The Opelousas courier., 1882-01-28
The Senate Reorganization.
EDITORS OF THE COURIER

an editorial upon the subject of the re-
moval of Senator Robertson from the
Office of President pro tenn. of the Sen
ate, in which you use the following Ian
guage:
1.-THE more we have read of the coup
d'6tat which displaced Senator Robert
son as President pro tenn. of the Senate
in the recent special term of the Legis
lature, the more are we convinced of I
it's seeming unfairness and injustice.
Ne fault was found in Senator Robert
son as a presiding officer, and no
charges were uttered against his party |
fealty when the caucus of nineteen
Senators announced their intention of
displacibg him.
Here is direct charge, against nine
teen Democratic Senators of the State,
not only of Injustice and unfairness to-
wards Senator Robertson, but of having
deprived him of his office by practicing
a deception upon him. The character
and standing of these Senators should,
/ think y ou will agree with me, exempt
them from such grave charges, unless
they he substantiated by indispatable
evidence [ do not know whether any
of these gentlemen except myself viii
feel called upon to notice your editorial.
owe it to myself and to my constitu
snts to do so, having been one of the
eighteen Senators that approved of the
reorganization and that voted for Sem
ator Walton, in open session of the
Senate especially in view of the fact
that the Washington Argus has copied
vour editorial, with remarks of appro-
val, and the St. Landry Democrat has
published it in its columns, although
without comment.
Should permit these charges to re-
main unanswered, and by my silence
acquiesce in their justness, | would be
held more censurable than the other
Senators with whom have acted, be-
cause of the fact that Senator Robertson
is my colleague, and entitled to receive
from me most particularly, square and
just dealing
The following is a brief statement of
this matter, and my connection with it.
The Legislature asse mbled in extra ses,
sion on Monday, December the 5th. On
the evening of the 4th, ] met Senator
Robertson near the st. Charles Hotel,
when he broached the subject of reor
ganization, asking my opinion about it.
In substance, | stated to him that, in
INV belief, the Senate had the unques
tionable right to reorganize, and if
made question, I would certainly fa-
vor it; telling him at the same time,
! that / yet saw no reason for removing
him. and / should vote to retain him,
unless charges sufficiently grave to
change nv opinion should be preferred
and snbstaDtiated against him. | fur
: ther stated to him on that occasion that
it was matter of pride to me, that q
Senator from my district held position
SO near the gubernatorial chair.
t A caucus of Democratic Senators was
: held ON the morning of the next day
a previous to the meeting of the Senate,
: and in that caucus a motion to reorgan
ize was defeated by vote of Ii to 10
8 my vote being i'm favor of the motion
= and Senator Robertson being present
# voted in the negative, thus defeating it
At this time, several Democratic Sena
tors had not yet arrived, and couse
= quently took no part in the caucus.
II know of ne arrangement or understand
g ing among the Senators who favore.
! the reorganization. that the matter wal
to be dropped then and there. | Ger
tainly was no party to any such ar
% rangements.
p Two or three days prior to the ad
4 iournment of the first extra session,
paper was handed to me by Senator
~ Marston, with request that | shoul'
sign it, should it meet with my ap
,e prevail 1t was a request TO the pre-
"a siding officer of the caucus, to call
:. meeting and pledged the signers to
- reorganization of the Senate.
., Being of opinion that the Presiden
O. pro tenn of the Senate was not q cons
ko titutional officer, as he was claimed t.
!. be, by many persons, and that the Ser
. ate had full authority to control sliis
N as matter relating exclusively to il
n own organization, /, as member Z
c. the Senate. thought that body shoul
!. put this Question at rest, by promI
. exercise of-its Legitimate authority.
20 was actuated by this principle alone
m and did not at that time, intend to Civ
We nv vote against Senator Robertson.
m On the last day of said session, an
after passing over the calendar, til
~ Senate took recess until o'clock p.
DeIOEO ECtESS w do eesnNssi ho -
e. Senator Lnckett requested the Pres
Of dent to announce, that a caucus OF I'll
= Democratic members would take plac
- Immediately during the recess, and re
auesting all members to be present.
Senator Robertson was present
!. the Senate when this announcemeT
!. was made. Just befera.I entered u
=. caucus room, he said to me | nnde
e stand yoa have signed paper for
Il. reorganization of the Senate | sa
1. s.yes,'' and asked him If he was not 8
ing into the caucus. He said, he wou
W not as its action concerned him pc
a eonally. Senator Robertson had hin
ut self, seen the call with my name sign,
,w to it, on that morning, previous to 81
meeting of the Senate. Senator Lucl
ca EFT had shown it to him, and suggest
,e- the propriety of his resigning, to Will
Iss he replied, that be desired to consr
- his friends, and asked possession OF {
: = document for that purpose. 1t was
= cordingly given him.
rs- The caucus met, Senator Roberts,
I'LL. absenting himself.
AS soon as the caucus was called
order, and the call for the nesting re
eer by Senator Lnckett, the President, 7
rat question was raised-What necessl
ar was there for a reorganization! Senal
49, Lucas thereupon stated. that Senat
!. Robertson had openly declared, thi
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