New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-02-10

The abstract Of his remarks on the printing bill
yesterday, published in the CRESCENT was not sat
isfactory to him, and he was allowed to spread the
following on the minutes
4 My remarks on the consideration of Prin-
ter's bill, was this That was proud that the
honorable member from New Orleans, Mr.. Della
barre. had offered that amendment; that provided
for the publication Of the Journal in Goth Ian
guages English and French. That / very little ex.
pected to be again compelled to rise in defense Of
the French language as Thought that this matter
had been already settled by vote taken in this
House some few days ago; as seen there was a
catch in the committee report . gss$ i#f
4 A resolution introduced by Mr.. Halsey was
adopted, providing for the appointment of a com
mittee Of five on the part Of the House to exam
inc the annual report Of the State Auditor and the
State Treasurer. -y%. IL ss e ass .%4, H.
i .eH THE BOARD OF LEvEE COMMISSIONERS. lsss /
Mr. Walker, from the Finance Committee, re-
ported faYorably the Senate bill to ratify and
confirm the appointments made by the Governor
of board of ievee commissioners, and, on motion
of Mr.. W., the House proceeded to the Immediate
consideration of the bill, which was on its second
reading. The bill provided that the appointments
of the Governor last summer to the board of levee
commissioners should be confirmed and ratified !;
that they should have entire control Of the con
struction of the leyees; that they should continue
in office until suspended by law should be entitled
TO- mileage, and when in session, six dollars per
diem; should have authority to appoint secre-
tary, engineers, charmen, ETC., and fix the com.
pensation of those officers and employees, and also
provided an appropriation Of s2o, 600 to pay the
expenses of the board and the salaries of its off.
GERS and employees sg43 IT,. 4 =. ~ " sss'
Mr.. Bailey moved to amend 50 that the term Of
Office of the board should expire at the commence
| ment Of the next session Of the Legislature. Nj (
| Mr.. Seaman suggested the close Of the session.
That would allow time for the. passage of a gen
eral law under which these commissioners would
be superseded. ,g4.ss73s5 - .4
| The suggestion was accepted by Mr. Bailey and
the amendment, in that form, was adopted. \ 4 81
| Mr. Bailey proposed to amend further by limit
ing the expenditures by the board, to one million
| Of dollars. N 3s ifgg ~ VT " 595 ] 81 5sFt g55s
| The amendment was laid on the table bya vote
Of ~ to 81. " W ,ss sses 57s %s,S s,sf ,6
Mr.. McCloskey moved to fix the limit at million
and quarter. gt' y ,as2'ti y @f5asi. tz$s,
| Mr.. Walker argued against any limitation. The
necessity of additional levees was, being made
known constantly, and it was absurd to place a
limitation upon the expense of works of unknown
extent. What damage might be done yet by the
river could not be foretold, and it was unwise to
restrict the board, unless gentlemen could at the
same time devise something else to restrain the
Mississippi within its banks. .g2 s. }f5g8 ssa}%e
Mr.. McCloskey withdrew his amendment. isT,
Mr.. Bailey renewed it,. He maintained it was
the duty Of the legislature to restrict the board
within reasonable bounds. No man or set Of men
should be allowed to run the State into indefinite
indebtedness, 20 <a1ss.3s55ss s 800 ! tf 4
~ Mr.. Seaman in regard to the observation Of the
chairman of the Finance Committee that he ne
cessty of additional leyees was being made known
constantly, said he had no doubt such was the
fact and if fifty millions of dollars were appro-
priated for the purpose more would, be wanted.
| Buta check should be had upon tfsT expenditure.
| 1t should be slapped somewhere, and he was in
| favor of the limit proposed by Mr.. Bailey. +.
| Mr.. Eustis would limit the power of the board
| because it was not a permanent but an imperma-
nent and provisional board, and the State was in
no way committed to any policy the board might
adopt. The board had been appointed without
authority of law at the urgent request of gentle
| men from the country, to meet certain contin-
| gency. 1t was admitted the Governor had APP
| pointed the board without authority of law, but
the of justice of the legislature was appealed
| to to confirm the appointment and approve the
action of the board and the legislature recogniz-
| ing the propriety of the measure, under the cir
cumstances, yielded all legal objection and APP
proved what had been done Now, however, a
very different proposition came up. The Assem-
bly, was asked to bestow upon these commits
sionersn unlimited power. They were to
have unlimited authority in the expenditure
of money, and Whatever expenditure they
should make, it was to be expected the debt
would have to be paid by the entire State. If these
commissioners were not restricted, could the
chairman of the Finance Committee, could any
gentleman present, say what would be spent !?
Could they say whether it would be FIVE, ten or
fifteen millions that would have to be paid for this
outlay, by taxation? 1t was not wished to cripple
the usefulness of the board, but to exercise wise
discretion. The legislature did not design to
build everyl in the State but to pay for that
work which had already been undertaken, and
which had been deemed necessary as a general
public good. The board should not be invested
with unlimited power to spend an unlimited sum.
| Mr.. Walker admitted the necessity of some
boundary, but it should also be admitted that the
necessities in this case were very great In con-
sequence of the devastated condition Of the
riparian plantations, the impovershments Of the
,
levee laws could not be enforced. Hence, if the
work was left to the parishes as formerly, itwould
not be done, and liberal allowance was neces-,
sary to secure the productiveness of the aluvial
lands. He thought two millions would not be too
much, and he moved to fix the limit at that sum.
Mr.. Bailey objected First, they were told at
the extra session five hundred and fifty thousand
dollars was sufficient sum. Then an appropria.
ton of million of State bonds was granted, and
now two millions were asked. And 50 this thing
would go An appropriation of two millions
now would be cited as precedent for the next
legislature. This whole levee system as now
carried on was unjust to the State.
MFR. Head, supposing the bill provided an appro-,
priation for levee constructions, offered an amend
ment limiting the expenditures of the board to the
sum appropriated, but he withdrew the amend
ment upon being informed thatthe only appropria-
ton made by the bill was for the expenses Of the
board and its officers and employees. ,s. ss-E.s
Mr.. Elan addressed the House at length against
the system proposed by the bill. He concurred
in the views of Mr.. Eustis. It was monstrous that
unlimited power to contract debts should be con-
ferred on the board. The bills already contracted,
he was informed, amounted to eight hundred thou.
sand dollars, He contended that this bill virtually
contained an appropriation Of money, not specified
in it. and therefore was unconstitutional either I'M