Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-01-15


nor, and regrets expressed that he
was not killed on the l4th of Sep
TENDER last; also threats of the as
sassination of Republican members
of the House, in order to secure the
election of a Democratic Speaker. l
also know Of the kidnapping by
banditti of Mr.. Cousin, one Of the
members-elect of the Legislature. In
order to preserve the peace and make
the State House safe for the peaceable
assembling of the Legislature, Gen.
Emory, upon the requisition Of the
Governor, stationed troops in the
vicinity of the building. Owing to
these precautions, the Legislature as
sembling in the State House without
any disturbance of the peace. At 10
o'clock William Vigers, Clerk of the
last House of Representatives, pro-
ceeded to call the roll, as according
to law he was empowered to do. One
hundred and two legally-returned
members answered to their names.
Ofthis number titty-two were Repub-
lican, and fifty Democrats.
Before entering the House, l.. A.
Witt had been selected III caucus as
Democratic nominee for Speaker, and
Michael Hahn as the Republican
nominee. Vigers had not finish d
announcing the result when one of
the members, Billeu, of Lafourche,
nominal d l., A. Wilt for temporary
Speaker. Vigers promptly declared
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 Oh the
rostrum, pushed aside Vigers, seized
the Speakers chair and gravel, and
declared himself Speaker. A protest
against this arbitrary and unlawful
proceeding was promptly made by
members Of the majority; but Witt
gave no attention to the protests, and
on a motion from some one on the
Democratic side of the House, it was
declared that one Irrelevant was
nominated and elected Clerk of the
House. Trezevant at once sprang
forward and occupied the Clerk $
chair amidst the widest confusion
over the whole House. Mayor Wilt
then again, on another nomination
from the Democratic side of the
House, declared one Flood elected
Sergeant-at-Arms, and ordered GER
tain number of assistants to be ap-
pointed.
Instantly large number of men
throughout the hall, who had been
admitted on various pretexts, such as
reporters, and members, friends and
spectators, turned down the lapels of
their coats, upon which were pinned
blue ribbon badges, on which were
printed in gold the words, assistant
Sergeant-at Arms, and the Assembly
was in the possession of the minority,
and the White League of Louisiana
had made good its threats of Selling
the House, many of the Assistant
Sergeants-at-Arms being well-known
as captains of the White League
companies in this city. Notwith-
standing the suddcnness of this move
ment, leading Republican members
had not failed to protest again and
again against this revolutionary ac-
tior Of the minority; but to no pur-
pose, and many of the Republicans
rose and left the House i'll Il body, to-
gether with Clerk Vigers, who carried
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 Sergeant alarms to pre-
vent the egress or ingress of mem
bers or others, and several exciting
scuffles, in which knives and pistols
were drawn, took place. For few
moments it seemed as if bloodshed
would ensue.
At this juncturc NJ. Dupre, Demo-
cratic member from Orleans Parish,
moved that the military of the Gen
eral Government be invoked to pre-
serre the 2oeace, and that a committee
be appointed to wait on Gen. De
Tfobriand, commanding officer of
the United States troops stationed at
the State House, and request his as
sistamce in clearing the lobby. The
motion was adopted. A committee
of five, of which Dupre was made
Chairman, was sent to wait upon
Gen. De Trobriand, and soon return
ed with that officer, who was accom-
panied by one of his staff officers
As Gen. De Trobriand walked down
to the Speakers desk, loud applause
burst from the Democratic side Of
tile House. Gen. De Trobriand ask
ed the Acting Speaker if it was not
possible for him to preserve order
without appealing to him to preserve
order as United States army officer.
Wilt said 1t acas not; whereupon
the General proceeded to the lobby,
and, addressing few words to the
excited crowd, peace was restored at
once. On motion of Dupre, Mr..
Wilt, in the name of the General
Assembly of the State of Louisiana,
thanked Gen. De Trobriand for his
interference in behalf of law and or
der, and the General withdrew. The
Republicans had now generally with
drawn from the hall, and united in
signing petition to the Governor,
stating their grievances, and asking
his aid, which petition, signed by
.fffy-t,co legally returned members
Of the House, is in my possession
Immediately subsequent to the action
of Wilt in ejecting the Clerk Of the
old House, Mr.. Billien moved that
the following persons be sworn in
and seated as members: Messrs. John
A. Quinn, of the Parish of Avayelleo;
J. J. Koran, A. d. Land and Thomas
r. Vaughan, of the Parish of Caddo;
J. Jctfiics, X. L. Luckett and G. w.
Stafford, of the Parish Of Rapids,
and VIM. F. Schwing, of the Parish
of Iberia, who had not been returned
by the Returning Board, and they
were accordingly sworn in by Wilt,
and took their seats OH the floor rs
members of the House. A motion
was now made that tho HouSp pro-.