Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-12-05
Executive CBAMprR

| - n EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
CITY HALL, New Orleans, Nov 23d, 1865.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Replesen.
| tatives: - p
Anticipating the regular period fixed by
law Tor the message Of the General Assem-
bly, of the State, | have convened YOU in
Extraordinary session for the REASONS
among Others of great gravity and moment
unenumerated-- In my proclamation stated.
Nearly five years have elapsed since the
whols people Of Louisiana, through repre-
sentatives lawfully elected by themselves,
have assembled in council together !; and
during this affecting and deploring inter
regnum, alterations, discord and civil
strife have prevailed. ..t
1t has pleased Almighty God to put a
period to these divisions, and to restore
the nation to peace and concord again.
Than the people of Louisiana, in times
not remote, none were more honorable or
chivalrously conspicuous and respected for
their love of order, their attachment to
| liberty: their respect for law, their exalted
| pdnctiliousness in the discharge of every
pecuniary obligation, their fidelity and de-
votion to national requirements and
| again, in the recent election OF State off,
GERS and members of the Legislature, every
Parish fairly and fully participating, new
guarantees are given by them that their
loyalty Is renewed without a reservation.
and that they accept with sincerity and
frankness the new order of things as it has
been determined by the ar arbitrament of the
sword.
In fulfillment of the duties thus in good
ftithassumed, they have chosen delegates
to represent them in the popular branch
of the National Congress. Two Senators
are yet to be chosen BY the General Assem-
bly,, and as it isurgently desirablethat the
State should not be unrepresented in the
higher any more than in the lower branch
of of7Congress, on its assembling in Decem-
ber, your attention is earnestly directed to
the providing in time for the deficiency in
the Senatorial body.
The condition of the levees on the Mis-
sissippi river, for hundreds of miles within
our State, have naturally caused wide anx-
iety, and gloomy and painful apprehen-
sions, while among the resident inhabi-
tants upon the river banks, and within
many miles cf them, their ruinous and
neglected state has produced a feeling Of
distress, encouragement and dispondency
surprising power of exaggeration. The
inability to collect taxes or to negotiate q
loan of sufficient amount, the treasury be-
ing without means also, was not able to
do more for their prospective relief than to
take the proper initiatory steps of prepara-
tion actively the instant the funds required
for the purpose could be obtained. This
indispensable proceeding look with en-
tire confidence to your wisdom speedily to
accomplish. $40
Intimately connected with this and every
other public undertaking of any magni-
tude, If it be not indeed the very founda-
tion of public and individual prosperity,
is the credit of the State. For several
years past, for reasons known, appreciated,
and now deplored by all, the interest on
the State debt remained undischarged. |
No complaint or reproach,. however, has
ever reached me from any quarter in re-
gard TO this mortifying delinquency; and
that there may not be, and that the fair |
fame and honor of Louisiana may not be
furnished, you will, trust, at an early |
day, devise a suitable way for paying off |
all accrued interest without pressing too |
onerously or yexatiously by taxation on /
Bhe struggling industry Of the people.
In providing for the retirement and ex-
sinction of Che matured coupons of inter-
sst on the public debt, the attainment of |
and punctually other matured pecuniarv
Indebtedness, ineldding the outlays for the
evees, and to meet all the unpostponable
1utlays demanded by present exigenciss, |
you'd, am ong other resources, direct your
attention to the cotton purchased by H
v Allen, lately exercising the functions
i Governor, at Shreveport, in the name Of
he people of Louisiana. OF this cotton,
ss near as | can discover, there remain
bout six thousand bales, W hich, at prices
lew ruling, if it can be made available,
would afford opportune and great imme-
late relief. -..-... -z==5.-..
The swamp lands, also, which were do
lated to the State by Congress, to be sold
or the exclusive purpose of creating O fund
or building and maintaining our levee
ystem are, it is thought, far from exhaus-
ed. You will examine whether they can
nd to what extent, be made available inn
1edistely or prospeetively, for the con-
emplated object.
1t has occurred to me, il other measures
lore elegible cannot be devised by you for
be purpose, that an issue of treasury war
ants TO the extent Of q million of dollars
light be authorized :, without interest,
ledging the public lands belonging to the
tate for their redemption, and making
lem receivable for taxes, other than IL
,hses &H
nese WarrAhbs,l tnlnK, could De gold in
It's Of fifty Thousand dollars, at depre- '
alton, probably, of not moro than twenty |
,r cent, which would be more than re-
nbursed to the State in the labor contracts i
will be compelled to make, and which, t
will not be disputed, is most desirable t
Iould be discharged in current funds. t
throw out these suggestions for your Q
nsideration merely, not doubling that Q
9 entire subject of providing ways and t
cans fer the public service will early en- t
.ge your most serious attention. Il
In Importance to the future prosperity of n
Q comm onwealth, almost vital is the q
estion of labor. The legislation that is f
quired to secure to him who has it to sell ii
st protection and adequate remuneration t,
d to to the capital which will buy it, alb ].
lutte security and profit for its use, will fl
alike difficult and perplexing. From a
g creation of the world, no fixed rela ton Il
s ever been established between capital o,
d labor, nor has sage or statesman ever n
.eshadowed plan by which the differ al
ces which have always existed between o.
em could be etfectually reoonoiled. En- il
htened opinion seems to have perma- d
ntly settled into the the con viction that ST
. more directly andintimately connected %
lor and capital can be made, the fewer re