National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-15

"ful men to refrain from calling public in
"dignation meetings until those charged
with the duty of advising the President
"could, upon reliable information, have an
opportunity to consider what course
should be taken; and whether the action
"of the military in New Orleans should be
adopted, modified, or repudiated alto
"gether."
But this would not DO. There was a
chance for a sensation, for notoriety, for
making political capital cheap, and these
could not be foregone. Changes we're rung
upon the false charges. alt was the duty of
" the President and of his Cabinet to await
" official and full information before either
condemning or approving of the action
" of his subordinate; for his conduct should
only be condemned upon the most care
full consideration. The great question at
the outset is-and one upon which all
else depends-were the persons occupy
ing the hall into which Colonel De Tro J.!
BRAND entered with his soldiers legisla-
tive body peaceably assembled? Clearly,
themselves, they were not. 1t was the
duty of the clerk of the last House to call
the roll, and, by the law of Louisiana, no
name could be called by the clerk not
found on the roll; nor could any person
participate as member in organizing the
House unless his name was upon it as
furnished by that board. Without some
such legal restrictions the grossest out
% RACES might be perpetrated in the organ
ization of legislative body; for, if per-
sons claiming seats, but not returned as
members, could vote for such purpose,
every attempt to deprive them of seats
thereafter would, of course, be not only
absurd, but generally impossible"
Mr.. Stoughton asserts that conformity
with these rules are necessary to the
proper organization of every legislative
body. He then states that every one knew
that Mr.. Vigers was the clerk; that the roll
contained 1902 Names that so were Demo
Gratis, who would vote for Wilt for
Speaker, and that 50 were Republicans,
who would vote for Hahn. Everybody in
New Orleans knew these facts When
they entered the hall the Conservatives
could only hope to organize the House by
violence and fraud. 1t was impossible
that they should do it in any other man
ner. That they intended to do it by fraud
the sequel abundantly proves. Mr.. Slough
ton then quotes from the speech of Sena-
tor Schurz for what next happened, and
asks, "Who voted for this man Wilt?
"whO declared him elected? by what au-
"thority did he take that seat? The
"otfice OF temporary Speaker is not
'knOwn TO the laws or usages of
Louisiana. While the roll was being
"called by the old clerk member nomi-
mated Witt as temporary Speaker, and
without amoment's delay he was declared
elected, not by the clerk, says Mr.. Schurz,
land sprang to and took forcible possession
of the Speakers cha and gavel There,
Gin defiance of the efforts of the clerk to
proceed and regularly organize the As
"sembly, Wilt called upon a Justice pres
lent to swear him in. This was done, and
81 then temporary clerk was nominated
"and declared elected, and then, in the
"same manner, q sergeant-at-arms, and
Immediately following this numerous as
sistant sergeants-at-arms, who, on being
declared elected, opened their coats and
displayed badges of office, showing
clearly that all this fraud and outrage
chad been carefully planned and
contrived beforehand, and that these
assistant sergeants were selected, and
doubtless armed, with a view to holding
violent possession Of the House, and of
'its organization, after the fraud should
have been perpetrated. Immediately
"atter this temporary organization, the
"conspirators-not LegiSIati0s body peace
" ably, or otherWiSe GSsembIed-proceeded
"to declare five persons who had obtained
"access to the hall, but who had not been
returned by the returning board. mem
"bers, and entitled to sit as such. Thus
chad been accomplished by fraud and vio-
"lence great public wrong against the
Estate of Observation-Disclosures of law, of
constitutional rights-by means of which,
IF successful, the legislative power was
delivered over to the persons not charged
with it as representatives of the people,
"but whoa minority at the outset-had
"by fraud and force so added to their
numbers as to become a majority"
Houses of Legislature have the right to
determine the qualifications and elections
Of their own members. But this was not
House. Persons not lawfully returned
have no voice in organization. Here, the
first thing done after the fraudulent election
Of Wilt as temporary Speaker was to de-
clare five claimants entitled to seats whose
names were not on the roll, so that they
could vote on the permanent organize
ton and elect Wilt Speaker, by three
majority. Having established these facts
and shown the fallacy of the arguments of
Schurzand Evarts, Mr.. Stoughton inquiries,
"Who will declare that this was legisIa-
tive body2" If was not legislative body
twas certainly mob-a disorderly crowd.
brandishing knives and pistols. Is it any
wonder it was considered nearly akin to
banditti? 1t was frightened at its own
violence, and by vote called on the mill
tary to keep order. Col. De Trobriand
responded and restored quiet
The Republicans at once protested and