New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-04
THE POLICE OF THE STATE EoUsE.

THE POLICE OF THE STATE HOUSE.
The precautions which were taken by
the State authorities to protect the
members of the Legislature from the in
the Democracy. There is turbulent ele-
ment in that party that wants to see
everything done with a whoop and hur-
rah style to override the opposition of
reason. All the Democratic members of
the General Assembly appear to have
been brought completely under the DOM
nation of those who advise such policy,
as they have, with one or two honorable
exceptions, positively refused to enter the
hall of either house unless they were per-
mitted to have crowd of friends troop
sesses the imprescriptible right to pass
any and everybody into the Legislature,
surely every other must be conceded the
same privilege. And as the old St. Louis
Hotel is VIGOROUSLY of much less capacity
than Castle Garden, or the old Coliseum of
Rome, it is manifestly impossible to graf
ify everybody. For purposes Of organ
ization, only those whose names are placed
on the roll furnished by the Secretary of
State have any right to be present within
the bar of either house. After the Cen
eral Assembly is ready for business, the
two halls devoted to legislation are COM
pletely under the control of the Senate
and House respectively.
So long as there was no force or barri-
cade placed in the way of member on
his way to take his seat, he had no right
to complain because others were barred
who were not members for the purpose of
organization. There has been no durance
of any sort, physical or moral, contem-
plated or practiced except that which for
babe the members elect appearing in their
places at the State House. This tyran-
nical interference was not the work of the
Republicans. Ali the measures of Gov
ernor Kellogg were taken for the purpose
of protecting the convenience of members
until such time as they could perfect an
organization, when the authority of the
two houses would naturally and legally
succeed that of the executive. It is
lame and frivolous excuse to set up as
plea for neglect of duty to say that be-
cause the halls which are sacred to legis-
lation were not thrown open to the whole
world, the members elect were justified in
sulking away to another place and taking
no part in the proceedings. Some such
an idea enters into the complaints against
the presence of United States troops on
election day. 1t is notorious that no valid
objection has ever been raised to the last
named arrangement, and none has ever
been suggested by any party that did not
expect to violate the law.
We have vivid recollection Of scene
Of violence which was perpetrated in 1875,
when, under cover of a force of sergeants-
alarms the Democrats acclaimed the
Speaker into the chair and carried the de-
cision with q showing of armed force.
There is no doubt the same tactics would
have been resorted to this year if all the
contestants and the constituents" Of the
members elect in the capacity of ser
geants-at-arms had been permitted to rush
pell NELL into the halls of the two houses.
The defeat Of this revolutionary intent
provoked the usual strike among the DEM
ocratic members, who have retired under
the pretense that they have been kept out
by force No member Of the Legislature
whose name is on the official list has been
barred from his seat and the plea that he
could not, consistently with his honor and
dignity, 60 to place from which his po-
litical friends were per force excluded be-
cause there did not happen to be room
for all Of them, is entirely without weight.
As wen might members refuse to do Their
duty because the people had elected per,
sons toward whom they entertain per
sonal dinlike, or because the State did mo-
provide them with free carriages to TAKE
them to and from the State House. Al
insufficient excuse Is worse than none 3
ali, and we consider the Democratic mem
bsrs Of the General Assembly have dom
very unwise and evolutionary thing
without properly A.Anking Of the situation
Il would place them in.