The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-08-28


Mr.. Edit0r-The constant inquiry here and elsewhere
throughout the State is to have an Extra session of
the General Assembly, Some make the inquiry merely as
matter OF cuosy because they desire an Extra ses
sion; some becaH they think necessary to keep ND ex
oitement after the dogdays and some think tina,
there should be called session becaurs this Is the age of
gress and they cannot conceive how people, like
unless this branch of Government ia con-
SANITY in operation Indeed many have no well defined
| idea of what they really do want.
When the Constitution was framed by Convention
of the people, hailed limitation of the sessions of
the General Assembly to biennial sessions as one of the
best features in it. Over legislation had long been felt and
acknowledged crying evil The volumes of the statutes
had become vest and vOluminous both with respect to size
and number They formed fearful array of nothia gaess
and one had to wade through multitude of tares to select
lew heads Of wheat Is this aluary provision of our Con-
stituon to become dead letter by the restessness of
and the yedins piancy of others? it to remain vgo
rous shoot to yield its legitimate fruits? Is there nothing in
the mandates Of our fundamental awp 1.-THE General As
semby shall meet every second year, ETC. This proyon
OF the Constitution binding and there is no exception
provision except in the youh section of that instrument
the Governor IS empowered ION extraordinary
convene the General Assembly, What extraordinary
occasion has occurred render this step on the part of the
Governor necessarily Is it the periodical aacism of the
Mississippi River? Let suppoce them that this is one of
the reasons that exist why Extra session should be called
WHIT the Legislature to do in this regard when thew are
convened to relieve the planting interest on the River from
these periodical sasters 10 ameorate its present cond
on or secure its future safety? Is the State TO
appropriate money Tor the construction of eyees or she
remit the taxes for this year. due by all hoe who have u
fortunately been sueres2 If she to approprate money
what amount? Will three hundred or five hundred thon
sand dollars be sufficient million If either sum
how 10 be raised? Is ii be borrowed or il TO be
raised by the further imposition of taxesp The State is now
groanng under load of taxation whilst the revenue derived
from this source, is and will be under the present revenue
law insufficient to meet the demands and wants of the Gov
eminent Ii this be true, and shown so to be by tain
lar statement below how any of the taxes be RENTED
All that the Legislature could do in this behalf would be to
pass uniform law concerning the construction repairing
etc., of evees.
Is this matter of such Importance to demand an Extra
session. The Police Jure pass laws of binding force for
this purpose In If not all the parishes bordering the
river the Legislature has clothed them with plepary and nm
limited power in the and collection of taxes in this
behaf 1t is true that in of the parishes they have
encountered difficulties and embanaSments in the collection
OF these taxes But these embarraments happen in
parishes where the law in operation has the sanction and
force of the State law being ratified by the General Assem-
bly,.
If the Legislature convened we will have no doubt as
usual batch Of bills appropang money for local pur
poses This will be cloves labor LOST for the reason that
the last legislature made appropriations of about eight hun.
dred thousand dollars and not of these appropriations
will be paid, except such embraced in the General
Appropriation Bill The officers of the Treasury Depart
ment under their heavy responsibilities their pay
men by recson Of the following restraining clause in the
Geaeral Appropriation Bll
That the appropriations herein made shall be in prefer.
ence to all othes, and the Auditor of Public Accounts and
state Treasurer hereby ordered refuse all payments of
all appropriations which win interfere with the payment of
the appropriations made in the present ac In the present
condition of the finances of the State it would be unwe
to repeal this salutary clause.
tabular statement follows showing the financial condition
of the Stste:
Amount Of General Funds remaining in the
Treasury the 3t December, 1S49 S55.SQ T9
Amount state Taxes Of 1919, supposng the
wh9e will be paid 272, ABS 90
will be PAID into the Treasury 17s,7s5 rs
Amount Of state Faxes Of 1913, remaining unpaid
9nthe 5lst December 1879, which has been paid
from 81 d date up to the Sls March, 1850, 206S4 70
s74s,767 81
EXPENDITURES.
AMOUNT o. appropriation from General Funds of
iss4S which have been paid since 3lst Dec,
$I72 1923 70
Apptopriailons made sesnon 1850, to be paid out
OF GENERAL Funds. 669 l25 80
$S4l, 449 10
According 70 the above statement the receipts
Probable balance Of State Taxes that viii remain "
uupau On olst December, 1880. $1,000 90
NO" aod 10 TINS the expenses attending an Extra session of
ue leg STATURE and which may put down at the same
OF ue as' ana you will have deficit of S2 674 &c. The
expenses OF the lest session were $ss 993 3d.
WIN hs Of the public finances is it at ali probable that
s VIII assemble the Legislature We think not
~ olgteh 70 mention that the assessment of 1919 falls
short of that of 1885, el44, 100 co.
ana y probable there will be at least $50 900 of the State
next. T - =, .'e'