Document; February 1, 1875

Documents
Document; February 1, 1875

Document Network
Document Metadata

Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Alaige, J.Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 Anderson, T. C.Baker, Unknown Bayley, G. W. R.Billieu, John S.Blaffer, J. A.Booth, Edward Bower, E. L.Brice, James, Jr.Burckhart, George P.Byrne, Charles Campbell, Hugh J.Carloss, W. W.Carmouche, E. A.Collins, O. L.DeBlanc, J. A.Delhommer, Charles Drury, Unknown Dunn, C. C.Dupre, George W.Edward, R. P.Edwards, Bolivar Elhall, F.Estillette, E. D.Flood, E.Gilmore, John A.Hahn, M.Hall, G. S.Hammond, William F.Horan, John J.Houston, Unknown Hurig, A.Jeffries, James Johnson, Thomas Jones, Seaborn Kellogg, William Pitt, 1830-1918 Kelly, George A.Kimmel, Charles Koontz, W. B.Lafargue, A. D.Land, A. D.Lowell, Charles Winthrop, 1834-1877 Luckett, R. L.Magee, William Maginnis, A. A.Matthews, John S.McAlpin, M.Meredith, T. E.Mitchell, H. C.Murill, Unknown O'Quinn, John Osborn, I. N.Pascal, Gabriel Philippe Régis Denis de Keredern de Trobriand (1816 – 1897)Pipes, W. H Richardson, G. W.Roman, Charles Scales, John L.Schneck, Charles H.Schwing, William F.Seaman, C. F.Self, D. W.Shuler, Charles Sibilisky, M.Smith, W. P.Stafford, George W.Thomas, Unknown Trezevant, Peter J.Upton, Emory, 1839-1881 Vaughan, Thomas R.Vidrine, Y.Vigers, Unknown Voorhies, Felix Walker, Clememt L.Walters, R. B.Wiltz, Louis Alfred, 1843-1881 Young, John

Events

Crime Crime--Riots Crime--Threat Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--Arrest Legislation Legislation. Louisiana Military Events--Insurrections Military Events--Military occupation Political Office--Appointment to office Political Office--Removal from office Political elections Political elections--Louisiana

Military Units

United States. Army

Organizations

Louisiana--Department of State Louisiana--Executive Department Louisiana--Legislature Louisiana--Legislature. House of Representatives Mississippi--Executive Department Political Parties Political Parties--Democratic Party (U.S.)Political Parties--Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )United States--Congress United States--Congress. House United States--Congress. Senate

Businesses

Newspapers Newspapers--Mississippi Newspapers--Mississippi. The Conservative (Carrollton)

Occupations

Adjutants Clerks Judges Judges. Justices of the Peace Law Enforcement Law Enforcement--Police Legislators Politicians Secretaries

Places

Louisiana Louisiana--Avoyelles Parish Louisiana--Bienville Parish Louisiana--Caddo Parish Louisiana--De Soto Parish Louisiana--East Baton Rouge Parish. Baton Rouge Louisiana--Iberia Parish Louisiana--Lafourche Parish Louisiana--Orleans Parish. New Orleans Louisiana--Rapides Parish Louisiana--Winn Parish

Page 1

Conservativ[unclear]

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of th[unclear]

The House of Representatives of the State of Louisi-ana, duly organized in accordance with the laws of the State, would most respectfully state to your honorable bodies that having convened in the Capitol of the State on the 4th day of January, 1875, and having organized permanently according to the law, their Speaker and a ma-jority of the members were compelled to retire by the troops of the United States; the facts being as follows:

On Monday, January 4, 1875, at 12 o'clock M., the Clerk of the former House called the roll of members as returned by the Returning Board, to the number of one hundred and six—one hundred and eleven consituting a full house—and after reading the certificate of the Secre-tary of State attached thereto, announced a quorum present; fifty-six being the number required.

Thereupon, on motion of Mr. Billieu, of Lafourche, which was carried, the Hon. L. A. Wiltz, of Orleans, took the chair as temporary Speaker. Mr. Wiltz, as Speaker, called the House to order. The oath of office was duly administered to him by Justice Houston, and thereupon the Speaker administered the oath to the re-turned members of the House.

