New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-26

1AAUCu Nt0loS. NOWs olEs WC 1CoPSSo CAO
constitution OF the United States SO far as
it is in our power. and we do not propose to
cu1tail or withdraw any of those rights; and
l believe | am warranted in speaking tor
my side of the house when l declare that
this resolution expresses our views, without
any modification whatsoever.
Now. sir, We have upon the statute
books a law which is in direct cOntraven-
ton of the spirit Of the constitution, and
! which has been scandal in the eyes of the
American people. l refer to the Returning
Board election law. l ask, sir, how ia it
possible for q portion of the citizens Of this
State to claim greater political rights than
the constitution provides for them; and
state that this law has been used to secure
| to a certain class Of citizens greater rights
| than others, and one OF the most infamous
provisions OF that law is the ono
| which defeats the political rights Of
citizens OF the State guaranteed by the con
stitution. 1s it not q most remarkable spec
| tacle that such law should To allowed to
exist on the statute books Of free people7
| state, sir, that the existence OF this law
has been the cause of all the political tur
| moil which has existed in this S:ate
for eome time past ask any
| colored man on this floor. let him
be a candidate for any Office, State
parish or municipal, and supposing he has
received an overwhelming majority OF tho
votes at en- election, where are his rights
| under the election law as it exists on toe
statute books of the State OF louisiana
They have no returning board in Massa-
chusetts, or New York. or South Carolina
| TO decide the result Of an election. The
| principal object Of this Returning Board i.
| To defeat the election OF q certain class or
citizens.
Sir. the colOred men on the floor OF this
Senate could by their votes change the con
a DrH %lr~
| do not hesitate to say that the great wish
of the white people OF this State is to have
| a fair, quit and peaceable election. 1t IS
not denied that the colored people CT TINS
! Stats have the same rights 80 the white
people, but DO deny that they are entitled
! 10 any more rights than the whites, and 1t
| is perfectly Idle to deny that it is not the
| main object of this Returning Board TO
| defeat the will of the people.
We ara upon the eve OF great election,
| to he held in this the centennial year Of tie
| existence of the United StAtes, anu we 90
| not wish TO witness such scenes as were
Witnessed in 1872 and in 1874 in this State.
| | am opposed to the feature of this law
| which provides that five men men may sit
| in {. room and declars who are elected.
| Ask us sir. if you choose, to leave the
| State OF Louisiana, ask us ii you choose,
| sir, to unbury our dead and carry them
| with US; ask us, sir, if you choose, to wipe
| GU. from our memory all recOllectlcEs OF
| the State of Louisiana, but, sir, do not ASK
us to remain il State where We are under
! its laws called upon to sacrifice the right
| guaranteed to every American citizen by
the cons titution Of the United States. Sir,
! believe the white people OF the State OF
| Louisiana are entitled 10 the same rights as
the colored people. The constitution
Of the United States does not
| give 20 the colored man anygreater rights
than t accords to the white man. l would
| like, sir, to STE my State blooming with
prosperity. God knows l ~ould like to see
the people of this State, both white and
| colored, living together in peace and har
| mony, and l am, therefore, IN favor OF the
| passage OF these resolutions. Sir, the white
| people of the State of Louisiana are not
! assassins they are not murderers by n
! stInct.
hIr. Sypher asked the Clerk to read sec
ton twenty.cne Of the House electien bill,
aud al so resolution adopted by the House
committee of conference as part Of lis re-
marks. lie said:
The Senator from Orleans says the pee
PIE Of Louisiana are not by instinct assas.
| sins and murierers. l ask him why they
are murderers, for by his remarks he has
| acknowledged that they are such
He then called attention to the feature OF
the House bill which gave the compiling OF
the returns TO the clerks of the different
courts. He was willing to have one return
ing board. but was opposed to having
twenty-five returning boards in the State
Mr. Sypher then offered substitute ia
the resolution of Mr.. Blackburn. aud upon
that moved tae previous question. which
| no Of Mr. Ria ptz hI;rnF
protest against the ruling OF the Char
which he characterized as unparliamentacy
and urpreceaented The substitute wa:
adopted.
The bill to permit the people OF New Or
leans to vote to levy a tax upon themselves
IN aid Of the New Orleans Pacific railroad
was called up by Senator Wharton. Pend
ing It's discussion executive session waS
called for, ana the bill went over.
After executive session the House sppro
pIiat;on bill came up, and excited consiG
erable discussion. Severa! amendments
were offered and adopted. 1t was finally
| adopted as amended, and shortly after tht
Senate adjourned.
! House.
Immediately after roll call liE. kldt
moved that committee of seven DO ap
pointed By the SPEAKER to Investigate what
if apv, were the charges against Governor
Kellogg. and to report as soon as possible.
MI. Matthews raised the poiat that this
WAS a matter not to be introduced al q
mere motion. but being an order OF the
House required the suspension OF the rules
to be considered, as resolution would.
Sneaker Estilette overruled tie point.
Mr.. Dsmas asked the yeas and nays o.
the proposition, but when insisted on oy
him the Speaker said it was too late and tn
resolution had passed.
Nr. Matthews moved reconsideration
and obtaining the floor on that notion, saio
the motion was unnecessary and only
wasted the time of the Honse, as it wal
| known to every member what charges hav
been made against the Governor. This mo
ton is a strange mode of proceeding by thu
majority of tie House, composed of intelh
, gent gentlemen. to have committee ap
noipted to ascertain what charges hav
been made against the Governor, when it i
known to them and the public that specia
committee has already made charges to tn
, House. There is proper way to procee'
in this rnattor, if such is the wish Of the ma
, ;ar;+r hut t,;s ia NOT il. It is evident tina