request that are should be
taken that no member of The Legislature re-
turned by thesreturning board should be elected
from the floor. THIS military posse performed
its duty under directions from the Governor Of
the state, and removed from the fo,r of the
House those persons who had been illegally
seated, and who bad no legal right to be there
whereupon the Democrats ana left the
House, aud the remaining members proceeded
to effect an organization uDder the state laws.
Iu all this turmoil, in which bloodshed WAS
imminent, the military posse behaved with
great discretion When Witt. the usurping
Speaker of the House. called for the troops to
prevent hloodshed, they were given him. When
the Governor of the s. ate called for posse for |
he same purpose nd to enforce the law, /:
was furnished also. Had >his not been dopg, L d
is my firm belief that scenes of hloodsAeG
would have ensued
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