A motion was then made to declare Mr. P. J. Treze-vant Clerk of the House, pro tem., which was carried.

A motion was next made to appoint Mr. E. Flood Sergeant-at-Arms pro tem., which was carried.

Motions and calls from both the Republican and Con-servative sides for a permanent organization followed, but great confusion prevailing, the Chair refused to en-tertain any motion until order was somewhat restored.

The following resolution, offered by Mr. Billieu, of La-fourche, was then moved and passed:

"Be it Resolved, That James Brice, Jr., of the Parish of Bienville, Charles Schuler and John L. Scales, of the Parish of DeSoto, C. C. Dunn, of the Parish of Winn, be and they are hereby declared duly elected members of this House, and as such are entitled to their seats, reserving to their opponents, if any, all rights of contestation."

These five, being members from the four parishes whose returns the Returning Board had neglected to promul-gate, and had referred to the Legislature for its decision, were then duly sworn in and took their seats.

Thereafter, motions from both Republicans and Con-servatives were made for a permanent organization, and the Speaker announced the motion carried. Mr. L. A. Wiltz was nominated by the Conservatives, and Messrs. Hahn and C. W. Lowell by the Republicans. Mr. Lowell declined. The Speaker then ordered the roll to be called, which roll was the same as called by the former Clerk, Mr. Vigers, (then functus officio), with the addition of the five names above mentioned.

The roll being called, the Clerk announced the vote as follows: L. A. Wiltz, 55 votes; M. Hahn, 2 votes; blank, 1 vote—Mr. Wiltz voting blank.

No objection or dispute was made to the count, or to the announcement of the vote. At this juncture several of the Republican members indicated a disposition to leave the hall, and a number of these retired.

Mr. Wiltz was duly sworn, and the roll being called, the members came to the Speaker's stand and were sworn in by him, four at a time, to the number of fifty-nine (59) including Messrs. Baker, Drury, Hahn, Murrill and Thomas, Republicans, who remained and partici-pated in the proceedings after the permanent organ-ization.

A motion was then made and carried to elect Mr. Trezevant Chief Clerk of the House; and another mo-tion was made and carried, electing Mr E. Flood Ser-geant—at—Arms of the House. Thus was the permanent organization of the House of Representatives effected, in accordance with the Constitution of the State of Louisiana—see articles 17, 20, 34 and 46 or the Consti-tution of the State of Louisiana, and section 44 of act 98, of 1872—and in accordance with law and parliamen-tary usage. The Speaker then announced that the House was ready for business, and notices of contest of elections were given.

On motion of Mr. Dupre, of Orleans, a committee ofseven on elections and returns was appointed, consist

ing of Messrs. Dupre, Pipe[unclear]
Hahn, and Thomas. In t[unclear]
ceedings in the House, a[unclear]
with a crowd of disorder[unclear]
and engaged in menacing
at—Arms and his ten assis[unclear]
geants—at—Arms were con[unclear]
Speaker endeavored to pr[unclear]
tional Sergeants—at—Arms,
a note to the officials
of the barricaded doors
fifty citizens to be admitt[unclear]
quest, made in writing, w[unclear]
conflict was imminent.

Then, in order to avoid
of the United States Arm[unclear]
viously entered and occu[unclear]
soldiers, was sent for. A
addressed by the Speaker as
at the request of the mem[unclear]
sentatives, I have sent for
Representatives of the Sta[unclear]
with myself as permanent
if your orders will permit,
the unruly persons in the
bloodshed. I feel and kn[unclear]
dignity of the House, but
the members of the Hou[unclear]
Hence, you will oblige me if
the lobby.

The General then retire[unclear]
the crowd, which then dispe[unclear]
After this interruption, the
business, the Committee o[unclear]
ported, and upon their repo[unclear]
resentatives were duly sworn
Messrs. John O'Quinn, of th[unclear]
Horan, A. D. Land and Tho[unclear]
ish of Caddo; J. Jeffries, R. L.[unclear]
of the Parish of Rapides,
the Parish of Iberia.

