New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-03-10
Louisiana Legislature.

/ y =. Y n 444z@
.5 .BsTos RopeE. March 7, 1854
HOUSE. Message was received from the
Senate asking the concurrence of the House to
bill authorizing the city of New Orleans to
subscribe to the New Orleans and Pontchar-
train Railroad -
The House then took up the bill authorizing
the Board of Swamp Land Commissioners to
receive from the Beard of Leyee Commissioners
the levees constructed in the parishes of Madi-
son, Carroll and Catahoula, under the Act of
18th of March, 1852, and appropriating $780,
000 out of the Swamp Land Fund for the pay-
ment of the same.
b, Said bill was read third time and passed. g.
= Mr. Hatch called up the bill for the eonstruc-
tion of a Railroad from New Orleans to Mobile,
with view Of referring it to the appropriate
committee. -s'
s The House then took up the Act to amend an
Act entitled an Act to reclaim and drain the
swamp and overfoWed lands of the State Of
Louisiana, etc, approved Both of April, 1852
MIR. Morrison moved a substitute tn the whole
bill. Mr.. Miller moved to lay the substitute
on the table, but withdrew his motion in order
TO give the member an opportunity of explain
ing his views. e -
The Speaker decided that Mr.. Morrison was
out Of order.
Mr.. NJ appealed. from the decision of the
chair. The House sustained the opinion of the
Speaker. - ,.st ~. -
They then proceeded to the consideration oi
the act as amended by the Committee on Pub
lic Lands, and after various amendments pass
ed the nine first sections of said bill = an
amendment having been offered to the tenth
section, the effect Of which was to restrain the
powers of the commission.
The House adjourned until 5 o'clock in the
evening. -
In the Senate very exciting debate took
place upon the act to provide for the register OF
the names and residence of all qualified electors
in the city of New Orleans Many amendments
we're offered to said act, the object of which was
to afford greater security to electors and tc
guard against frauds, ETC., all of which were
voted down by the dominant party
An amendment was offered requiring thai
every elector should, five days previous to any
election, record his name and residence Thi.
amendment was stricken out; and it wa:
resolved that every elector who should, on thu
day OF election, prove that he possessed the re
quisite qualifications, be permitted tovote.
Thus has this salutary measure, one which il
SO well calculated to preserve the purity of elec
tions and to guard against those frauds which
! have been so frequently practiced in New Or
leans, been rendered nugatory and inefficient
from the conditions which are annexed to it
Let the responsibility rest upon those who hav
been guilty of this wanton violation Of the Con
stitution. Sg=g.at5s8 ~ za s-ss
h. The twelfth section says that the true inten
and meaning Of the act is to carry out the pro
| visions of the Constitution. 49, 5i r
4 Mr. Rivers moved an amendment by strikin
out the words 'sto carry OUT" and insert, i
lieu thereof, ssto evade,p which amendmep
was laid on the table by Is yeas to 10 nay,
after which the Senate djourned -
omitted to state that Mr. McKa Introduce
an act allowing the Master Port Warden of tn
| city Of New Orleans to appoint deputies an
| clerks - Y
| This was warmly opposed by Mr.. King, VIII
stated that it would be serious injury to th
mercantile interests to entrust such importan
powers to deputies. That they had freauentl,
| to decide on questions involving large amounts
and it would be extremely dangerous to entrus
such important powers to men who are inexpe
rieneed and incompetent.
Mr. MacMurdo concurred in the opinion ex
pressed by Mr.. King, and said that some re
strietions ought to be imposed upon the power
of the deputies. a. -
Mr. King moved an amendment to said act
that the deputy should only be allowed to ac
in case of the sickness or inability of the urinei
pal, and that while acting in that capaeit
he should be entitled to the same fees All {
said amendments were lost, and the bill passe
almost unanimously. Mr.. King gave motto
that he would move for reconsideration to
morrow. Is - E