New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-18

that the resolution Will accomplish any
thing, if it is a fact, and ! suppose there is
no doubt of it, that this officer has resigned.
He is no longer in office, and whether we
know 1t officially or not, suppose there IS
no one here who doubts it, and we have
nothing at all to do with it. The only
thing TO be accomplished is to get rid OF
him, and IS that object has been accom-
pished, it is not necessary to go to the ex-
pense and trouble to have this resolution
printed. / second the motion to postpone,
until we can get the necessary information.
| mr. Lewis: Mr.. President, | do not ap'
prove Of this plan OF an officer hiding
| himself behind resignation from the con.
sequence Of embezzling public funds; and
| believe, sir, that wherever an officer has
! been intrusted with public funds, and has
| e:nbezzed them and used them to his own
purpose, SO as to become a deautter, ne
ought to be publicly exposed.
| Mr.. Todd MIR. President, rise to point
| of order: il is, thai if the gentleman has
resigned he is out OF the jurisdiction OF the
Senate, and if he has embeZzied pubic
funds the courts have jurisdiction, and Eot
| the Senate.
The President: That is not a point Of
! order: that is q point OF law, and that is one
/ Of the privileges of the Senate to decide.
Mr.. Lewis: | say. Mr.. President, that 90
not care whether he has resigned or not. IL
| does not follow. from that fact, when he mas
| embezzled state money, that this crime
shouid not be made palpable to every cin'
| zen Of the State: and If he does come ior-
ward. availing hiHeelf OF the advantage OF
| resignation. we shouli still fasten upon him
| q decision that would forever after
prevent him from holding office in tue
STATE. Is it not right that every citizen OF
| the State should know that he is u defauiter;
| that he has been an ultai;htul Otncer; that
| he is not to be trusted; so that II he should
| hereafter ask position ~ the hands OF tae
| people Of the State that they may then
know him, and treat. him with that con-
| tempt which defautter deserves? That IS
! all ask. and that this resolution pass, and
| tl2t the facts lie printed and made mani =
fest 70 the people of the State; they have q
right to know it. -,
Mr. Todd's motion 10 postpone. until
| Official information should be obtained,
! was carried by vote OF Is yeas to u nays.
Dir. Lynch: ar. President, hold in my
hand a Joint resolution, which is q matter
Of great i'm portance to the State and which
| believe, If read, would be passed unanl-
mou,Iy; aud, if permission is given, desire
TO have it read, so that 1t may be under
| stood.
The resolution was read by the Secretary,
being one directing G. NJ. Wiokliffe TO
| deliver to the Acting Auditor certain cou
| pons for cancellation.
Mr.. Lynch: Mr.. President, I will explain,
if the Senate will allow NE, and / hope the
Senators will give me their attention for
few minutes / do not understand the
| Auditor of PQbic Accounts, low under in
parchment, 10 be opposed 10 delivering up
these coupons, but ne is unwilling To DO so
| voluntarily, as will appear from q note from
him to the Acting Auditor. The object OF
having these coupons IS TO have them de
stroyel, SO that the State shall not have 10
pay til IN again. The matter will be ex-
planned by two letters, one from the Acting
audit =, and one from Nj. Wichlifie, IL
reply.
TIL Secretary read the two letters referred
Mr. Lynth: Mr. President, the OBJ.
iect of this resolution is simply for
the Auditor TO turn over these cou-
pons for cancellation, SO that the
Sta.e will not have 10 pay them again, and
that they may be Cancelled befOr the Finance
Committee, aud the Committee of Ways and
Means of the House. l would ask a suspen
ion of the rules that it may be acted upon
immed stely.
Mr. Bl4ckman: | would state that while
| agree with the Senator, tb2t he should be
cJmpe led to give NJ these coupons, ana Il
there is any probability OF their being MIS-
| applied, that il Will re proper 10 take some
| steps to get than back. Yet can not see
what effect this resolution will have. You
have q law upon your statute books. which
| prohibits all officers from embezZelEg OF
taking funds that belong to the state; YET
! what is the result! We all know that it Is
done. Ii Mr. Wlcklif, has in his possession
these coupons, OF what good is TIL.
resolution directing them to bs
turned over TO NJ. Graham, it is q
useless resolution. IF hir. Wicklifre no d:
On 10 them, and say he has right to dot
# he says am slm1 susp nded during
M II al, and have a ght to hOl on to III St
bonds, what Is the result? He goes 70 QUE
of the courts OF justice. The only way that
you can arrive al it is by q writ of seques
tration, and not by sjoint resolution, order
| ing him to turn over these bonds to Mr.
Graham, temporarily acting as Auditor.
believe this resolution useless. If you want
to accomplish anything, come up to The
, issue, and direct Mr. Graham TO take the
proper steps in the courts OF justice. The
resolution, if passed, will be of no USE
whatever.
The rules were suspended, and the bill
placed on its third reading.
Mr.. Lynch: Mr.. President, would simply
say this, that these coupons, which are now
in the hands of Mr. Wickliffe, ought to bs
cancelled. and that it is the duty of the
Finance Committee of the Senate
and the Committee of Ways and Mean.
of the House to see that these bond
are Cancelled. The object Of the resolution
{ is to remove them from the hands of MIR
Wickliffe TO the acting Auditor, so that these
. coupons may be destroyed, and so thai
$500 00C may not be ont against the State
1t is simply to save the State having to pay
$500, 0e0 over again.
The bill was finally passed.
The special order of the day was called
being House bill No. 81. an act TO substitute
s l.. James, G. 3. Buckner aud 7. Bynum
or their assigns, for and in the place OF Jo61
/ NJ. Huger and Charles Jones, as lessees I'm
? DER an act of lease of the Louisiana STATE
Pententiary, executed between his Excel
leucy Governor Joshua Baker and Messrs
2 Huger and Jones, approved by General "
J 5. Hancock, aud dated March eighteenth
? one thousand eight hundred and sixty
eight, aud ratified by act OF Legislature, APP
proved March fifth, one Thousand eight hun
, | dred and sixty nine; also. to alter and tx
tend said lease twenty-one years at an al
| nual rent-fve thousand for the first year
/ | SIX thousand for second, and increasing Oh
= thousand dallars each year until expira.io
, | of lease.
e The question pending being the amend
D | ment proposed by Mr.. Lynch, to strike out
e | in the second section, all after the wore
r Louisiana, "in the twelfth line, down to an
including the word t'year,' in the seven
/ teenth line, and insert s35, 600 annually"
/. The Secretary read the proposed amend
3 | ment.
, Mr.. Bacon: Mr.. President, I hope tn
2 Sergeant-at-Arms will call 10 his assistance
i g. sufficient number of the Metropolitan Pc
C lice to keep order, and see whether we Ca
. not have silence, and quiet, and stiffness, t
5 hear what is going on.
t Mr.. Ogden: And that they be statione
8 behind the Senator's chair.
q The President: The Senator's point is we
g taken. It is really shame that We can Nc
y have better order.
8 Mr.. OHara: Mr.. President, I move to la
n the amendment on the table.