The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-05

Tangipahoa-By Edwards, D..
Terrebonne-F. Marie, B; F. R. Wright, r.
Union-W. p. Smith, X
Vermilion-A Nunez, D.
Vernon-M. McAlpin, D.
Washington MCGEE, D.
Webster-W. w. Carloss, d.
Absent
The announcement of quorum had just
been made when Mr.. J. S. Billieu, Of La
fourche, moved that Hon. L. A. Wilt be
declared
SPEAKER PRO TEN.
Vigers did not entertain the motion and
MI. Billieu put it himself, calling the affirm
alive and negative, and declared Mr.. Wilt
elected. The declaration was no sooner
made than Mr.. Witt was ON the stand and
had taken the mallet from vigers, who vainly
endeavored to contest his right of possession.
He raped the gavel smartly and called the
House to order.
Justice Houston Immediately stepped for
ward and administered the oath. As q
member of the House Wilt called on Low
ell, being the Oldest member. to swear him in
as Speaker; Lowell declined.
Wilt retained the chair amidst great ex-
element and the howls of Murrell of Madison
Speaker Wilt, when quiet was restored,
swore in the members in body, they rising
in their seats.
Ed Flood was then elected Sergeant-at-
Arms pro tenn, and P. J. Trezevant Clerk pro
tenn.
The election and seating Of Wilt created
the greatest excitement among the Repub-
lican crowd, and they howled ct great rate,
and protests against the organization were
plentiful
Lowell obtained the floor and spoke at
some length against what he was pleased
to term the revolutionary and illegal
proceedings which had led to the seat
ing of Speaker Wilt. He said the House
was illegally organized and that Wilt had no
right to swear in the members.
Speaker Wilt yielding the chair said that
he desired to answer the remarks of Col.
Lowell He desired to tell him, in the name
of the people of the State, that the Legisla-
ture OF 1868 was organized in the identical
manner in which the present Legislature had
been organized
A resolution declaring L. L. Scales and
Charles SG1aler, of the parish Of DeSoto G.
c. Dunnyof Grant parish James Brice, of
Bienville, aud G. A. Kelly, of VIM parish,
members of the House, has been adopted.
Right is reserved to the opposition candidates
to contest.
These four members, twill be remembered,
were referred to the Legislature, and the
members seated are those declared elected by
tie Democratic Committee.
Lowell uttered a protest against the organi-
zation of the House, and moved that on the
roll returned by the Secretary of State, and
on that roll alone, permanent organization be
gone into.
Witt yielded the chair and called the at
tention of the House to the fact that in 1868
a Republican Speaker was was seated Just as
he had been.
Lowell, in the Legislature of 1868, was
contestant and participated in the election of
Isabelle as Speaker, who was seated chairman
and seated precisely as he (Wiltz) had been.
Lowell replied that he had no doubt the
statements just made were correct, but illegal
action in 1868 was no warrant for illegal action
now. What difference it makes whose OK
is gored] and besides, he begged to call at
tention to the fact that since 1868, law,
providing for the organization of the House,
had been passed.
Mathews then had his little say He fol-
lowed up Lowell He wanted fair show,
that is, he wanted Lowells motion adopted,
and he called for it. The result was that
Lowells motion was tabled.
call for the ayes and nays ON division
was declared out of order, as the House had
not been permanently organized. Lowell
again protested.
The motion of Mr. ]. s. Billieu, of La
fourche, to go into permanent organization,
was carried.
The names of L. A. Wilt and Michael Hahn
were placed in nomination.
Devices moved that G. W. Lowell be declared
elected and seated.
The proposition was received with bowls by
the faithful, some two or three of whom made
a rush for the stand, on reaching which they
howled the louder to conceal their disappoint-
ment because the rush had not been unani-
NOUS
Speaker Wilt appealed to the crowd to
weigh well the consequences Of the step they
were about taking and to consider well the
result Of an attempt to organize the House by
mob law.
More howls by the faithful, which were,
however, quieted by the soothing tones Of
Lowe!ls voice, and the belligerents lubsided
Lowell (probably because he thought it would
not pay), said he would countenance no such
move that he had just condemned move in
its nature the same, and he would not be
party to any such proceedings, even when in
dulged by his political friends. He again
protested against the occupation Of the chair
by Speaker Wilt he desired to act honestly,
and he had entered the hall under the i'm
preston that the proceedings would be formal
and legal. He was not a candidate, he de-
sired to state, but if the permanent organi-
cation was gone into under existing circum-
stances, he would advise all the Republican
members to abstain from voting.
Speaker Wilt ordered call Of the roll on
the election of Speaker. It resulted as fol-