New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-10-13

will take advantage of the fiimsiest pretext
10 lncarcerate the freedmen OF the country
who are By force of circumstances without
employment. It may result in the most
tyrannical abuse that was ever perpetrated
IN any nation OF country.
From the very fact of the condition OF our
State and the great political excitement and
prejudice that exists in the minds OF citi-
zens at this period, it will be dangerous
law, sir; it will be door open Tor the prac-
tice of the most tyranny ever inflicted on
any people in the world, and the minds OF
the people are now prepared Tor u: IN
other ages men have been guilotlneo and
their blood made to flow because they dared
to worship God according to the dictates of
their own conscience. Pass this act sir
and men will be imprisoned and entombed
in prison because they dared to vote as
| they choose; they will be imprisoned on
the charge Of vagrancy. move to lay the
subject on the table.
MIR. Poindexter: l move to 1nde hnltely
| postpone the bill.
MIR. Bacon: desire to have this measure
referred to the Judiciary Committee, that a
proper remedy may be obtained TO sup.
press this overwhelming vagrancy and vaga'
bondism which curses this community
| in the fall and winter. Moreover, /
will says this, that ! never should
have proposed the bill had not
uStH hpplltu 10 Dy tQt lnuuiSlpdl OLASelS-
the Chief of police aud others. l have no
doubt, Mr. President, that you yourself as
1 President of the Board of Metropolitan Po-
lice have seen the necessity OF some such
| law as this-not to Cypress laoorers out OF
| employment, but to reach in some way the
criminals who are here in the city preying
upon the community. 1t this Is not good
olll for that purpose let It go 70 the judi
| clary Committee and let them report sub
stitnte for it which is. 1t WAS drawn up
hastily, and needs elaboration and atera-
1 ton, but Senator'S will reflect that this ls
something which needs remedy. There Is
| force in what Senators say about the liabil'
| ity of honest laborers being oppressed by
such law in some of the country parishes,
but here in New Orleans our houses arc
broken into, people are robbed and the men
who do it are stalking about and can not be
reached unles they can be convicted of this
OF that special crime. although their gen
eral character is weilknown.
| Mr.. Smith: Mr.. President
The President; The Chair understands
Mr.. Lewis to have withdrawn his motion tc
table-otherwise debate is not in order.
Mr.. Lewis: Before renew the motion ia
| table, Mr.. President, | would like 10 ask
why it is that we see reported in the papers
every morning certain persons arrested as
before the Courts OF the city. If there is a
law in operation by which suspicious char
acters are every day arrested, why is II
| necessary to pass this vagrant law, unless
for the purpose of prosecuting those persons
who, by misfortune, have been thrown out
of employment? The fact is many persons
have nothing to do on account of their
political principles, because they don't want
to vote the Democratic ticket. That Is the
cause of their being on the streets without
employment-not because they are dis.
honest, but because they are too honest to
sell their votes. These men, then, it is
wished to have incarcerated in prison.
Under the political prejudice that now
exists, if such law is passed, there is no
end to the abuse and suffering, and the
Imprisonment of the innocent masses
found on the streets without employment
because they are honest enough to vote
their own conscientious sentiments, | look
upon it, sir, to speak honestly, as political
trick, to incarcerate in the prisons of this
city aud throughout the State, men who
would vote for Grant and Colfax. This is
the very pith, the beginning and the end of
this bill, and as such, sir, now renew the
motion to lay it on the table.
Mr.. Bacon: II that is fact, have been
drawn into it by a very strong Grant and
ColfaX man-Mr. Williamson, the Chief OF
Police.
Mr.. Smith: would call the attention OF
the author of the bill to O little clause in the
Metropolitan Police bill. In line twenty
eight there is authority given for the arrest
OF street meudicants, Migrants, loafers and
pimps. Laughter.)
The President: The motion to table is not
debatable.
Ar. Pinchback: Am to be cheated out
of the big speech l was going to make?
The President: suppose so. Reserve it
for another occasion. (Laughter.)
Mr.. Pinchback: AL right.
The hill was then laid on the table