Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-01-08
Organization Of the Louisiana Leglsla.
ture.

THE following is a summary of the Associ-
ated Press dispatch of the 4th, giving an ac-
count of the proceedings attending the organ
ization of the Louisiana Legislature:
At twelve o'clock several members had as
scmbled in the hall of the House, and the
Chief Clerk called the roll and an
nounced that 102 members were pres.
emit A motion was made that L. A
Wiltz Conservative be made temporary
Chairman, and he Immediately took the chair,
when the utmost confusion prevailed. Ser.
geant. Arms and temporary Clerk were
appointed. Several motions were made amid
great confusion. Col Lowell protested
against the manner Of the temporary Or
ganization, and the Speaker replied that
the manner of organization was identical
with that of 1868, in which Mr.. Lowell
participated. Five members, not returned by
the Board, were declared, by resolution, men,
bers OF the House and took their seats Mo
tions to 90 into permanent organization and
to seat the members from the contested
parishes referred to the Legislature caused
great excitement. The members from four
contested parishes were admitted to
their seats, and the motion to go into
q permanent organization was put and de-
clHred carried. Wilt and Gov. Hahn were
put in nomination for Speaker. During the
progress of the vote Mr.. Hahn addressed the
House, by. permission, protesting against
and declining to participate in the body
under such organization. Wilt was de-
clared elected by a vote of flfty.five
TO two for Hahn aud one blank, the Republi-
can members having generally refused to
participate in the proceedings or to recognize
their validity. During further proceed
ings and while the Sergeant alarms
was seeking to obey instructions to
allow no member to leave the hall
Gen. de Trobriand made his appearance with
two staff officers, and bearing letters from
Gov. Kellogg, which were read, one of which
stated to the General that an Illegal body was
sitting in the House OF Representatives and
that Mr. Vigers, Clerk, would furnish him
with list Of those members who had been
duly elected aud returned as such by the Re-
turning Board. The other letter requested
the General to eject those members
Witt protested, claiming that the House was
legally organized, and he refused to point out
the five members ordered to be elected as not
being returned to the House, and said they
would not leave the House until force
was used to eXpel them. Gen. de Tro-
BRAND afterward said Yigers had been
represented to him as being the
Clerk of the House who had a list of the
members returned as elected by the Re
turning Board, and after considerable Obicc-
tion and protest on the part of the Con-
servatives such roll was called. The mill
tary were then used to eject the five
members present not returned by the
Board. An attempt of Vigers to obtain
possession of the Clerks desk was
objected to by Speaker Wilt, and the Ser
geant-at- Arms, under instructions, interfeFed
to prevent Vigers from acting as Clerk, when
the military were called upon and put him In
the coveted position. Speaker WITT then
solemnly protested against this interference
on the part Of the military of the
United States, and called on the
members to retire with him before this
show Of arms. The Conservative Representa-
tives, headed by Speaker Witt, then marched
out of the hall and State-H House. After the
Conservatives withdrew the roll was again
called, and, quorum being present, ex-Gov.
Hahn was elected Speaker, and the Gov
ernors message was received, read and re-
ferred. The Democratic members were not