The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-18

4 bis willing ess't TO aecede to the arrangements
! As to tne proceeding on the 4th or Janu
AIRY, about which the committee desired q
statement, eve now add that your spb.com
4 mittee, on the iuyftation of the Democratic
] Conservative Committee OF The State or Louis
lana, visited The hall OF the House of, Repre-
fsentatiYes and witnessed the converting of tht
| Louisiana House of Representatives. Mr.
ed outside, while Messrs. Foster and Phelps
were seated inside, and near to the Speakers
chair. Mr.. Potter remained only until Wilt
! what subsequently occurred. Mr.. Foster
remained perhaps an hour, and Mr.. Phelps
remained an hour longer, until he learned
that the military were about to enter under
Governor Kellogg's orders The doings In
the te-House on the 4tb of January, as
seen by the committee, or subsequently in
evidence, were substantially as follows:
AT IL o'clock noon William Vigers, the
clerk of the last House, called the Assembly
to order, aad proceeded to call the roll of
members % made up from the returns Of the
Returning Board. This roll contained the
names OF 106 members, classed by Governor
Kellogg as So Republicans and SO Democrats,
but 1t is claimed that one OF the Democrats
was not staying" Democrat.
The Republicans claimed that one of their
members-A. G.. Cousin-hsd been kidnap-
| ped aud forcibly taken to distant parish to
| prevent bis presence at the organic ,tion OF
the House. Your committee were about to
investigate this charge when, in public ses-
sion, it was claimed by the Democratic coun.
sci, and admitted by the Republican counsel,
| that the arrest was under legal process and
by the hands of the sheriff. 1t was further
claimed, and not denied, that the privilege
Of his office did not shield him from arrest.
The charge was embezzlement.
The full House would contain III mem.
bers, of which Sc would be a quorum. On
the first call of the roll 102 answered to their
names. It is claimed by the Republicans,
and we believe conceded by the Democrats,
that 80 Of those answering to their names
were Democrats and 50 were Republicans.
| The instant the clerk finished the rolLcall
several members rose to their feet, but the
floor was successfully held by Mr.. Blllien,
who said that he nominated L. A. Wilt as
temporary chairman. The clerk suggested
that the legal motion was to elect Speaker.
Mr.. Billen, himself paying no attention to
the clerk, proceeded hurriediy to put his
own motion, which was received by loud
ayes and followed By as loud noes, and de-
cIared it carried.
Mr.. Wiltzsprung instantly to the platform,
took from the clerk the gayel, was quickly
sworn in by Justice Houston, who followed
him to the platform, and then raped the
House, which during this time had been in
great confusion, into temporary quiet. Mr.
Wilt, as temporary chairman, administered
70 ho on "a,
to receive il. Some member made motion
to elect Trezevant clerk. Wilt put the me.
ton. and declared it carried. Trezeyant at
once came forward and took the clerks chair.
Immediately after, and with the same haste,
Mr.. Flood was elected sergean t-at.arms,
and at once, whether on motion or not your
committee do not remember, a number of
assistant sergeants-at-armS were appointed,
who promptly appeared, wearing badges on
which were printed "assistanl sergeant-at-
arms.n While the aforementioned motions
were put, members objected and called for
the yeas and nays; all of which was disre.
parded and pronounced out of order by the
acting chairman. Colonel Lowell, Repub-
lican, made the point of order that the Con-
stitution of the State allowed any ten men,
bers to call for the yeas and nays on any mo.
ton; but the temporary chairman decided
the point was not well taken until motion
for permanent organization.
Next, q motion to go into an election for a
permanent organizl alton was offered and de-
clared premature. Against this ruling the
Republicans protested. a motion to seat
The Democratic members alleged to be elected
was Immediately made and carried. During
this stage there was much disorder. The
Republican members protested, but their pro-
tests were disregarded. These gentlemen
then appeared and were sworn IN. A mo-
ton to adjourn was then put and declared
lost. Mr.. Lowell (Republican) moved that
the House proceed to permanent organiza'
ton, and that the vote be taken upon the
roll of the Returning Board. This motion
was declared lost, MIR. Lowell protesting.
Mr.. Mathews Republican, then nominated
Mr.. Lowell as temporary chairman, put the
motion amidst great confusion, and declared
it carried. Mr.. Lowell declined to serve.
The House then proceeded to elect Speaker.
The roll was called by the clerk (rrezeVant),
who reported tifty-fiye votes for Witt, two
votes for Hahn, and one MIR. WHY'S oWn)
blank.
This result was ascertained By the clerk
by simply keeping a tally OF the members
voting as they answered TO their names. NO
roll Of members voting was kept, neither
were telers ordered, or any such other means
employed than calling the roll to ascertain
the number voting. This vote includes the
five members who had been sworn in to fill
vacancies. During this roll-call, when Mr..
Hahn's name was called he rose and asked to
be excused from voting and to be allowed
to state his reasons. Objection was made,
and then the Speaker pro tenn. asked Tor
O unanimous consent to hls explanation:
Consent was given, and Mr. Ham spoke
at some length. After the announcement
by the clerk of the vote WITT was sworn IN
as Speaker, and proceeded to swear In others
present, so far as they came forward 10 re
sworn. Those thus sworn in were said to
number sixty in all, made up OF fifty Con-
seryatives and five Republicans, who were
returned by the Returning Board, and the
FIVE Democratic members who had just been
admitted. Outside the bar OF the legislative
hall in the State-House there were large
number of the police supported by Inc FED
eral troops. No person was permitted ID
the State-House except through the orders
of Governor Kellogg. Within the bar OF
fine House were permitted only the gentle.
men returned by the Returning Board, and
clerk and sergeant.at-arms OF tne former
legislature ten persons allowed to the
Conservatives as messengers, who suddenly
became their assistant geants-at-arnis, and
a few other persons, such as were admitted
by courtesy to the floor.
Without the bar in the public hall stood
the contestants and other persons admitted.
They numbered by actual count 127. BE.
sides these, the door of the hall was kept oy
twenty.seYen police. Wilt maintained con-
troll of the Assembly until some time after he
was chosen Speaker. When the Republicans
undertook to withdraw from the hail WIZ
gave Instructions to the seargeant-at-arms