New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-01-31

referred, reported favorably the bill to incorpo-
rate the Catholic Church at Franklin.
Mr. Tucker introduced bill to incorporate the
National Land and Labor Agency. Referred to
Judiciary Committee, objections having been
made to the power of the Legislature to pass acts
incorporating private corporations.
Mr. Solomon introduced bill requiring monthly
reports of deaths to be made to the Registrar of
voters in New Orleans, to the end that illegal
voting upon the rcgistres of deceased persons
may be prevented. Referred to Judiciary Com
mittee.
Mr.. Thieneman introduced bill providing pen
sion system for the relief OF aged and infrm ex-
judicial functionaries of the State. Referred to
Judiciary Committee
Mr.. Gates introduced bill to reorganize the
Franklin (st Nary College. Referred to Com.
mttee on Public Education.
Mr.. Scott introduced u bill TO amend the act
relative to justices of the peace in the parish of
of Jefferson, and the rules having been suspended,
the bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
Mr.. Gates introduced bill to define the duties
and fix the compensation of State Printer which,
Mr. Elan said, was financial measure and on his
motion was referred to the Finance Committee.
Mr. Poorhies presented joint resolution that
so much of the laws of 1861 as were not in conflict
with the Constitution or laws of the United States
or had not been repealed, should be regarded by
the public functionaries of the State as law the
Legislature and Executive by which these laws
were made being then the only government in
Louisiana, de tdGto or de jMe. Referred to the
Judiciary Committee.
TIE LErEE AUTHORIZATIONS.
Mr.. Ralsey called up the Senate bill providing
for the payment of contractors and employees en-
gagged in the construction and repair of lCVecs on
the Mississippi, and asked q suspension of the
rules with view to put the bill on its passage
A lengthy discussion was had and several
amendments were offered, but the subject was dis
posed of for the present, on motion of Mr. Scan
Ian, by a reference of the bill and the proposed
amendments to the Finance Committee; the chair
man of which, Mr., Walker, and another member
Mr.. Stillc, assured the House that in a few DAYS
they would introduce revenue project which
they were now engaged in preparing, and which
they believed would relieve the State from its en-
barrassmcnt and supply actual means for the lcvec
work.
SENATE BILLs-THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.
EMessages from the Senate being in order
A bill authorizing the reduction of the number
of police jury wards in the parish of St. Mary was
concurred in.
Mr. Mcconnell was allowed to introduce, out Of
order, bill authorizing W. NJ. Goodrich to with.
draw an original act from a notaral Office TO be
used as evidence in Texas and the bill passed.
And the House resumed the consideration of
messages from the Senate.
bill for the relief Of the surettes Of Al. Law,
formerly sheriff of the parish Of East FcIiciaaa,
was taken up and concurrcd in.
bill to dispense with the publication of the
journals of the Assembly in the French language
came up, and being on its first reading, Mr. Cou.
von moved to lay the bill on the table
Mr.. Leeds asked if it was in order to move to |
lay the bill on the table on It's first reading.
Mr.. Elan, in the Chair, decided that it not
in order. The proper motion to accomplish the
gentlemans end would be to reject the bill.
Mr.. Tucker objected to the motion as disrespect-
full to the Senate. He advocate of the bill, |
as cutting off a useless expense. A large portion
of his constituents were Of that class whose YER
nacuar was the French, yet he was satisfied they
would approve his course, for those Of them who
were sufficiently educated to read the journals |
understood English as well as French, and did not
therefore need the publication in French.
Mr.. Couvon did not care how much his motion |
was thought to be disrcspG ctfu to the Senate, for
the Senate had been di5respcctful to the Creole |
population in passing this bill. This dispute az to
languages had been going as long as he could |
recOllect Twenty five years ago his father, then
a member Of the legislature, had occasion to re-
cord his vote in one Of these periodical attempts of
the Anglo Americans againstthc Franco American |
language. Mr.. G. would show no rcsncct for such |
a bill as this wherever it emanated.
Mr.. Dclabarre directed the attention Of the
House to the fact that by the terms Of the treaty
by which Louisiana was ceded to he United States,
one of the rights guaranteed to the French popu
lltion was that the laws of the State should always
be published in the French as well as the English
language, and by proper construction of that
clause Of the treaty, all the proceedings appcr
tanning to law making and illustrating the intent of
laws should be published in the same language.
Nor vas this the only consideration. There were
fully thirty thousand people in New Orleans, many
of them citizens and all paying taxes, who while
they might understand Engshs hsufficiently to trans
act their ordinary business in that tongue, were
not familiar enough with it to interpret laws
written in it.
Mr.. Waggaman said his expcnce differed widely
from that of the gentleman from St. Mary Mr.
Tucker, in regard to the views Of the ancient popu-
lation on this subject. He was surprised to hear
what had fallen from the lips that gentleman He
might have been surrounded by few who under
stood English well, but certainly his remarks in
regard to the requirements of that population
generally were not correct. Mr. Waggaman re-
peated he knew it, knew it personally that they
were not correct. He intended no disrespcct to
the Senate, but if he was to choose between dis
respect of the Senate and disrcspcct Of the
original population of the State he should not hest
tate to say that his choice should fall on the Senate
The French was the language Of louisiana 1t
might not be the language of the thoroughfarcs or
coffee ehose5 but it was the language of the homes
and hearts of great body Of her people
And was this language to be done away !
because majority of the people did not use it? |
The South had just emerged from u struggle in ,
which might had made right and would any part
Of the Southern people invoke that rule as justify
ng an invdious law relating to part of their own
population? The Creole population was suni- ;
GENTLY large to say nothing Of their claims as the
original population of the State, to entitle them to
the consideration proposed to be ignored by this
bill. Thousands upon thousands of the public
money could be squandered for questionable pur-
poses, but the moiety it required to give the an I