Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1875 — Louisiana Legislature. [ARTICLE]

Louisiana Legislature.

Thk following Is a sojumary of the Associated Press «pS*ch. of the 4th, giving an account of the proceedings attending the organization of the Louisiana Legislature: ' At twelve o’clock several members had assembled in the hall of the House, and the Chief Clerk called the roll sad announced that 102 members were present. A motion was made that L. A Wiltz (Conservative) be made temporary Chairman, and he immediately took the chair, when the utmost confusion prevailed. Sergeant-at-Arms and a temporary Clerk were appointed. Several motions were made amid great confusion. Col. Lowell protested against the manner of the temporary organization, and the Speaker replied that the manner of organization was identical with that of 1868, in which Mr. Lowell participated. Five members, not returned by the Board, were declared, by resolution, members of the House and took their seats. Motions to go into permanent organization and to seat the members from the contested parishes referred to the Legislature caused great excitement. The members from four contested parishes were admitted to their seats, and the ffiotion to go into a permanent organization was put-and declared carried. Wilt* and ex-G«v. Hahn were put in nomination for Speaker. During the progress of the vote Mr. Hahn addressed the House, by permission, protesting against the organization as irregular and informal, and declining to participate in the body under such organization. Wiltz was declared elected by a vote of fifty-five to two for Hahn and one blank, the Republican members having generally refused to participate in the proceedings or to recognize their validity. During further proceedings and while the Sergeant-at-Arms was seeking to obey instructions to allow no member to leave the hall Gen. de Trobriand made his appearance with two staff officers, and bearing letters from Gov. Kellogg, which were read, one of which stated to the General that an illegal body was sitting in the House of Representatives, and that Mr. Tigers, Clerk, would furnish him with a list of those members who bad been duly elected and returned as such by the Returning Board. The other letter requested the General to eject those members not returned by the Board. To this Speaker Wiltz protested, claiming that the House was legally organized, and he refused to point out* the five members ordered to be ejected as not being returned to the House, and said they would not leave the House until force was used to expel them. Gen. de Trobriand afterward said Vigers had been represented lo him as being the Clerk of the House who had a list of the members returned as elected by the Returning Board, and after considerable objection and a protest on the part of the Conservatives such roll was called. The military were then used to eject the five members present not returned by the Board. An attempt of Vigers to obtain possession of the Clerk’s desk was objected to by Speaker Wiltz, and the Sergeant-at-Arms, under instructions, interfered to prevent Vigers from acting as Clerk, when the military were called upon and put him in the coveted - position. Speaker Wiltz then solemnly protested against this interference on the part of the military of the United States, and called on the members to retire with him before this show of arms. The Conservative Representatives, headed by Speaker Wiltz, then marched out of the hall and StateHouse. After the Conservatives with, drew the roll was again called, and, a quorum being present, ex-Gov. Hahn was elected Speaker, and the Governor’s message was received, read and referred. The Democratic members were not present when the Senate organized.