New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-03
FILE YOUR PROTEST.
The Diplomats of St. PatrIck's Hall,

Nuo diplomats OF Sts Ratrtck's Hail.
Commissioner Pordage, in one of Dick
ems "Christmas Stories" while being res
cued from pirates against his will, called
for foolscap, pens and ink every half hour
or GO, and putting on his diplomatic coat,
fled a solemn protest against the irregu-
larity of the proceedings. Whenever one
of the sailors wanted a light for his pipe,
all he had to say was, Hand US over q
protest. jack"
Really, our Democratic friends are get
ting as monOtonous with their protests as
Mr., Commissioner POrdage. Another pro-
test was handed over yesterday-this time
from the House caucus at St. PAtIick's
Hall. Shortly before noon committee,
consisting of Messrs Harry Wilde, of Or
leans, Williams, of East Baton Rouge, and
Singleton, of st. Landry, waited upon Gov
ernor Kellogg at the State House. DIR.
Wilde introduced his colleagues, and there
upon proceeded to read the following docu-
ment:
HOUSE OF BEPREsESTATIvEs,
Tuesday, January ?, lS5T
Hen. W. P Kellogg, Governor Of LOuisians;
AS a committee of the House of Repre-
sentatives of the State of Louisiana we
have come to inform you that the House OF
| Representatives has organized in St. Pat
| rick's Hall, in this city, and has there
| elected a Speaker, Hon. Louis Bush, of Or
leans, and are now ready to proceed to
| business.
Our reasons for assembling in that hs II we
| desiI to state, at the same time entering ur
solemn protest against the occupation of
| the State House by armed police and
/ - nd he F1y,1. uFrl ,v,ly
warranted exclusion of duly elected repre-
| seDtatives of the people.
| At the hour of assembly, on Monday
| January l, we presented ourselves at the
| door to the State House, which we found in
possession of armed men, police and militia,
| with the doors barricaded and closed.
On duly requesting permission for the
| Representatives elect to enter, and after
duly demanding that the barricades be re-
moved, that the armed police and militia
be withdrawn, and being met with a re.
fusal in order to avoid tumult and blood
shed, we withdrew and organized accord
| ing to the law and constitution of the State.
The Clerk of the House, also having pre-.
sented himself, demanded that the police,
militia and unauthorized armed men be
commanded to retire, that the barricades
be removed, and that the legally elected
members of the Legislature be alo we'd to
enter, and this being also refused, retired to
St. PatIick's Hall, where upon call of the
roll duly elected number of Representa-
tives were found to be present, and the
House was duly organized.
In the name of that body, the House O1
Representatives of the State of Louisiana
we desire to enter our solemn protest
OF the duly elected Representatives of the
people; against the presencs of armed
Metropolitan Polics and soldiers, anC
against the barricaeds which excluded thu
Repre- :entatives from entering their hall
We enter this our solemn protest against
sucA unlawful and uuwarranted pro ceed
ings in the name of the people, whose right
have been trampled on and Overthrown, anC
in the name of all that is dear in the liberties
of our State.
RICHARD II. WILDE,
of Orleans.
j. NJ. WILLIAMS,
OF East Baton Rouge.
NJ. V. SINGLETON, Sr.,
Of st. Landry parish,
Governor Kellogg replied;
GeRtlemen-There are several statement
contained in this communication which arr
incorrect. There we're no military, proper
ly speaking, IN the State House yesterday
There was force of police armed no diff
ferently from the way in which they are or
dinarily armed as cOnservatOrs of the peace
They were simply here for the purpose o
protecting the members of the Legislature
They were not here for the purpose of inter
fering. with any member of either House
They were specially instructed not to inter
fere with any member, but to protect then
from interference by others.
1t has been stated there we're United
States troops in the State House. Their
were none. 1t has also been statet
that there has been communica
tiOn cut between this building and tn
New OIleans Hotel, on Chartres street, TO
the purpose of introducing United State
troops with greater rapidity into the Stat
House. That is not true. Whatever com
mhnication exists between the State Houst
and any other building has existed forsom
time.
AS to this House, which you claim ha
been legally and properly organized, tn
law provides that the Secretary of Stat
shall furnish the Clerk of the House witt
a list of all persons legally declared elected
members of the House of Represen tatives
The Clerk was furnished yesterday will
such list. Sixty-eight of the men who's
names were on that list appeared in tn
regular hall of the House of Representa-
tives in the State House and organized &C
cOrding to law, and tOrty.twO or forty-thre
at most appeared in ST. Patrick's Hall
Therefore | must decline TO receive an,
communication from a body which lack
nearly twenty of quorum.
The same may he said as to the Senate
A legal quorum of Senators holding owe
and Senators declared duly elected met il
the Senate chamber, in the State House
nineteen in number and later in the da,
one of the holding over Democratic Sena
tors appeared also in the Senate chamber
making twenty Senators present out o
thirty-six.
Thus there is a Legislature both HOus
and Senate, fully organized. They SEVERAL,
waited upon me yesterday by committee
and informed me that they wsre ready Il
transact business and in accordance witt
the requirements of the constitution trans
mitted TO them my annual message.
What did yesterday in the way of pro
tectiBg the State House / did simply as
cOnservator of the peace and to proteO
the members of the Legislature unit
organized. did not object to con
testants as contestants. l only knew
others as members of the. Legislature.
: informed Mr.. Trezevant, the Clerk of tn
} House, that If he desired would Withdraw
| all the guards from the vicinity of the hal
and from the approaches to the hall an
l leave him in full and undisputed control Q
the hall itself. But he went further, after
, had yielded all his demand and asked IN
to remove what he termed the barrieades o
the lower floor of the building, there bein
none on the upper floor where the Hall Q
/ Representatives is situated. These barr
cades were placed there simply to preven
any danger of q mob breaking into tn
Treasurer's and Auditors offices. This, a
. you know, is an old hotel; the doors of tn
lower floor are composed largely of glas
and could be easily broken by a mob sue
as surged around this building yesterday