Year: 1876

The most marked feature OF the occa-
sion in the passage OF these resolutions
by the entire Conservative vote Of the
House. resolutions which have only to
be read to have their peculiar force and
meaning and perfect appropriateness
properly appreciated, was that they
were offered and seconded by the two
gentlemen who were the most leading
Democrats who supported tho Wheeler
compromise movement. Hon. T.. T..
Kidd and the Hon. John Young. The
resolutions were rs follows:


Whereas. the House Of Representa-
tives OF the State OF Louisiana, actuated
by sincere desire to have oil future
elections IN this State conducted peace
ably and with the utmost fairness to oil
parties, have passed ut the present ses-
sion an election bill, which in its main
and essential features can be objected
to by no one desiring the maintenance
OF the purity OF the ballot box, or hay
ing the pence Of tho State at heart and,
Whereas. the Senate Of the State has
passed u substitute for that bill, con
tanning most odious features of most
odious Returning Board, and provisions
anti-republican In their character, and
which tend to destroy tho expressed will
of the people Mt the ballot box, pro-
visions which are insulting to the com
mon sense and decency OF every intelli-
gent citizen Of Louisiana. and which in
any free and independent State Of this
Union would not be tolerated for one
moment. and which, II adopted here,
would inevitably produce civil strife,
| disrupt society and destroy tho remnant
| Of our prosperity, and
Whereas, the State of JOuisiona has
been pillowed In shame and disgrace by
tho scandalous and outrageous conduct
Of the present Returning Board, whose
powers are not so great rs those with
which this Senate substitute invests It's
proposed Returning Board; and


Whereas, This House is unalterably
and upon principle opposed to tho adop-
tion OF any law providing for % Return
even though this House, under It's pro
visions, should be entitled to select all
of its members; and


| Whereas, under the compact estab-
lished by the Wheeler adjustment, the
Executive Of the State and the members
Of the General Assembly committed
| themselves to q governmental policy to
be marked by reform and reformatory
measures, Of which this Senate substi-
tute ID not one; therefore,


Resolued, That it Is with exceeding re-
gret that this House has knowledge OF
the passage by the Senate OF this sub
stitute bill, and this house sincerely
trusts that it may reconsider It's deter
mination to send said bill to the House
for it's concurrence and that It Is the
sense Of this House that persistence
on the part Of any department or branch
OF this government to adopt this substi-
tute bill, or any bill providing for q Re
turning Board, will he violative Of the
spirit and true intent OF the Wheeler
adjustment, and this House will cOnse-
duently be absolvcd from all obligations
Hereunder, and in the future should
conduct It's proceedings accordingly.


2. That 1t Is the sincere and ardent wish
OF the members of this House TO see the
next and all future elections In this
State conducted fairly, peaceably and
with perfect consideration for the rights
and opinions of all men; and at all
times are willing to sincerely guarantee
their assistance to carry out this desire
| but that they can never yield their u.s.
sent to an election law which would
again invite arbitrators from other States
which wonld again produce the ridicu.
lous aspect Of q settlement of a LOulsi-
ana election in the city OF New York
and which again would cheat the will
OF the people as expressed Mt the ballot
| box, and would inevitably lead TO civil
commotion, strife and even bloodshed
and crush out the last remaining hope
for coming prosperity 50 our most un-
fortunate and impoverished State.