New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-02-16
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The proposition is generally admitted, outside the
limits of the State of Louisiana, that laws, even If
they are somewhat defective in detail and appica-
ton are better for the community at large when that
community becomes fully acquainted with their
workings and operation than continued attempts to
remedy ACKNOWLEDGED defects, which ordinarily result
in making Affairs worse instead Of better and which,
at the same time prevent the people to be benefited
or damaged from obtaining correct knowledge the
statutes which govern them before another change
takes place and new order of things is substituted.
Several important amendments to the charter OF
New Orleans have already been proposed in the
Legislature, and several more will come up we under
stand, within short period. These amendments
Contemplate radical changes in city charter, and
many Of them will be entirely new to the masses Of
our tax payers.
Without pansing to inquire into the nature or
character Of these amendments at present, not deem
ing such inquiry pertinent to purpose, we pro-
pose to PROFOUND a few significant inteTogatories,
not only TO our own immediate Senators and Repre-.
sentatives. but to the members Of the Legislature
generally Is there any evidence before either branch
of the General Assembly that the taxpayers-the
heavly-taxed, accomplishing taxpayers : OF this
much maIigned metropolis, desire amy change what
ever in their municipal constitution II there is,
we should like TO see It, for we have yet to hear
OF it. Have petitions poured in upon there present
atiyes of the people praying a change? No! Are
memorials to be found on the desks of either House
asking for alterationsl No! Has the Legislature,
in its legislative capacity, the slightest testimony be-
fore it going to prove that the taxpayers Of this
poratiou dissatisfied with the existing laws regu
lating their local affairs? Not whit that we are
aware Of Has the Common Council--the members
of which represent directly the will and interest OF
the taxpayers Of every precinct and ward in the
city, and who certainly know more respecting that
which win advantage or disadvantage their constitu-
ents than any and everybody else-asked in its Off
cia capacity any reform at the hands of the General
Assemby2 MOI The Common Council which, &C
cordng to every principle Of justice, equity and
right, ought to be heard before any amendments to
the charter are passed by the Legislature has thus
far remained profoundly silent in the premises. This
Of ITSELF in our deliberate opinion, furnishes ample
reason 70 justify Senators and Representatives in re-
jecting amendments Of any and every nature and
description, until the Council takes action.
Then, again, to run the parallel on the opposite
side Of the question: why should our immediate rep
resentatyes essay notifications of the charter with
out full consultation with their constituents What
grounds have they for justfcationl None that we
can conceive Of. They are individuals representing
important body polite and corporate and in the
absence Of any expression of opinion on the part Of
that body noitc and eorporate it il presumntuons.
rather than otherwise in our humble belief for them
TO propose radical changes in the organic law of the
aforesaid body politic and eorporate. We mean no
oense by the nse Of this language but sneb il nev
ertheless our well,matured belief.
To use round numbers. for the sake of convenience
the taxable property of various kinds. within the
limits Of the city Of New Orleans. amounts to one
hundred millions of dollars This is vast interest.
Il il an interest that mus, not he touebed roncblv
or ndsereey or ipiudiciously or else vital damage
viii be inflicted upon the city, which would result as
natural consequence, in serious loss to the State
The city cannot be ruined without damaging the |
State to material extent. This is fact hotheaded
politicians too frequently forget and to it we re-
specially beg leave to direct the earnest attention of
the members of the Legislature now in session, and
from it we draw the inference that sustans and en-
forces what is intimated above, to-wit that before
anything Of moment is done by the Legislature re- /
garding our civic interests, the voice OF the tax
payers should be heard in some proper manner
And here we beg leave to suggest, with the most
respectful motives to country Senators and Repre-
sentatyes that this mighty interest which paws into
the State Treasury more than onethird of the reye
nues of the Commonwealth has been injured and NAV