National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-05-22

part o. the award which declared
The House of Representatives, as to Its mem
bers, as constituted under the award, shall re-
main without change, except by resignation or
death Of members, until new general election
He now thinks this condition has not been
violated, because his understanding of 1t is
that the House of Representatives was to be
as returned by the returning board, and not as
1t was constituted when the Democratic caucus
voted to accept the proposition of Mr.. Wheeler
as basis of negotiation and award.
This very question was freely discussed pro
and con while Mr.. Wheeler was in the city.
The Republicans insisted that the House, as it
stood at the time, with such changes as were
specifically named in the award, was to remain
as the House until changed in the manner
above named, in which Mr.. Wheeler at all
times and in all places assented.
While he was in New York, Mr.. Wheeler
took the names of all the members of the
Hahn House who were then seated, and the
parishes from which they came, from Mr..
Packard, and maintined that they must re-
main and be counted. Among the Repnbli-
cans who were thus to remain were Messrs.
Rochon and Martinez, of st. Martin; Rechard,
of Orleans, and Floyd, of st. Helena. He
said the whole theory of the compromise
was upon the legality of the Hahn House.
The Conservatives must agree to that as
condition precedent, to recognize that House
by going there and being sworn in by Speaker
Hahn and submitting the contested cases to the
committee on elections. That this committee
was to make a favorable report, which the
House should adopt before the contesting
members were to be seated. Mr.. Wheeler
Furthermore said that no other plan would do,
but the Republicans must insist that all ac-
tion of the Hahn House must go unchallenged,
including the change of the four members.
Mr. Wheeler arrived here on Monday night,
April IL, ard on the next day met Gov. kel-
logg, Marshal Packard, Mr.. Leonard and
others in Gen. Sheridan's room, with the Gen
eral present. He here reafirmed his New
York opinion that the four Republican men,
Der could not be legally unseated, nor without
a violation of the conditions of the compro-
mise.
Mr.. Wheeler then went with Governor KEEL
logg and Mr.. Packard to the State House, and
before the Republican State Central Commit
tee, where the Republican members of the
House had teen invited to be present. Here,
in answer to question propOunded by some Of
the members of the House, and one or more of
the "four members" he stated that the four
members were as much entitled to their seats
as any others on the roll. When asked whether
the Democrats would not attempt to unseat
them, he said he could not answer or be re-
sponsiblc for their action, but If they did Gust
them it would be violation of the agreement.
Subsequently Messrs. Rochon, Martinez, Reich
ard and Floyd wrote letter to Wheeler, sub
hitting their case and requesting him to put
his opinion, so often expressed, in writing. He
promised to send this answer, and assured the
bearer of the letter of the four members that
it would be favorable to them. He then as
certained the date of the signing of the proDo-
sition by the Conservatives to be March /, and
as the four members had been seated several
days before that, he argued that the Demo-
Gratis knew how the House was CONSTITUTED
and recognized the changes made up to that
date. CAN'T, the fifth member, who was seated
on the fourth of March, after the agreement
was signed, Wheeler held to be "without good
grounds" and so informed CAN'T, who With
drew from the House at its meeting on the first
day, April IA.
A few hours before leaving for the North,
Mr.. Wheeler was requested by General Sheri-
dan to put his opinion in writing, as he had
expressed it to him, to Governor Kellogg, Mr..
Packard and several members of the House,
and leave it here before departing. This he
promised to do, and left Governor Kellogg's
office to go to the St. Charles hotel to prepare
the letter. Governor Kellogg called at the
hotel Just before train time to take Mr.. Wheeler
TO the depot. He informed the Governor that
that he had been interrupted, and had not been
able TO prepare the letter, but had the memo
randa and data, and would have 1t ready and
and mail 1t from Atlanta, where he expected
to wait four or five hours for the train.
About this time the House unseated the four
members, and the Governor telegraphed him
to know If be had mailed the letter as per
promise. To this Wheeler answered by tele-
graph from Washington, as follows:
WAsHINGToN, d. c., April 10, 1879.
Have carefully examined question of four men,
bers, and while remain Of opinion expressed to
you and Packard. do not feel at liberty to give
leagues.
The opinions expressed to the Governor and
Packard were as above related.
Mr.. Packard mentioned the case OF these
members to each of the Republican members
Of the Congressional committee in New York,
and each, including Wheeler, expressed the
opinion that while they could not consider the
cases, as the Democrats contesting from their
parishes had not signed the agreement of COM
promise, so the case never came before the
committee for its consideration, yet there was
no doubt under the agreement "that the House,
as constituted under the award, was to re-
MAN." etc. All the Democrats who had
signed were bound to recognize the four men,
hers as part of the adjusted body.
1t is quite probable that these four members
would not have been unseated If Mr.. Wheeler
had promptly and firmly protested against the
revolutionary action which was set on foot be-
fore he left the city, or even furnished them
with his opinion in writing in good season.
His vacillation, which began in New Orleans
under threats from the Conservatives that
they would break up the whole scheme of
compromise unless they were permitted to put
their own construction upon it, has eliminated
in an attempt to justify them in the total dis
regard of his Oft-repeated opinion that their
course was illegal and in direct violation of
the terms of the compromise. He has acted
in very strange and inconsistent manner, and
completely disappointed the Republicans of
this State, who at one time reposed the most
implicit confidence in his judgment and fair
ness.