New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-03-08
Convention OF the state OF Louisiana.

read, and referred to the Finance Committee.
| Mr.. Hough presented an ordinance to amend
| Articles Sc, rs and 80 of the Constitution Re-
| ferred to the Committee on the Constitution.
| Mr.. EIgee moved SO to change the rules as to
make II O'Clock the daily hour of meeting, and
| o'clock the hour for special fixed business, or
orders of the day. After discussion, the rules
were altered.
The unfinished business of the previous day, to-
wit, the ordinance concerning Public Lands, was
taken up. The final sections were debated at
length, and amended, and then the ordinance was
adopted as whole. In full, ard amended and
adopted, the ordinance reads as follows:
| ORDINANCE
| l. Be Il ordained by tie People of Louisiana, in
| ConUenton assembled, That all the uadpprOWiated
public domain within the limits of the State Of
Louisiana is Of right the property Of said State
and that the title control and jurisdiction Of the
same are hereby vested in and assumed by the
State, subject TO such rights as have been acquired
under the laws Of the late Government of the
| United States.
O. Be further ordained, That all laws and parts
| of laws of the late Government of the United
States respecting the sales and surveys ofthe pub
lie lands in this State, and all rules and ordinances
| concerning the administration of the same, which
were in force in this State on the 26th Of January
| 4. D. 1861, and which are not inconsistent with
the ordinances passed by this Convention, shall
continue to be in full force within this State.
provided, all Of the powers, duties, rights and
enotlncnts which, by the existing laws of the late
Government Of the United States are held, pos
sessed or enjoyed by the SurveyOr-General of the
State of Louisiana, and the Registers and Eeceiv-
ers, and which are not Inconsistent with the laws
Of the State, Or the ordinances passed by this Con
vention. shal! continue to be held, possessed en-
loved and exercised by the said Survcyor-General
and the said Registers and Receivers.
4. Bet further ordaiued That the Surveyor Cen
eral and the Registers and Receivers of the Land
Offices aforesaid, shall be continued in their re-
spective Offices, provided they forthwith take the
oath of Office Of this State, and execute new official
bonds in favor of the State, to be approved of by
the Governor and those remaining in office, Qo-
gether with their sureties) shall be held harmless
against all damages which might be claimed of
| them by the United States by reason of their com
pliance with the requirements of this ordinance.
5. Be it further ordained, That in case the Sur
. veyor-General, and the Registers and Receivers Of
the several Land Offices at New Orleans Opeou-
sus, Natchtoches, Monroe and Greensburg in
this State, shall refuse to take the oath referred to
in the previous section, then the Governor OF the
State, or some person authorized by him, shall i'm
+ nediately take possession of all the public moneys
in their hands, and all the books, records, papers
and archives Of and belonging to their respective
Offices.
, 6. BE ii further ordained That all moneys nov
in their hands, and those arising from the sales o
the public lands, shall be paid over by the Re
q ceiVers Of the said several Land Offices to the
Treasurer of the State at such times, and in suCt
form as the officers pursue in paying over such pub
' lie moneys to the late Government of the United
States. and all reports required to be rendered t.
t said Government at Washington by the officer
herein named shall he rendered and made to th
Surveyor General of Public Lands for the Distric
+ of Louisiana. Provided, however, that any war
rants which may have been drawn on the said Re
II cevers disbursing officers by the late Govern
ment of the United States prior to the Goth of Jan
| uary, a. D. 1861, shall and may be paid at once b,
8 the Receivers provided, that before the said pay
!, meut is made, the said warrant shall be approved
1oft tfaC
T. Be it further Ord1iped That the Governor 0
this State shall have authority to remove any q
-, the Land Officers aforesaid, whenever he may cor
n slider said removal conducive to the public intel
III ests and he shall have authority to fill all vacancies
- by and with the advice and consent of the Senate
. and in any of said officers should fail or refus
to take the oath required the office shall be deeme
vacant, and the Governor shall fill the vacancy
provided for above.
r. 5. Be i further ordained That all further loo
lie tions of Military Bounty land warrants, issued b.
IS or under the authority of, the late Government
$. the United States within this State. be and tn
IS same are hereby prohibited, except for services
j. this State.
e. g. BE il flg,'1er ordained That there shall be
i'll Department of Public Lands, the office wheret
shall be fixed at the seat of Government for III
n State. and there shall be an officer appointe
~ to preside over the same. whose title shall be tn
We Commissioner of Public Lands provided. that Il
ID Legislature may, by vote Of three-ffths of tt
IN members elected 10 both branches discontinr
a said Office, whenever in their opinion the necess
Tor the same snail no longer 6&lSl
a. 10. Be ii further ordained, That the COmmi
to sioner of Public Lands be appointed by the Cover
e. or, with the advice and consent of the Senate, al
shall continue in office four years, unless soon
IA removed by the Governor. His salary duties al
Of powers shall be regulated by law, and he shall
receive any fees.
H. Be it further ordained, That the State
nm Louisiana does hereby assume all arrearages d
his by the late Government of the United States
be | the Surveyor General, or any of the employees
D' the Land offices within the limits of this State, f
their salaries or services, and the same shall
paid by the Treasurer of the State from the fu
las created by the sales of public lands upon the WI
Ell rant of said SurveyorGeneral, said warrants bel
first approved by the Governor.
u. Be it further ordained, That the Iegislatr
re- shall have power to repeal or modify the secor
g: third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth Sc
ere ions of this ordinance.
Mr.. Thomassons resolution relative to the ia
and revenues was called up and, after some
re- bate, was referred to the Committee on CONNER
~ Navigation, etc.
Mr.. Thomasson's other resolution, for the appoi
ere ment of special committee of nine to revise
lu- Ordinances of the Convention, with the view
making them conform to the laws of the Confed
ate States, was taken up and adopted.
re- The resolution to this effect that the State
ont louisiana in resuming her sovereignty and
nd ing her right to the federal property within
limits, intends that obstacle shall thereby
thrown in the way of the Southern Confedera
Hty etc., was referred to the Committee South
tbea Confederacy.
hIr. Moore moved an adjournment; but withdr
Try. the motion at the request of Mr. Taylor who sta
ent. that the Comnitte on Finance would be rel
to present an important report to the Convent
ain After some little business of no public imp,
ance, the Convention, on motion, went into sec
session.
low After session of about two hours and half
ion doors were thrown open; and the seal of seer
re- was removed from the following important 0
nances presented by the Committee on Finar
and adopted:
IS AN ORDINANCE to transfer certain funds to the Govern
Tor of the Confederate States OF America
LO25 SECTION |. IL is hereby ordained, That the
,orn of three hundred and eighty nine thousand
6 to hundred and sXty-seven dollars and forty
flee cents now in the hands of A. ]. Guirot, State
h. positary and known as the Bullion Fund.- be trt
for ferred to the Government of the Confeders
of States of America and that said State Deposit
be and he is hereby authorized and instructed
1sed pay said sum upon the order of the Secretar
for the Treasury of said Confederate States.
oted SEC. 2. II is further ordained, That the sun
Sl7 one hundred and forty seven thousand i've
dred and nineteen dollars and siHty'siX ce
being the balance received by said State DeI
~. tary from the Custom. House, the 3lst of Janr
tnis last be transferred to said Government, and
"'ei by said Depostary upon the order of said Sc