New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-06
DEBATES IN THs HOUSE.
Evening Session.

MONDAY, February %, 1870.
House met promptly at seven O'Clock P.
NJ; Speaker Carr in the chair.
Mr.. McVean called up joint resolution
instructing the Governor to remove from
office s. n Burbank, Treasurer of the Ne.
| tropolitan Police.
MIR. McVean: l move the constitutional
rules be suspended, in order that We may
consider this bill at this time.
Mr.. Gsrtskamp: At half-past twelve
o'clock to-day, We resolved ourselves into
Committee of the Whole to attend the trial
of George NJ. Wickliffe, Auditor. At the
time we resolved into Committee Of the
Whole we had under consideration
Speaker Carr: The gentleman from Jeffer
son is out of order. The question is on d
suspension of the rules.
Mr.. Gartsksmp: wish to state
Speaker Carr: The gentleman will take his
seat and preserve order.
Mr.. Degrange: The joint resolution has
no business here, Mr.. Speaker, the Treas
urer is a State officer
Speaker Carr The gentleman from Or
leans will resume his seat. The question is
on suspension of the rules.
Mr.. Degrange Then l call for the yeas
and nays.
Mr. McMillen And 1, Mr.. Speaker, call
for the special order Of the day, which is, ii
I am correctly informed, the appropriation
bill. 1t is very necessary that this Dill
should be put through without further de-
lay, as the honorable members are doubtless
already aware of the fact that the remaining
hours of this session are few and that in or.
der to pass important measures we must
expedite business. Tomorrow Is sort OF
festival day which, although not peculiar
to this General Assembly, is day on
which the people enjoy the pleasures OF the
carnival before subjecting themselves to the
austerities of the Lenten season. Let US lay
aside all levity, and solemhly and calmly
consiier this appropriation bill see some
| indications of a desire to pass the city cnar-
ter. Naughter.) -,
Now. if you pass this appropriation bill at
| once, I will help you to consolidate,
| not only the parish of Jefferson, but
| every other parish in the State. always e1-
cepting Carroll parish. l do not consider
| that the interests of that great parish re-
ouire an alliance with this well regulated
CITY and desire that Carroll parish shall
maintain her distinctive existence.
| Mr.. Crawford: Don't you want US to do
something for Carroll parish?
| Mr., McMillen: Yes, sir, want the seat OF
| justice removed to New Providence, and if
| the House will agree to let me call up my
| Carroll parish bill, will move to postpone
! further consideration of the appropria-
priation bifi until Wednesday at one O'Clock.
! A Member: What is this bill of yours?
Mr.. McMillen: A little bill relative to the
seat of justice in 10y parish. 1t is not calcu-
lated to jeopardizelthe great interests OF. the
State.
Mr.. Kent: Now, Mr.. Speaker, rise to a
question of privilege. A few days since, we
adopted rule allowing each gentleman to
call up bill as his name was called, the
roll to be called in alphabetical order. A
number of gentlemen have availed them
selves of that rule, and now they propose to
set it aside. If had been in the C's, per
| haps would have nothing to complain of Of
Mr.. McMillen: You are in the Csc for
| Kent. [Laughter.l
Mr.. Kent: Now, Mr.: Speaker, l consider
When the roll is called down to Zoelly, then
some other rule may be adopted.
Mr.. McMillen 4: l move, Mr.. Speaker, that
| the rules be suspended in order to call up
House bill 242.
Speaker Carr You have heard the mo-
ton. ALI in favor Of suspension OF the
rules will vote aye as their names are called;
contrary, nay. The clerk will call the roll.
The rules were not suspended.
Mr.. Isabelle called up a bill authorizing
| the construction of sixteen basins In the
new canal.
| Mr.. Noble: Now, Mr.. Speaker, / would
| like to say few words upon this bill.
Speaker Carr The gentleman from Or.
| leans has the floor, and viii proceed with
| his remarks.
Mr.. Noble: This bill, Mr.. Speaker and Rep
| resentatives, provides for something utter
| ly and entirely impossible; something so
| ridiculous; something so nonsenslcal, that,
not to put too fine a point on 1t, was at
first disposed to consider it only as prac-
| teal joke. The idea of constructing in
! canal seven miles long, sixteen basins Why,
| gentlemen, it would take more dredging
than the famous Ship Island Canal; and
when l refer to the Ship Island Canal. it is
| only to its Observation-Disclosures. Laughter
| The west side of the new canal is owned
| by private individuals, and 1t is very valua-
BILE property, and consequently the State
will have to pay high figure if it becomes
purchaser. To dig sixteen basins on this
west side, at an enormous outlay, when those
already existing are more than enough for
the demands upon them. appears to me the
| quntessence of folly, and the question
| comes up where, in Gods name, Is the
money to build these basins to come from,
when the already depleted exchequer OF the
| lessee is drained? He has, it is well known,
a white elephant on his hands, and he does
not know, like the Milesian, what to do with
| it. And when this fact is recognized, 1t will
be seen how farcial is this new proposition.
Under the stipulatons Of the original con-
tract, this lessee was compelled to dig GER
| tain number of basins within period OF i've
years. Three of those have already elapsed
and he has not yet completed the digging OF
| one. Each of these basins was to be two
| thousand feet long by one thousand In width,
and | hold that there is every probability
that the lessee's privileges will expire at the
end of two years, because of his failure to
perform his part of the contract. II he has
not been able to dig one in three years, how
will he dig sixteen in two years? The idea
is ridiculous. 1t is-without rejecting on
the gentlemen who introduced it-an absur-
dity. Were we to pass this bill, we would be
simply exposing ourselves to the well.earned
ridicule of the world, and | hope it will be
summarily disposed of.
MIR. Isabelle: would remind the gentle
man that the State owns five hundred feet
On the west side, and would not be forced
to purchase it. These basins are only in
tended to permit schooners loaded with
lumber to run in, SO that other vessels may
pass il and out.
Mr.. Washington: I move the further
consideration of this be indefinitely post
poned.
Mr.. GRAY: This is matter which requires
delicate handling, and l am not in favor OF
treating it in this way. l move It's post
ponement for few days-say until Thurs
day.
Speaker Carr: Does the gentleman from
Assumption withdraw his motion?
|. Mr.. Washington: Yes, sir.
Speaker Carr: Then the question is on the
motion of the gentleman from st. James
(Mr. Gray.
The motion prevailed.
Mr.. Gair called up House bill No. 1872,
being an act to consolidate the City of JET.
fers0n and other portions of the parishes OF
Jefferson and Orleans, with the city of New
| Orleans.