The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-05
dha s9sm Orleans GTsstsnt
TUESDAY MORNING. JANUARY S. lsss.
Tie Louisiana Legislature.
FIR = IT n A Y .



JANUARY 4, 1859.
The Senate was called TO order az u O'Clock
noon. by Lieut.. Gov. Dunn.
The following members answered TO their
names: Messrs. Anderson, Antoine (colored,)
Couplsnd, Campbell, Darrell, Francois (colored,)
Futch, Kelso. (colored, } MoDetie (eoored, 0fdtt.
0'Hara Pinobback (colored,) Pollard (colored,)
Ray, Smith, Todd, Whitney.
No quorum present. Messrs. Beares, Braughn
and Ogden having entered, a quorum was declared
present.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Turner, colored.
Dir. Ray moved the appointment of committee
Of two to wal, upon the governor to inform him of
tsry inform the House of Representatives of the
organization of the Senate. Carried.
Messrs Ray and Foute were appointed COM
mittee to wait on the governor.
Lieut.. Gov. Dunn addressed few remarks to
the Senate TO the effect that he hoped the session
would be q harmonious one in view of the fact
that no election was near at hand and there we're
no grounds for apprehension of any kind of dis
turbance.
On motion of Mr.. Wittgenstein, (Rep.) the Sen
ate took recess of thirty minutes. At the exp-
ration Of the recess twenty three members an
swered TO their names.
A resolution by Mr.. Ray, (Rep.) appointing
special committee of five TO revise the rules of the
Senate was adopted.
Messrs. Ray, Packard, Pinchback, (Reps) and
Anderson and Bacon, (Dems) were appointed on
the committee.
The clerk of the House appeared and announced
that that body was organized and ready to pro-
coed 10 business.
Mr. Ray, from the committee appointed to wait
on the governor, reported that that official would
communicate with the Legislature in writing.
The report was received.
On motion of Mr.. Ray, a resolution appointing
joint committee of five TO draft Joint rules for
the two houses, was adopted on its third reading
under a suspension of the rules.
Messrs Ray and Antoine (R.) and Braugbn,
were appointed as such committee on the part OF
the Senate.
1.-THE fret annual message from the governor
was received.
Mr. Bacon said he hoped that the committee
would have an eye to economy.
Mr.. Ogden thought that as time was money the
committee should have an eye TO the economy Of
time.
resolution was offered by Mr.. O'Hars, pro.
vlding for the establishment of chains across
Cont and Royal streets, to avoid the interruption
caused by passing carts aud drays.
Messrs. Ray and Bacon supported the resolu-
ton, which was opposed by Messrs. Campbell (R.)
COPELAND (R.) and Todd, in view of the incOn-
yenience to owners of vehicles and property
holders.
The matter was postponed until to-day.
The following message from Governor Warmoth
was Teao:
Of the Senate and House of Representatives
CT the General Assembly;
Since your adjournment the republic has passed
through the most acrimonious political campaign
known to its history. Next TO the late conflict of
arms the last election, more than any former
contest, tried the faith in and love Of the people
for republican Institutions The momentous
issues with which il was fraught, involving the
integrity, if not the very existence OF the govern
ment, contemporary with questions of a social
character, were calculated to arouse the deepest
passions and pre- udices Of men, and TO excite to
the highest intensity the minds of the whole
population.
Viewed by the statesman, it presented the
gran6est spectacle. he saw a great people pro-
fundamental
exciting that in other countries, OF at other times,
they would have convulsed the nation and cuimi-
mated in civil war but, under our institutions, be
saw that people, though agitated like the ocean
in its fury, yet contr lied by laws aud circum-
scrbed by boundaries, and after reaching the
grsndesi climax, again resuming its wonted pa-
cidiy. After most vigorous canvass by both
parties, full and general discussion of all the
questions at issue, these questions were commit
ted TO the judgment, the intelligence and the
patriotism Of the people, and TO the voice of their
majority. freely expressed at the ballot box, the
minority has yielded a willing submission. Ii is
painful TO US that all of our felow.citizens did
not seem, during the late contest, 10 be imbued
With the almost universal respect entertained
by Americans for the right of the free
expression Of opinion. 1t is one Of the
fundamental ideas on which our government is
erected, that we should tolerate in every citizen
his peculiar views, whatever they may be, in re-
lation TO any subject whether OF church or state,
political or social. The highest test of civii-
l
eminence over other nations is the protection
thrown around the citizen by our laws, and the
encouragement of full discussion Of all subje
and the free deposit OF his ballot, by which to
ascertain the aggregate opinion of the State.
| With a few exceptions, every State IN the Union
can boast of full realization Of this cherished SEN
| tment. Under the peculiar institutions OF car
State prior to emancipation, questions OF personal
liberty affecting large classes of our population,
| were wholly interdieted By combined aud obsti-
| nate public sentiment which had not, up to the
late election, fully disappeared. The system OF
involuntary sefYitude built up IN this State sort
Of arstOcr6cy exclusive in its characteristics and
assumed by legislative restrictions and social dis
| tinet6ns to exact tests Of citizenship incompati-
! bic with the theory Of our government and de.
struetve Of the Liberties not only OF the then slave,
but Of all classes that did not reach its standard
Of nativity or possessions. With the downfall of
| slavery revolution IN society was accomplished,
and different system obtained, but which required
the late election TO give the Endorsement of the ma
tional will and insure its full establishment Ii was
| this system which was bitterly contested. 10
our state this class, fighting tor exclusive power,
did not hesitate to use all of the machinery hith-
erto invoked by it to perpetuate its dominion. By
| violence and intimidation il terrified its opponents;
| by threats of social and business prescription
classes conscientously opposed TO it were forced
to ion il while the preludices OF race, and the
| most selfish passions were addressed TO secure
| the cooperation OF the lower classes OF white
men in it's effort TO repudate the government that
made no test OF color in civil or political rights.
The events of the late contest were not unlike
those Of a few years ago, when like effort was
made by the same class aud conducted princi-
| pay by the same leaders, TO overawe and dis.
! franchise our fellow.citizens Of foreign birth.
Then, as in the near past, secret political socie-
| ties were organized the members of which were
| bound together by strange oaths, and recognized
| each other by peculiar signs and signals, pledging
| themselves TO disfranchse all aud support none
| for flee and give none employment who were so
unfortunate as TO have first seen the light of the
sun on some other land than ours aud resorted to
the same practice of murder, assassination, intimi-
dalton and violence that prevailed throughout
large portions of this State during the last cam
pagn and election.
IN many parishes the late election was the oc.
| casion CT most disgraceful acts Of intimidation,
eliminating in several instances in scenes OF mas
sacre shocking TO the sense of civilized men, and
only finding parallels il the annals of savage war.
! fare.
These instances Of savage cruelty, unprovoked,
hut willful and pTemedtated, seen to have been
iustgated by the hostility Of certain Glasses 10 the
laws of Congress, by which the government has
I'D Ell LII L.