New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-04-14

representatives, instead OF Mee8rB. CreegY,
Role and TremOulet.
Thus, as they lacked majority Of mem
bers elected to the House of Representa-
tives on their own returns, quorum was
not present, and no business whatevsr,
even an organic alton, could be legally
transacted. But this constitutional provi-
Rion wae not respected, aud without the
formula of seating these three defeated
Candidates by revolution, they went
through the formality of organization and
elected Colonel Louis Bush as Speaker with
only ffty-nine members present OF those
declared elected on their own official Con-
serVative Democratic returns.
There is no juster maxim of law than
JfalsAni in stnO 5alsssn in oD,,,i. and it is be-
yond controversy that less than majority
of the elected members of legal House
can only adjourn from day to day or COM
pei the attendance of absent members, and
can not make members or seat any one
claiming to contest the seat of member
lsbsent or presently acknowledged to be
elected on the same returns under which
this body of legally insufficient members
holds its own title.
Continuing with our examination of the
journal Of the daily sessions of this go
called House Of Representatives for all of
it's regular session of 1877, and admitting,
for argument sake, that the returns of the
election of the members thereof are legal,
we fud that at no one days session during
all Of January and February did they hGUe
quorum present Of members elected thereto,
either according to their Otsn official re-
turns, or he legal returns made to the Secre.
tGTy of State under constitutional provts-
ions
Dividing the daily roll Of members pres
enV at each days session into those whose
election is claimed in Democratic oGacial
returns, and those whose right to act as
Representatives lie based solely upon the
ipse dirit Of body of men, lacking in
themselves strength or force of law to give
validity to their actions, we find the follow
ing result, viz:
January p
Eresent. .....'...'.'....s. .6l
NACNtoA 1h OChVcA&bAo l0HAEuHs . . ~
Taleemen. n....,............s... ............ A
On Tuesday, January 3 with fifty seven
elected members and four talesmen present,
they went through the formality Of count
ing in their Governor and Lieutenant Gov.
ernor, without quorum present of mem
bsrs elected on their own returns and four
tales-members present. Was this legal
COUNT Did it constitute compliance with
the provisions of article forty-eight of the
constitution of this State2
January g.
Present., ...s..,..s..;'.... .,..6l
Elected on Democratic returns. ..... 81
Taleemen n...................... 4
On this day they admit j. S. Robert
SON, defeated candidate from St. Martin,
as member of their body,
January A.
Elected on Democratic returns. s....., 81
Tslesmen. n..................... 4
January s.
Present. .........,,..........f. .6l
Elected on Democratic returns !. -. 81
Talesmen, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 4
January O.
Elected on Democratic returns. ..... SO
IaleHmen. n..........s..........s 3
On this day they admit L. Barbin, a de-
feated candidate from AvOyelles, as an ad-
ditiOnal member of their body.
January lMondayl-
Elected on Democratic returns. SO
Iaiesmen. ............s.,..s...,
January g.
D.eaenk SO