New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-06

bitter experience mas C6ukut US uOW AGIAO 10
to be hoped from an executive who holds
out political rewards to those in our midst
who most boldly plot against the peace,
the prosperity, the laws and the liberties OF
our unhappy State.
In haste, yours respectfuliy,
K. L. GIBSON.
The reading of the letter having been
concluded, Mr.. Jonas, of Orleans, moved
that the Hon. E. John Ellis, who was upon
the floor of the convention, be invited to
seat upon the platform.
This motion was received with loud
cheers, during which Mr.. Ellis was escorted
to the front.
A motion being offered that Mr.. Ellis be
invited to address the convention, he spoke
as follows:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the Con-
ventiOn-I most sincerely thank you tor
the honor and distinction you have con-
ferred upon me by asking me to come to your
council hall to address you. find myself
in the presence of men who have grown
gray in the service of the State. find
myself surrounded bv young men repre-
sen ting the heart and brain of the State,
and its honor and courage, too; and Judge
that stand here simply because you wish
to learn from me how we discharged our
duties in Washington-by we l mean
General Gibson, Mr.. Levy, MIR. Spencer and
myself-in regard to the settling of our
case. I will endeavOr to do so, and that,
too. as briefly as possible.
Upon our arrival in Washington, as you
have been told, we made it our first duty to
90 and see the leaders of the Democratic
party We went first to Mr.. Kerr, MIR. Nor
rison, Mr. Randall, Mr.. Wood and Mr..
Lamar. We SAID to those gentlemen
that we had come there for the pur.
rose of making this fight in behalf OF
ed Governor and other State officers
in Louisiana. We told them that on the
twentieth of this month we should try and
seat Mr.. Spencer. who is your Represent.
ative from the Fifth District, upon the
credentials given him by Governor Nc
Enery. and not upon those received from
the usurper Kellogg. We proposed, then,
to open this contest, upon the arrival
of those credentials. Mr.. Wood. Mr..
Kerr. Mr.. Randall and Mr. Lamar
advised US that, as we we're all new mem.
bers, and as there was a question OF parlia-
mentary law which grew out of the ques-
ton of double seals and double signatures,
the question should be left to an impartial
discussion.
The hour came. Mr.. Wood then moved
the resolution, that whereas Mr.. Spencer,
from the fifth district of Louisiana, had
presented and fled his credentials received
from John McEnery. claiming to be
the Governor of Louisiana; and whereas.
Mr., MOrey had filed his credentials re-
ceived from w. P. Kellogg, occupying the
gubernatorial chair Of Louisiana-that they
be referred to the Committee on Privileges
and Elections, and that they be instructed
to INQUIRE as 20 which Of these gentlemen
was entitled to be sworn in and take his
seat" And upon this he called for the pre-
vious question.
Now. my frieuds, when the Wheeler com
promise was effected the people Of the State
of Louisiana did not intend that that COM
promise should settle this question, as to
but that it should simply settle the status Of
the lower House of Representatives OF the
State of Louisiana. No, gentlemen, that
compromise was never accepted by the peO-
ple of this State as settling the splendid
contest that was made in 1872, and for the
maintenance of which that glorious fight was
made on the fourteenth of September. No.
sirs! That contest can not be abandoned.
Loud cheers. The man, sirs, who can &C
cept that compromise as settling our Louisi-
ana affair would not hesitate to spit upon
the graves of those heroes who fell on the
fourteenth of September. Loud cheering
No, sirs it was never contemplated or &C
cepted by the people of this State as final
settlement of this question, and / would
hurl back the lie to those who dare as
sert to the contrary. 1t was never
thought by Blaine nor Garfield that
the question of who was the legal Governor
in Louisiana would ever be brought up
again to trouble the dreams of Grant. or
the dreams of the Republican party. They
thought that no one would dare to do it; but
it will be done by the convention that is
assembled in this hall tonight. lCheers.
And one gentleman in the House went so
far as to address his God with the hope
that the question might never be brought
up again. But, my friends, if We should let
the matter rest where it is, we would be
false to tthe trusts that have been
confided to US by the people of the
State, No. we must never abandon the
struggle. ICheers.] You can not abandon
it and be true to the people of this State.
Looking back now l see everything to
make us proud; nothing to make US
ashamed. No, gentlemen; We must never
rest. We must not falter in the fight until
this monstrOus usurpatiOn shall be removed;
till it shall have been torn out and thrown
away, and remembered as one among the
infamies of the past. No, sirs; you must
q
lican party tremble for its safety-aye
tremble to its very centre.
NV friends, you must now present to the
federal Congress such petition as viii
settle the question of the election OF 1872
all YOU have to do is to undeceive Con
gress in the belief that the Kellogg
government is the legal government
of the State of Louisiana, and
that such thing as Republican
&c vi ihf
State Congress will then present joint
resolution to the Senate, for concurrence,
declaring that there is no legal government
in Louisiana. and that John McEnery ii
the lawful Governor of the State
The Senate will then be obliged to vote
yea or nay. If the vote be in the
affirmative, then McEnery will be recognized
as our lawful Governor; if, oh the othel
hand, the vote should be in the negative, i
will show to the country at large that suct
a thing as republican form OF government
does not exist in this country. Prolonged
cheers.
Right here, my friends, desire to tel
YOU that there will be q committee appoint
ed bv Congress to examine further into this
question, and that we will put upon the
witness stand Attorney General Williams,
Judge Durell, Generals Phil Sheridan
[cheers Emory, De Tr0briand, and tht
entire Customhouse party, and We will ex
anime them until the whole truth is brought
to light.
thank you very much for the kind at
tention that you have given me this eve
ring, and for the honor conferred upon mt
in inviting me to address you, and pledge
you that my voice shall ever be raised ii
behalf Of Louisiana, and pledge you tha
shall tell the truth, and nothing but tht
truth; and I tell you, my friends, that
have told the same story on the floor O
Congress that have told here tonight, anG
shall never rest until the recognition O