New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-30
DEBATES I'm TIE SENATE.
THURSDAY EVENING, March 3, 1877


is the last night of the session, and, if we
are constantly interrupted by outsiders, we
shall not be able 10 accomplish any
business.
The President: The Sergeant alarms will
enforce the rules. All who are not members,
or entitled to admission TO the Senate
Chamber, will please retire.
Mr.. Pinchback: do nos wish to be dis
courteous to visitors, and il gentlemen Will
take seats at the side Of the chamber, and
not interfere with the Senators, will be
satisfied.
Mr.. Wittgenstein: ask permission 20 in
vite on the floor of the Senate Governor j.
W. Flanagan, of Texas.
The President: II is pppecess ary. He has
q right to a right to admission under the
rules.
Mr. Whitney: Mr.. President, / rise TO
personal explanation, In the Court of In
parchment j Was in favor of removing the
Auditor from Office, but | was opposed to
disqualifying him from holding Office, and
therefore voted against the order removing
and disqualifying, because the Senate re-
fused to divide the question.
The name of Senator Smith, in accord
Rnce with a resolution OF the Senate.
MIR. Smith called up House bill No. l54.
siAn act to amend and re-enact an act entl-
tied an act to repeal all laws and parts OF
laws creating draining districts in certain
portions of the parishes Of Orleans ana JET
ferson, and providing the mode and means
for draining the same, and to proVl1e Tor the
disposition Of the property belonging to the
said draining districts, and Tor collecting
taxes, etc"
MIR. Wittgenstein: I call for the reading
of the bill.
Mr.. Ray: have motion to make in re
gard to that matter. There are, J. think,
three or four bills before The House having
reference, think, to the draining OF the
CITY. ! move the appointment Of a special
committee, to whom shall be referred all
these bills, and to report one which can
pass. This Ship Island bill, | am satisfied,
ought no: to pass, and more than that, this
bill shall be referred to special committee
Of five, to be composed of members from the
parishes of Orleans and Jefferson exclusive.
", and that bill, together with Mr.. T inch
backs and Mr.. O'Hara. and the one in
troduced can be referred TO that committee.
Mr.. Wittgenstein: move to lay that mo.
ton on the table.
The President: would not move to lay
it on the table until the chair states it. It
is moved that q special committee Of five
from the parishes of Orleans and Jefferson,
to whom these bills having reference to
drainage shall be referred.
Mr. Wittgenstein: move to lay the mo-
tion on the table.
Mr.. COPELAND Iwould ask for information.
The motion made by the Senator from
Ouachita, is to appoint a committee; when
is that committee to report?
Mr.. Ray: believe that all Senators know
that we are to have a called session on Mon
day. There is sufficient reasonable Ger
tainty to make no difficulty. / do not want
to be on that committee at all. | want il
composed of members from the city.
Mr.. Wittgenstein: The gentleman is out
out of order, motion To lay on the table is
not debatable
The President: think both Senator's are
out of order, the term of this session ex-
pires at twelve o'clock, and the term Of the
committee expires with it, as well as all
standing committees.
MIR. hay: 1 understand the Chair then TO
rule nv motion ont Of order.
The President: Unless that COMMITTEE is
authorized to sit after he session.
Mr.. Ray: Then l move that the committee
be authorized to sit and report at the IeXt
regular meeting of the General Assembly. &.
MIR. Wittgenstein: We have no reason to
believe there win be called session except
hearsay.
there will be ca led session. | therefore
move that the committee be authorized 10
report at next session.
The Chair will entertain that motion.
Mr.. Wittgensteiu: l can not say the gen.
tleman is out of order to appoint commit
tee which shall report at the next session,
but do not think he can make a motion
that they Can report al a called session, and
besides that understand the called session,
if there will be one, will be for special bust
ness only; therefore, If the Chair entertains
the motion of the Senator from Ouachita
move to lay it on the table.
The motion of Mr.. Ray was laid on the
table, yeas II, nays9.
The President: The Secretary will take
MP the bill.
The President: Has the bill been printed !?
The President: The Secretary informs NE
that it was n vt.
Section one was read.
Mr.. Wittgenstein: l move to adopt the
section.
Mr.. Blackman: This is certainly a very
important measure. A bill Of this kind. of
notorious Characteristic Ship Island bill
was before US last session, and we had q
long time to consider it. I do not know
what this bill proposes to do, but from the
reading of that section it seems they pro-
pose to take all the drainage fund from the
cities OF New Orleans and Jefferson and
place il again in the hands Of this company.
Now, there may be radical changes in the |
administration of the drainage fund. There |
may be privileges granted in this bill greater |
than were granted last session, and, on the |
contrary, it may be bill which will sub !
serve the great interests claimed by its sup
porters-the drainage of the city. But it |
will be impossible for me to act upon so |
important a measure intellgently without |
more time. do not want to go blind and !
headlong into legislation in tins way; and |
/ tell gentlemen who are pressing the bill, |
that it is utterly impossible for them to get |
suspension of the rule, which requires |
four-tifths. 1t is, therefore, better it should |
be printed ] move that further considera- |
ton of the bill be postponed, and that il be
printed.
Mr.. Braughn: second the motion.
Mr.. Wittgenstein: Does the Chair enter.
tain the motion?
The President: That motion is in order.
whether We are to have an extra session or
not.
Mr.. Wittgenstein: / move to lay the
motion to print on the table. Carried; yeas
Is, nays 10.
Mr.. wittgenstein move the adoption of
the section.
Mr.. Blackman: 1 now move that further
consideration of the bill be postponed until
tonight, at twelve O'Clock.
The motion to postpone was laid On the
table on motion of MIR. Wittgenstein; yeas
IA, nays IL.
Mr.. Poindexter: Mr.. President, voted on
this bill three or four times, just in order to
get chance to say what wanted to say
then they can do what they please with the
bill. Now, sir, this bill is taking up the
time, and l can't get even simple incorpo-
This bill has no right before the Senate |
at all. 1 profess to be somewhat
acquainted with machines myself, |
and l know there are far better dredge |
boats than this one that they are |
trying to dig this canal with. If that ma
chine will take out two bucketfulls without |
some part of it being broke I am willing to |
my 10 1