Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-05-20

wfetehsaly imperfect ustitE without tier4
ry aul without even ni hour = grace, the seat
Of government from N. Orleans, and authof-
isipg by lis III section. the Hnyertipf 10 pro.
cure ny purchase OF nllisrHise, and before The
neat session, The necessary buildings Ia re-
ceivs he august body Of Legislators and pub
lie iune,innHriea, md by iis 81 section, apptn.
priaiing 70 THE end, only 100000 OIL Of The
1iapossble funds in The TREASURY, fwhera are
they y payable on The warrant Of the Cover
nor, who vas likewise authorised, in eass il
should be necessary. TO sell or dispose in any
manner, Of iIntnpvntle property belonging 10
The state. situated in tho city oF New Orleans.
The bill Of MIR. Downs did not authorize
The Governor to purchase n lot Of ground. and
cause The necessary buildings To he erected,
and | understood that he was required simply
10 purchase or lease The necessary buildings.
| rested this opinion on the whole tenor oil the
bill. Let. Every thing mus, have been ready
to receive The Legislature and State Officers
Oh The fret Mnn,lay In JANUARY next. Would
it moi he absurd aud ridiculous to pretend that
suitable buildings could be completed for that
tinnel
VI Ten thousand dollars only wnH appfos
priai ed fer The accomplishment Of The pm pose
If the bill would 1t not be more absurd TO
pretend. that for such a gum, a lot OF grniri
aud tla buildings eonte tnplatad by the bill.
could be procured
3D. The Governor was alone charged with
all this ;-wotild it not he pterasterolis to i'm.
auine that hn cpuld have contracted tof, atid
supervised the work So as 10 do justice To The
state1 Ought mol such an undertaking To he
rnhfided 10 commissioners residing III The
place. who could devote all their attsltiontoitl
II will perhaps be alleged HAT The sn'n OF sto,-
600 granted by The bill, YVES over ard above any
o'ltsf eutu which might lave been realized BY
tbs sale If stale property but ] cay not no.
thing more, nothing over and above the sum
Of 100000 was appropriated 10 compass The
object Of the bill. | say that by the authority
granted 10 the Governor. he was allowed to
sell state property only to make Up the sum
appropriated. in eaee such Gum should net
have been disposable IN the treasury. which
we well know is pcnnileFE.
The amount appropriated was likewise to
4 be used for the purpose Of delaying The en-
penees oceasioned by the transportation Of the
archives, books, hioFeahles, as well az all 9th
or effects belonging To-. or for the use Of the
government, which would certainly have cost
n ptent deal Of ,nnnny. What firmly impress
sez mo viii, The belief that The author 81 the
bill did not intend that. "A lot Of ground should
De Hlftlhsfl anu hHlfHtiEH AtttitH tHt'c'h
for The seat Of government is, that the sum
appropriated was left blank, and that he made
n motion 10 III up said blank witt, sB5,OO0, and
I was At The suggestion Of General Bernard.
that 10000 was substituted in lieu thereof
I will suppose. for instance, that, in conformity
with The provisions Of The bill IN qttesfien, the
Governor should have sold state property 10
he amount Of $4,000, would he not have
been bound 10 deposite sard sum in the hands
nj the treasurer. who ia by law The guardian
Of public mofeYs1 This deposite hnvVng
hrrn made, for how much could The Governor
have drawn on his watrBnt 7 The answer IL
n 10000, and not ssO 10000, total amount Of ths
supposed sale and appropriation. II It was IN
sisted that the entire proceeds OF the sale
could have been drawn from The treasury by
tho Governor, he certainty would have
had the right 10 draw for the Slo,0W also,
which would have been equivalent 10 " APP
preparations. whilst the bill contemplated only
one appropriation Of q specific sim, ~ pre-
scrlbrd hy the State Constitution, sec. 3 ot
ART q, whetr are found he following words !:
"No money shall b. drawn from The treasury.
but Il, pursuance Of apprnpl iatlons 1iade by
law" Tie maximum IF the appropriation
mue, be limited and fixed by the Legislature,
anu tAllIlHt DG itIh ~ tNh h'H't''t'f W wv -
a third persou which would have happened,
had The Gnvrrnnr been able to draw the sbi0.-
900 appropriated, aud the proceeds Of any sale
he might have made, aud II is extremely
doubtful whether The bill in question an hor-
Used the Governor to sell property for more
than sslO 900 which was the sum approprla-
ted,
therefore, understood That the bill author
ICED The Governor 10 purchase OF lease build
ipgs for tho seat Of government aud Tor the
State Officers who are 10 reside %thefeat, ana
| uuuld not sanction so pfecarlouH and ullrer-
tain n removal, for no convenient buildings
could have been procured, and Baton Rouge
would have infalHbly shared tho FHte OF Don.
sldRonville: the Legislature would have met at
BATON Rplre on The frat Monday IN January,
and the very frat law they would have enact.
I'd would have been the ono transferring The
seat Of government immediately back again
to New Orleans. aud Baton Rouge, like Don
aldannviIir, would have beer n town perhaps
forever banished from the thoughts oI tho Ie.
%gislator. az n suitable place 10 establish the
scat of government. Tie ~cltlzeus Of Baton
Rouge, therefore should deem themselves
happy, that 70 imperfect Il bill died on The la
bic nf the House of Representatives..
To sec evidently that the project was pre-
mature. we have only to cast q glance at the
Hitr,tion of the treasury. We arc on the
verge Of a complete bankruptcy; we are tai
tefinr under a heavy burden OF the debt, des.
tltuie OF means TO tighten it.
have deemed it proper, in order 10 give
vot, n correct idea of our monetary affairs, 'f
attract from an official communication OF the
treasurer to the Governor, who transmitted II
10 the Senate, wide p 70 Journal OF the BE
nale,) the following expressions: "in oroe'
to give YOU all the information possible, 1t Is
neceERary To lay before you n statement ct Inc
' actual debts of the stale, which, according 't
he report presented to the legislature on the
10Th OF February last, ara as follows:
! To tho Citizens Bank Of the State of Lou'sI'
! ana. (bonds) $250,000 OF
i" Union Bank, do. 33O,O0O IN
" Consolidated Association do. 225,Om III
, " B'nk Of Louisiana, (by notes) 225,0N on
f Canal Bank. do. 50,oOo VI
am, 10000 OF
> " Bonds in favor of the Mexi-
panv, 100000 u
, " Bonds in favor Of the Nash
vile Rail Road, 5OO,0OO VI
" Bonds in favor ofthe Charity
I Hospital, (donat .on) 100000 III
\ " Bonds IN favor ofthe Charity
Hospital, purchase OLA loi) l25,O0O On
" Bonds in favor of the Port
Hudson Rail Road Compa-
ny. $4,000 Oh
/ " General government, (sur-
plus revenue) 477.9l9 j.
: il" Vacant SUGGESTIONS, 27,ss2 II
$50, 1901 6: