New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-01-20
9TEaN LEtsTsTlATURE. {

Tlah LEssIsTIATURE.
T. g5 laGf
The General Assembly Of the State 81 Louisiana
win be obliged to adjourn on Thursday next, pnr-
suant to very wise provision Of the Constitution
which limits the duration of sessions to sixty days
Bad the Constitution ordered that only one session
should be held in four years, and limited it to
thirty days, we sincerely believe the general veal
OF the whole Commonwealth would have been pro.
NOTED. II ever State has been more cursed than
another by legislation Louisiaaa is that State And
about the same thing may be written down in re.
gard to the Commonwealth which constitute the
Southern Confederacy. Too much legislation has
been and is the bane Of all; and, it some means
cannot be devised to obvsate this presently great
and eventually ruinous difficulty, the people should,
after the war il over, rise in the might and ma
Jesty Of common sense hold constitutional conven-
lions, and adopt such organic laws as will forever
DO away with the despotism Of over legislation
which has well nigh destroyed the country hereto
fore and which may ruin il hereafter it the system
is allowed to continue. q
The Legislature, now approaching constitutional
Edissolution has mot been worse than its predeces
sors save in the fact that the people have in some
instances, been kept, from one cause or other,
Icomparati7ely ignorant of the proceedings, and
| when q little Insight was obtained, the voice Of
the respective constituencies, faithfully reflected
through the public press, has been treated with q
contempt and scorn which would well become the
despot of Austria. What was not asked for
has been adopted, notwithstanding general and
frequent protestations, on the one hand-and on
the other y law making important changes in the
charter Of. the cityha been passed, and was put
in force, far ss the Legislature could do it, the
voters Of the metropolis remaining in complete,
ignorance Of what was going on, until all was over!
We alude to the Stay Law, and to the law organ
ling the police force Of New Orleans, both of
(which will be found in our columns this morning,
So far as the Stay-Law is concerned, our views
are SO well known that recapitulation is unneces.
sary. The act has been passed, and will remain q
law until repealed, unless the Supreme Courtpro-
nounces it unconstitutional, as will undoubtedly be
the case if the question is ever brought properly
before that august tribunal. But, what we have
to say is this s The Legislature was not asked to
adopt y Stay Law. There were no petitions me-
MORALS Vi anything else before the General As
ssmbly indicating that such q measure was de-
sired. The contrary was the ease. The tone Of
the press, rejecting the undivided sentiment of the
people, was unanimous against it. Still 1t has
been forced upon an unwilling people, without
any regard for their rights or sovereignty. An
act sanctioning, to certain extent, private re-
spudiation, has been crammed down the Threats
sof thousands Of honest sufffagans despite their
vehement and continued protestations and en-
treaties whose lofty boast for years has been
that Louisiana would never violate the obligation 4
of seontracts, and that her honor and good faith
ho6
been stsinlessly maintained in the past.
! The 1ther law referred ~" An Act to Organ
lie The Police ii the City Of New Orleans, and to
Create q Police Board therein 7, is extremely OBJ
snoxious to candid criticism and honest denuncia.
ton, on account Of the secresy which marked its
passage through both Houses. 1t was rushed
through the two branches Of the General Assembly
with snoh haste and silence that it became q law
before solitary voter ia the city knew aught Of
its provisions, and scarcely anything Of its exist
ence. We believe it was not published at all until
two days after its final passage! And yet Baton
Rouge Is within eight or ton hours ride Of New Or
leans. 80 far as the mode Of proceeding is in
yolved the passage Of this bill is subject TO seYsrer
animal diversion than the conduct of the Abolition
Legislature of New York in inlicting an Abolition
police upon the Democratic city Of New York to
serve fanatical purposes The New York lie.
gslature did not steal march upon the city.
The press discussed the subject for weeks
ii was opposed by all save radical Journals
of the Tribune stripe and SO strong and deter 4
mined was the opposition that, if our memory
serves US correctly, the Abolition Legislature
agreed to several important notifications of the
original bill !! Why were the people and press Of
New Orleans deprived Of the privilege Of discuss
ing vital alterations In their city charter? Why
were they stndiously kept in the dark ;$Are they
sunk 50 low that they are unworthy the small priv
ilege Of expressing an opinion matter of exclu-
sive local interest? What harm would it have
done TO have given them few days time to CON
slider the question? They might have favored the
measure, and, for aught we know at this present |
writing, would have favored it, salthoughwe are
very confident theysare opposed to { snap judg-
mentsn being taken against them whether good, |
bad orindiferent Ely
We have not discussed the merits or dement's Of
the bill, nor shall we in this article Indeed, we
have not read the bill carefully, and so far as it is
we will only say at this time that SINH
ar Boards have always proved lamentable failures,
besides inficting much annoyance on the COM
nnnity. It is the manner Of its passage to which
We are Directing. Had the people Of New Orleans
been consulted in the premises, as was their clear
Ind indisputable right the affair would have worn
much better aspect. N. s4..s5 4: s "a
--- 4---- = !.
IMPOR TANT4LAWs.
ffif Il
IN ACT Regulate Forced and Judicial Sales of Property
SECTION /. BE II eraaed By The ,Scnate and House
# Representatives of tte STATE Of Louisiana, IN
General Assembly, c0nue,,ed That the appraisars
LUDUIntad and he unnointnd bu 4