Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-10-18
ID. BY this time, Mr.. Witt had become
Il. L..

ed. BY this time, Mr.. Witt had become
one Of the leaders Of the local Demoera-
cy and was chosen by that body as a
candidate for Mayor. He was elected
to the Office, but counted out by the
gigantic system OF ballot box stnffing so
successfully manwuvered by the Repub
Leans. In no wise daunted by this fail
ure, Mr.. Wilt was again a candidate for
Mayor at the next election with the GER
tainty of being chosen for the Office, but
the Republican Legislature finding no
other escape from defeat, passed a'bill
postponing the election. When at last
it came off, and Mr.. Wilt was elected
by an overwhelming majority, another
difficulty presented itself. Flanders, the
Republican Mayor, refused tovacate the
office. There is no knowing what might
have occurred then but for Mr.. Wiltz's
energy and determination. We might,
indeed, have lost the city as we soon af-
ter lost the State Government. But so
emphatic was Mr.. Wilt in his demand
for the City Hall that MIR. Flanders turn
cd it over to him under protest, a pro-
test of which, however, nothing was ever
afterwards heard.
In1s74, Mayor Witt was candi-
date for reelection. He had apparent
ly a majority of votes, but on the first
ballot there was misconnt. A new
ballot was called for and Mr.. Leeds
nominated. Instead Of sulking, like
Achilles in his tent, Mayor Witt grace
fully acxuiesced in the result and de-
voted himself as earnestly as ever to
the interests of the people. The citi-
zens of his ward, without consulting
him, nominated and elected him q
member of the Legislature of 1875, the
first Democratic House that had met for
years. 1t was universally recognized
that Mr.. Witt was the leading spirit
of this body, and he was elected as
| Speaker to carry out its intentions and
plans The people expected much from
| it and from him, and they were not
disappointed. When the fourth ofJanu-
airy came around, under the leadership
of Mr.. Wilt, a peaceful revolution was
carried out in our State House which
would have resulted in wrestling the
State from the hands of the Repnbli-
cans then, as it was wrested two years
afterwards, but for the intervention of
the Federal troops under General De
Trobriand.
There are few pictures in the history
of Louisiana as worthy of representa-
tion as the scene which then took place
in our House of Representatives. on that
memorable 4th Of January. Chosen as
Speaker by coup detat, Mr.. Wilt oc-
cupied the position despite the fact that
the lobby was crowded with negro
strikers, and the buildings filed with
Metropolitans. The coup d'etat was q
success and everything tended to show
that, within few days, when Kellogg
should have been swept from the Office
which he had usurped, Mr.. Wilt would
be Acting-Govern0r. Orders from
Washington changed all this, however,
and the military marching, with clank
of guns into the Legislative Halls of
Louisiana suppressed its Assembly, AS
Cromwell had of old, suppressed the
parliament of England.
When 1876 came around, Mr. Witt
was prominent candidate for Cover
nor before the Democratic Convention
i He found himself supported by nearly
the entire delegation from New Orleans.
He showed the greatest strength Of any
candidate on the first ballot. When Gen
Nichols was selected Governor, Wilt
was unanimously second second on the
ticket.
AsPresident of the Senate, he displayed
his abilities as presiding officer which
however, were still more conspicuousll
shown as President of the Constitution.
al Convention that followed s0on after
AS head of this body which framed
what is now the organic law of Louisi.
ana, he won golden opinions. Members
who had come to the Convention oppo.
sed to him were soon won over by the
strict and judicial impartiality he dis
played. 1t was his services IS Presi
dent of the Convention that undoubt-
eddy made him Governor He had pos.
sessed much popularity before, was
the favorite son of New Orleans, but
it was as President of the Senate anC
the Convention that he won the support
y of so many members from the country
who went home imbued with the idei
that the next Governor of Louisiana
must BE- Louis Alfred Wilt. The,
proved correct in their surmises, fol
then the Democratic State Nominating
Convention met at Baton Rouge, after a
warm and most exciting contest, he re-
ceived the nomination for Governor, and
| was elected by an Overwhelming ma
iority,
Of his C0Gtst as Governor it is nnncc
essary to speak here. 1t IS sufficient tt
say, that he won over many who haf
hitherto opposed him, and appeared de-
termined to see no good in him.
His health had not been good for somt
time--he had worn himself out in biz
political and official seryices--but it was
never too bad, he was never too weak
to attend to the duties of his office. II,
chung to these, even when the physi
clans advised rest and relief from duty
1t became evident that this state o
: things could not exist much longer, ant
that Governor Wilt would fall a victim
to his devotion to duty. A few week
ago, a trip through Texas was resolved
upon. The change of air and scenery, i
was believed, might work omeimprove
ment in his condition. He was yer,
: weak when he left the city, too il
| II y