Afterwards, while the pr[unclear]
quietly progressing, about t[unclear]
Gen. P. R. DeTrobriand, co[unclear]
troops in and around the
in uniform, his sword by his s[unclear]
of his staff, and by Mr. Vi[unclear]
House, and addressed Speak[unclear]
uments of which the followi[unclear]

"
"Executive De[unclear]

"Gen. DeTrobriand, Comman[unclear]

"An illegal assembly of
of the hall of the House of Re[unclear]
not being able to dislodge[unclear]
that you will immediately
House of all persons not r[unclear]
the House of Representative
the State.

"W[unclear]

"S[unclear]
"Executive De[unclear]

"Gen. DeTrobriand:

"The Clerk of the House
the roll issued by the Secretar[unclear]
bers of the House of Repr[unclear]
you those persons now in
Representatives returned by
of the State.

"W.[unclear]

The Speaker refused to
these documents, he not bein[unclear]
at the request of Gen. DeTr[unclear]
his Adjutant.

Peter J Trezevant

Page 2

[unclear]e Memorial.

[unclear]e United States of America in Congress Assembled:

[unclear]s, Carloss, Young, Hammond,
[unclear]he meanwhile, during the pro
[unclear]n additional number of police,
[unclear]ly persons, entered the lobby
[unclear]alteration with the Sergeant—
[unclear]tants. Finding that the Ser
[unclear]tending with the mob, the
[unclear]ocure the attendance of addi
and for this purpose addressed
who were in possession and control
of the State House, to allow
[unclear]ed for that purpose. This re
[unclear]as refused. About 1 o'clock,
Pm. M., the disturbance inthe lobby grew serious and a

[unclear]a collision, Gen. DeTrobriand,
[unclear]y, who had sometimes pre
[unclear]pied the State House with his
[unclear]fter entering the hall he was
follows: "Gen. DeTrobriand,
[unclear]bers of the House of Repre
you, to say that the House of
[unclear]te of Louisiana is organized,
Speaker, and to request you,
to please say a few words to
lobby, and thereby prevent
[unclear]ow that I can maintain the
it is not my wish, nor that of
[unclear]se, to bring on a conflict.
you will say a few rods to

The General then retire
[unclear]rsed, and order was restored.
House proceedings with it
[unclear]n Elections and Returns re
[unclear]rt the following named Rep
in and seated as members:
[unclear]e Parish of Avoyelles, J. J.
[unclear]mas R. Vaughan, of the Par
Luckett and G. W. Stafford,
and William F. Schwing, of

[unclear]oceedings of the House were
[unclear]he hour of 3 o'clock, R. M.,
[unclear]mmanding the United States
State—house, entered the hall
[unclear]ide, and accompanied by two
[unclear]gers, the former Clerk of the
[unclear]er Wiltz, exhibiting the doc
[unclear]ng are copies:

State of Louisiana,
[unclear]partment, New Orleans,
"January 4, 1875.

[unclear]ding:

men having taken possession
[unclear]presentatives, and the police
them, I respectfully request
clear the hall and State
[unclear]eturned as legal members of
[unclear]s by the Returning Board of

[unclear]. P. Kellogg, Governor."

[unclear]tate of Louisiana,
[unclear]partment, New Orleans,
"January 4, 1875.

[unclear], who has in his possession
[unclear]y of State as the legal mem
[unclear]esentative, will point out to
the hall of the House of
the legal Returning Board

P. Kellogg, Governor."

allow Mr. Vigers to read
[unclear]g Clerk of the House, and,
[unclear]obriand, they were read by

Speaker Wiltz then asked Gen. DeTrobriand: "Have you submitted these documents to Gen. Emory?" Gen.De Trobriand - "I have not, but I presume that dupli-cate copies have been sent to him." Speaker Wiltz—"General, I wish to say to you that since our organizationwe have admitted, sworn in and seated five members from referred parishes; are these members to be ejected?"

Gen. DeTrobriand—"I am but a soldier; these are my orders. I cannot enter into the consideration of that question." The General further stated that he was under instructions to obey the orders of Gov. Kellogg.

Speaker Wiltz—"I respect you, General, as a gen-tleman and a soldier, and dislike to give you trouble; but I, like you, have a duty to perform, which I owe to my State, to maintain the dignity and authority of my position as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Force will have to be used before I can permit you to execute your orders."

