New Orleans Republican., 1868-09-17

| mem0sI, unless IL may De my distinguished
friend from onachfta-who is a mod
ell for us ALL think it will b,
a reflection upon the Senate to pass this
resolution. Every Senator who votes for
the resolution will virtually say that Sena-
tors who absent themselves from this House
are neglectful of duty. Our calendar shows
| that we have not neglected our business.
We have been SO anXious to work that we
have even got along too fast at times.
don't think this is Just reflection. for the
| Senate to make upon itself, and as it is
new thing in legislative bodies, especially
| IN the Senate, which are in higher degree
the representatives Of the people than are
the members of the lower branch of the
Legislature, it seems to me that it is unbe-
coming in us to introduce such rule now.
| In debating societies where they are very
anxious to have full attendance, and es-
peel lily anxious that the men appointed to
iead in the debate should be present, they
are in the habit of imposing fines for non.
attendance. But we are not here for the
purpose of amusing the people. I know
that | have had to complain myself
| of the absence of Senators who should
have been here who were not excused for
the absence which deprived us of their
| votes and of their counsel AMI consultation.
| But at the same time 1t never occurred 10
me that | had right to have them com
pulsorily brought here, Certainly / should
not expect a very cordial CO operation to
the legislation we should have if gentlemen
were to be taken by the coat and brought in
here as though they were arrested, and
| brought to the bar and fined. If gentlemen
are absent at times and quorum fails, it is
not the fault of the minority so much as it
| is of the majority. If niueteen members
| constitute quorum, that nineteen should
be here. | think | am justified in saying
that this resolution does not touch me. for
| am pretty punctually here. l think it will
| for ~ N bp N "a
tives of the people.f for dereliction.
| Mr. Packard: The same rule governs the
| Senate of the United States. and presume
in several States of the Union the con-
stitution says that the Senate shall have
| power to compel the attendance of
which it can he done We propose simply
to authorize the President to do it in the
usual way. l think there will be no obiec.
| tion to the passage of this resolution by men
who are disposed to come here every day
and Keep up quorum. | call for the ques.
tion.
Mr.. Smith: deny the right of the Senate
| to impose a fiue upon any member.
| Mr.. Pinchback: think the words ''any
| other person'' should be stricken out. A
| Senator would not like very well to be es-
| corted down the street by couple of
| policemen. ] therefore move that these
words be stricken out.
Mr.. Packard: object.
| The motion to strike out was adopted.
| The resolution was lost
An act to incorporate the town OF Alex
andria having been taken up
| Mr.. White: Mr.. President, ! wish to give
an explanation on the part OF the corpora
| tion. They had an informal meeting about
the time l was down there. / would like to
| have the bill read, and then will make the
statement which was made to me by the
| town authorities.
| The bill was read.
| Mr.. White: | will make the motion that
the bill be referred back to the committee,
and am in hopes the Senate will allow
it to go back. | think l can satisfy the
committee that the people do not want this
| incorporation to be made. ! would like
very much if the bill could be recommitted,
| and then if l am allowed to go before the
| committee and state my reasons for know
ing that it is not the desire of the property
holders of the town of Alexandria that this
blll should pass. | appeal to Mr.. kelso,
who is from that place.
Mr.. Kelso: The bill does not define the
limits of the corporation. would like Mr.
Campbell, who is chairman of that Commit.
tee, to state whether such is the case Or hot
Mr.. White: If the Senator from Rapides
and myself can be allowed to 90 before the
| committee think we can show them that
this is not proper measure.
Mr.. Campbell: Mr.. President, l am not
tor from CaddO at ALL but will reply to the
Senator from Rapides that, not having II
particle Of interest in the bill, and only re.
porting it as chairman of the committee,
ana upon the representation of citizens of
that place. am not prepared to define the
limits of the proposed addition; but | am
told by a citizen of that parish, sitting at
my right, that it takes in but few blocks
more than is already Incorporated. 1t is a
matter in which | have no personal inter-
est. But the people from that district com.
plain, many OF them, that we have not
passed this bill.
The motion to recommit was lost and the
bill was finally passed.
Senate bill No. 164, an act to provide for
the veriication of the legality of official
bonds, and their places of deposit, and to
whom bonds Of defanlters are to be deliv-
cred for correction" being under considera-
ton
Mr.. Anderson: estate officers" as un.
derstand it, are all the officers except those
on the Police Jury, and persons connected
with them-olerks of courts, sdistrict at.
torneys, etc, are all State officers. The re. |
suit would be that they would have to bring
their bonds to New Orleans to have them !
approved by the Attorney General of the |
State. The bill also provides that District |
Attorneys may approve the bonds of other |
officers in their districts. Well. District At |
torneys represent four parishes. Persons |
giving bonds in these parishes would be |
compelled to go to the District Attorney or |
send to him. The mails are very irregular. |
and l think 1t will be very inconvenient. |
Clerks, constables, Justices of the neace, /
ETC., are State officers. 1t will be ye-y in.
convenient for them to have their bonds an.
proved by the Attorney General, who will |
have to certify that they are in proper form.
Under the present law the Parish Juries
approve these bonds, As to the form they
may require the Clerk OF the Court to certify
that they are in form. or some parish
officer appointed as the parish attorney. As
the bill stands now l think it would be very
inconvenient to the Office holders of the
State. Therefore oppose it. If gentlemen
can, explain that matter to me Satisfactorily
and show the necessity of this provision, 1 |
will have no objection to the bill.
MIR. Ray: do not consider the bill one of
pressing Importance by any means, but will
explain that understand the only object of
the bill tosbe to have the Attorney General
or District Attorney examine these bonds
and certify that they are correct in form
after the bond is first drawn up and signed
and approved as they are now. It often
happens now that bonds are not correct In
form. If after these bonds are drawn mn
the Attorney General OF District Attorney
could certify that they are correct 1t would
eral or District Attorney have nothing TO do
with the solvency Of the security or. any
thtHgo the kind. They are only reonired
to certify that the bond is correct in form |
The second section has reference 10 district
and parish officers, which, understand, are
different from State officers.
MT. Anderson; The objection to the Sec
10 -rrt -.