New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-02

Accounts is hereby instructed to issue hia
warrant on the Department OF Finance Tor
that amount and for that purpose.
Mr.. West moved to amend by striking
out Fire Department and inserting me
chanics' No. G." and slope Hook and Lad.
der Company No. g."
Mr.. Emley said he had made the appro-
priation payable to the Fire Department
generally, because he was satisfied that
these two companies would be fair repre-
sentatives of the whole department OF New
Orleans.
Mr.. Walton reminded Administrators
of the present condition of the city. Pub
lie business was in state of chaos more
than anything else, with hundreds and
thousands of creditors beleaguerlpg the city
for debts due them, and many OF these
creditors were in absolute distress. He
thought that for a bankrupt corporation to
start making donations was a very doubtful
proceeding indeed.
Mr.. Shaw said he was satisfied the OBJ
lection made by the Administrator OF
Finance came from the very best motives,
yet he believed this appropriation could be
voted for on the very best motives. The
city was not bankrupt corporation. He did
not deny that its affairs had been mis-
managed, but it was able to pay every debt.
The whole Indebtedness of the city OF New
Orleans, bad and good, genuine and fraudu.
lent, did not amount 10 more than eighteen
million dollars. The city was we'll able to
pay that amount in the time allotted, and
had an income equal to it's expenses. The
present administration had been put in
here to economist; to do away with every
manner of bribery, fraud and mlsmanage-
ment; but they had not been put in
here to vote down every expenditure
which public spirit called upon them
to make. They had not been put in
here to deny the claims of department
to which the public stood indebted for the
preservation of the property not only of the
citizens, but Of the city itself. Care, Of
course, should be exercised to see that
these donations went into the right chan
mel, but that appropriations OF this kind
might be made for proper public object,
for one in which the citizens at large SYM
pathized, and which the true interests Of
the city justified, he believed was beyond
question. There was such thing as being
entirely too economicai; there was such a
thing as saving in the wrong place, and he
thought this would be case in point if the
Council rejected this resolution.
Mr.. Emley said he was as reluctant as the
Administrator of Finance to put his hand
into the public pocket, but he thought this
was not throwing away of fifteen hun
dred dollars; for New Orleans would be
represented in the leading cities of the
North by some sixty Or seventy men, of
whom We should all be proud, and if,
through their influence, one hundred emf.
grants were induced to throw their capital
and labor into the future of New Orleans,
the money would be well spent.
Mr.. Walton wished he could make as
fluent speech as the gentlemen on the
other side, and Ne would be very glad if he
could coincide with them. But while the
interest on the debt of the city amounted to
fully four thousand dollars day, and while
the city had creditors whom it was unable
to pay, while at this very meeting the Coun-
Gil had postponed a number of debts right
eousy due, he did not think it good policy
to give away fifteen hundred dollars On the
chance of very uncertain advantage. He
did lot suppose anything he could say
would influence the vote OF the Council, for
he knew that the result was foregone, but
be wished to put himself On the record as
protesting against this appropriation.
FIR. West said, when this proposition YVES
frs. mooted he Was decidedly opposed to it.
The appropriation was then little larger
than now. He took it that this was fifteen
hundred dollar purchase of acquaintance
with the North, and he believed arrange
ments were now in progress to entertain
here in the South delegation of Northern
yachtmen, who wou!d be likely to spend
during their stay IN this city at least double
the amount Of this appropriation; so, after
all, this was only an exchange of facilities O.
acquaintance between the two sections
which was particularly necessary at thu
present time.
Mr.. Emley added that the Northern cite!
through which this delegation of fireme1
would pass had prepared themselves tt
extend every courtesy to them.
The Mayor said before the vote was pu
he wished to say word or two which b.
had hoped not to have the necessity Of say
ing. He did not believe, in the first place
that the Council had any right to do any
thing of the kind proposed. They wer
putting their hands into other peoples peck
cts. If gentlemen believed so much bened
would be derived from this excur
sion, let them put their hands int
their own pockets. He, for one, woul
subscribe as much as anybody, but the.
had no right to give away the property o
the city. 1t was not what they were sen
into this hail for. They were sent here a
agents, as clerks. Ii any gentleman hire,
as clerk to another should put his hand il
his employers till 10 give away his money
would that be right? He did say, and h
said it with full knowledge of what he wa
speaking about, that the city was q
near bankrupt as possible. The city wa
spending three dollars for every dollar the
collected, and was every day telling it
creditors, men and women, suffering TO
want of their wages, that there was nothin
to give them, and, under those circum
stances, it was not right to appropriate IF
teen hundred dollars to enable fremen o
anybody else to enjoy themselves over tn
country, At this very meeting the Council