Upon the refusal of Speaker Wiltz and Mr. Treze-vant, the Clerk, to point out the persons, and the refusal of Speaker Wiltz to allow Mr. Vigers to call the roll for the purpose of identifying the members, then Hugh J. Campbell and T. C. Anderson assisted Gen. DeTro- briand in identifying the members to be ejected. Gen. De Trobriand then ordered his soldiers, fully armed and with fixed bayonnets, into the hall, from the lobby, and approached the members successively, while in their seats, to wit: O'Quinn, Vaughan, Stafford, Jeffries, Luckett, Dunn, Kelly, Horan and Land, and one by one he caused them to be taken from the hall by his soldiers, each gen-tleman first rising in his place and entering his solemn protest, in the name of his constituents, against the unlaw-ful expulsion.

Thus were these gentlemen ignominiously arrested, and despite their public protestation and their appeals to the Speaker and the House for protection, which neither could afford, were taken from their seats and forcibly ejected from the hall of the House of Represen-tatives of the State of Louisiana, at the point of the bay-onet, by the officers and soldiers of the United States Army.

Gen. DeTrobriand then proceeded to eject the Clerk and arrest the proceedings of the Assembly, and for that purpose brought a file of soldiers to the Speaker's stand; when the Speaker arose and addressed the House as follows:

"As the legal speaker of the House of Representa-tives of the State of Louisiana, I protest against the in-vaston of our Hall by the soldiers of the United States, with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets. We have seen our brother members violently seized by force of arms and torn from us in spite of their solemn protest. We have seen a file of soldiers march up the aisle of the hall of the Representatives of Louisiana, and have protested against this in the name of a once free people.

"In the name of the down trodden State of Loui-siana, I again enter my solemn protest. Gentlemen, the Chair of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana, is surrounded by United States troops; the hall of the House of Representatives in pos-session of armed forces, and I call upon the Representa-tives of the State of Louisiana to retire, with me, from their presence."

The Speaker then left the hall, followed by all the Conservative members, the hall being left in possession of the military.

If we have dwelt thus somewhat at length upon the details of the military overthrow of a sovereign State, and her reduction to a province, it is that other States may see and know the process whereby the overthrow of their own liberties may be accomplished.

We solemnly warn the American people, jealous of their liberties, that a military power dispersing a House of Representatives in the State of Louisiana, may yet serve as a precedent to shackle them and their prosper-ity, if in the hour of trial, standing as we do to-day, amid the ruins of constitutional liberty, they leave us to our fate.

All of which is respectfully submited,

Louis A Wiltz

Page 3

A. A. Maginnis
M. Sibilsky
John A. Gilmore
Chas. Delhommer
W. H. Pipes
Gabriel Pascal
E. L. Bower
G. W. R. Bayley
R. P. Edward
Thos. R. Vaughan
John Young
John S. Billieu
Thomas Johnson
J. A. DeBlanc
A Hurig
E. A. Carmouche
Y. Vidrine
John L. Scales
E. D. Estilette
A. D. Land

John. J. Horan
Geo. P. Burckhart
W. P. Smith
James Jeffries
J Alaige
H. C. Mitchell
James Brice J^r,,—
R. L. Luckett
Chas. Schuler
J. A. Blaffer
George W. Dupre
Seaborn Jones
Geo. W. Stafford
Felix Voorhies
Jno S. Matthews
Cha^s. Byrne
G. S. Hall
W^m,, F. Hammond
T. E. Meredith
F. Elhall
C. F. Seaman—

R. B. Walters
D. W. Self
Geo A Kelly
Cha^s. H. Schenck
C. C. Dunn
Chas. Roman
O. L. Collins
W^m,, Magee
Edw^d Booth
Clement L. Walker
W^m F. Schwing
Bolivar Edwards
M. M^c,,Alpin
A. D. Lafargue
John O'Quinn
G. W. Richardson
W. W. Carloss
Ch^as,,: Kimmel
W. B. Koontz

New Orleans January 8^th, 1875.

Page 4

EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
Louisiana ~~County.~~

From Wiltz & them fish.
Address New Orleans if not gone down home—
Dated [gap]
Received [gap]
~~Answered~~ Filed Feb. 1^st 1875

SUBJECT:

Don't like the second act of the Military.

ADELBERT AMES,
Governor.

I, N, Osborn
Private Secretary.