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

ton. which he could BY no means do should
he take a seat upon the platform. He
would therefore have to decline the invita-
ton.
Mr.. MARI, of Orleans, said:
MIR. President-I have in my possession
two letters one written by the Hen. MIR.
Gibson, one of our Representatives in Con-
gress, and the other by the Hon. Mr.. Levy,
another of our Representatives in Congress.
These letters give an account OF the cOndi-
tion of our case in Washington City, and
l think that both of the letters were pre-
pared in reference to this convention, and
with the expectation that they would be
read before this convention. These letters
are not addressed to me; they are addressed
to Governor McEnery. They were placed
in my possession with the understanding
that at q suitable time they should be
called up and read before the convention.
Mr.. Dupre of Orleans, moved that the
letters be read at the present time. No OBJ
lection being made, the secretary was in
structed to read them.
The secretary experienced some diff
Guilty in reading the letters, when Mr..
S. j. n. Smith, of Orleans, moved that
the further reading of the letters be
dispensed with, and that they be given
to the reportcrs, with the request that they
be published in the morning papers.
Mr.. Leonard, of Caddo, opposed the mo-
tion, and said it was due to the gentlemen
who had written the letters to give them all
proper respect and attention. and he, as
the letters read now.
Mr. Smith insisted on his motion.
The chairman said: l would suggest to
the gentleman who offered that motion,
that we have no public printer to call upon
to print them; and that II they were given
to the reporters l don't krOw that in that
case they would be printed. will, how
ever, put the notion
The motion being put and lost, a motion
was offered that the letters be read at the
present time. The motion was carried.
A motion was made at this time that the
convention adjourn until such time as the
letters could be printed.
The motion was lost.
Mr.. Jones, of the fifteenth ward called
for the reading Of the letters; and, the call
being largely seconded, the secretary was
instructed to read them:
HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES,
Washington, d. u, December q, 1879
Governor John McEnery New Orleans:
My DEAR SIR-The action OF the House
of Representatives on the fret day OF the
session has caused much surprise to our
| friends, especially in Louisiana, and
statement Of the facts connected with the pre-
| sentation of Mr.. Woods resolution and OF
the reasons given by the Democrats who
nrV-fn nv q fV1
! understanding OF the matter, and also IN
explanation of The participation of
| Mesers. Gibson, Ellis and myself i'll the
| debate on the resolution.
After deliberatiOn and consultation by
| the Democratic members from Louisiana
| with mauy of our older and more expe-
rienced fellow members, viz: Speaker Kerr,
Hon. Fsrnando Wood, l.. Q. G. Lamar, S.
| s. Cox and others, all of whom expressed
their approval of the course which We had
] agreed upon, Mr.. Wood, on account of
his long service, parliamentary experience
and thorough acquaintance with all
the features of the Louisiana ques-
| ton. was selected to introduce
! the resolution for reference of the creden-
! tials of Messrs. Spencer and Morey to the
| Committee on Elections, and assume its
| conduct and management on the floor
| These friends counseled that the Louisiana
7! members should not engage in the debate,
| but those from other States should take the
matter il hand and press the passage OF the
| resolution, preferring that It should not be
| presented by the local Representatives
|! from the State directly interested, but by
| those from other States and sectioas, thus
| giving it broader and more national in
! auguration and support.
| We believed that there would be unanln-
| ity among the Democrats in favor OF the
| resolution, and were strengtht ned IN this
belief by tie approval and concurrence OF
| the prominent gentlemen whom we had
consulted Our belief in the unanimity OF
! the Democratic members was erroneous, as
the subsequent action of the House devel-
oped, and even after its modification, at the
| instance OF Mr. Lamar. requiring only the
reference of Mr.. Morsy's credentials, the
| resolution was voted down, in full House,
| in which the Democratic majority ls nearly
seventy. and on Mr.. Blaines motion Mr..
Morey was sworn In. The contest OF Mr.
| Morey's seat by Mr.. Spencer will therefore
be had on the merits of the case involving
| the facts of the election of 1874.
During the debate it was charged on the
| Republican side, and admitted hy many OF
| our Democrat friends in the House, that
at the last session Of Congress there was an
| implied understanding and tacit agreement,
though not formally expressed, that the
| proposed Wheeler compromise should ope-
| rate as an acuuiescence in the Kellogg gov
| erument, and further action or discussion
on that subject by Congress should not be
had.
In the debate. the following propositions
| were submitted by the supporters OF the
resolution:
That the understanding or tacit agree
| ment above reIefreu to in the preceding
| Congresses, was lot binding on this, new
body.
That the passage by the House, in the
| Forty third Congress. of the resolution
| recognizing William p. Kellogg as the Gov
ernor of Louisiana, did not, and ought not
to control the Forty-fourth Congress, the
resolution of recognition having passed the
| House by party vote, most OF the Repub-
| lican members voting for 1t and the Demo-
| cratic members againstlt.
That the election rtturns of 1872 had not
been canvassed by the congressional com
mlttee of investigation, portion OF which
committee had undertaken the compromise
of 1875, involving only the election OF 1874.
That this compromise, assuming to recog-
| nize kellogg as Governor, has not the ap.
| proval and ratification OF the people OF
Louisiana, and does not conclude the claims
of John McEnery as legal Governor
These plOpOsltions, incidentally SUB
| mitted, the House did not decide upon, and
it's acton was decisive only of this, that as
| Kellogg was exercising the functions of
| Governor, and was recognized as exercising
such functions by the coordinate branches
| of the State government, his certificate,
| prima facie, entitled Mr. M0rey to be sworn
| In as q member of the House on it's organi-
| zatiOn.
II ia clearly the sense of the House, as
| shown by these proceedings, that the issue,
"Who is the legal Governor should not be
| raised collaterally, and, therefore, it can
| only be considered as a direct and inde-