New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-21
A LIVELY DEBATE.
Is the Louisiana Refurnipg Board in Con-
Tempt


ern Associated Press
Mr. Lynde, Democrat, of Wisconsin, from
the Judiciary Committee, made a report
relative to the refusal of Messrs. Wells, An
del son, CasaHave and Kenner, members of
the Louisiana Returning Board, to pro-
duoe before the committee on the election
in Louisiana certain papers demanded by
said committee. The report concluded with
resolution directing the Sergeant-atATms
to take into custody and bring before the
bar OF the House the above named gentle
men.
Mr.. Frye, o member OF the Judiciary
Committee, said that when that report was
agreed to in the committee, there was no
Republican member of the committee pres
ent. For his part, he regarded the doctrine
enunciated in it as q monstrous one. Under
it, there was no sovereignty anywhere in
the country that was not subject to be
called before q committee of the House and
compelled TO produce it's original records.
He held, on the contrary, that Congress
had no more to do with the Returning
Board of the State of Louisiana than be,
as an individual, had. He held that the
Returning Board, having been legally con-
stituted by the authority of the conetitu.
ton of the United States, and having pro-
ceeded with its duties under the law OF
Louisiana, having made its returns, and the
returns having been authorized by law, the
House was concluded from going behind
them. The only authority that the House
had was as to the general condition of the
country, the public veal; to inquire
whether or not there was such o state of
things there that Congress ought to take no.
tice oft, or that the question should at once
be admitted that there was such condition
of things there as required congressional
Intervention. If Congress had the right to
interfere to prevent murder, outrage, and
every other barbarian, he believed that
there was now, and had been for the last
eight years, deep, determined, and abso-
lutte purpose not to permit to certain oiti-
zens of Louisiana the exercise of the right
of suffrage, and he believed that these oiti-
zens were prevented from the exercise of
the right by murder. by blows, by every con-
oeivable outrage. He believed that in some
things the States were supreme, and that in
some things the United States were
supreme. He believed that Congress had
no more authority to take these original pa
pers and records, and to bring them out
from under the jurisdiction of the State of
Louisiana to the city of Washington, than
the authorities of Louisiana had to take the
papers of the United States and carry them
to the city of New Orleans, For States
rights there had been one war, and was it
possible that the men who went into the
war for State rights had been SO far convert
ed by defeat as to be ready to say to-day that
a congressional committee could take and
carry away the archives of State, of q
State court or of State Returning Board7
1t seemed that nothing was sacred from
Democratic investigating committees. Even
to-day, the committee of the House was
committing an indecency in demanding
from the national committee its whole man
ner of conducting national campaign, it's
whole correspondence, all its kilograms, all
all nfn In nvfrsa haVn
to say, as a member of that committee
that he had advised the putting in of every
thing, letters, kilograms, etc, for he knew
perfectly well that there was nothing in
them which would indicate fraud in Louisi-
ana, Florida or South Carolina. He knew
that that committee believed that the Re-
publioans had carried those three States
honestly and fairly, and that they would
be counted for 4. B. Hayes, unless Demo
crats of those States and of the United
States should steal, by fraud, the votes Of
those States. fContemptuous laughter on
the Democratic side and in the galleriesl.
He hoped that the galleries would not
help the Democratic side of the house in
this debate.
Mr.. Luttrell-I do not think the gentle
man has a right to charge the Democratic
party with stealing, when his Republican
committee robbed the poor widows and
campaign. Loud applause in the gal
MT. Frye-I did not know, when gave
the gentleman from California the liberty
to ask a question, that he wanted to inter-
jeCt little demagogical stump speech that
would meet the approval OF the galleries
on that side.
Mr.. Luttrell-De you deny that it is SO
You were on a Republican national COM
haf a
widows and orphans of the Departments
were made to pay for the support of the
campaign. Loud calls of order on the Re-
publican side.
Mr. Frye There is q committee of mem
bers of the House, intelligent members OF
| the House, which is investigating that very
subject. The committee will find out and
answer the gentleman shortly.
MIR. Luttrell attempted to make another
remark, but was informed by the Speaker
| that the gentleman from Maine was entitled
to the floor. "Well, sir" said Mr.. Luttrell
she bulldozed them"
| Mr., Frye declared that the Republican
| committee had never assessed, demanded
/ or asked contributions from such people as
| Mr. Luttrell had described. On the con
| trary it had sent out a very polite request
| to the gentlemen who were commissioned
| by the President and confirmed by the Sen
ate, to help 70 run the campaign.
Mr.. Luttrell-Was it not understood tina
every one who declined to pay an assess
ment should be dischargedY
Mr.. Frye-It was not so understood, anl
| there never was a man asked twice for I
| contribution.
Mr. Luttrell-BeeRuHe II he refused b.
was discharged.
Mr. Frye-And there never was a suggeR
ton that anybody should be punished TO
refusing to make contribution, and ther
never was any contribution whatever to tn
Republican National Committee from de
partment clerks.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, said that he wOul,
not follow the argument of the gentlemal
from Maine, which had been sufficiently an
swered by the badinage of the gentlemal
from California and by the irOnioal cheer
of the galleries. The point before the Hous
was simply whether the authority of tn
House should be disregarded by the Re
turning Board of Louisiana.
Mr.. Kasson, of Iowa, argued against tn
resolution, because it would establish q pre-
eedent that q committee of the HOus
could summon the Governor of State t
bring before it the papers of his office, an
could bring that high official before the ba
of the House, degrading him by asking hiE
| to stand at the bar and answer for oOntempt
If one State officer could be so treated, an
other State officer might be. If one Stat
paper could be taken, any State pape
could be taken, and the archives of Stat
might be plnndered. BE denied the righ
of committee Of the House, or q commit
tee of both houses, by resolution or by
Law, to insist upon an executive officer of
State bringing his official papers and pr
ducing them bafOre it.
Mr.. Hooker, of Missouri, said he woul
not follow the example of the gentleme
from Maine tMr. Fryel, in seeking to svoi
! and evade the plain, simple propositiO