New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-01

formerly exercised. SecOnd-that the in
tentiOn OF article 10 Of the constitution was
never to apply to such questions as this
which is mere municipal regulation.
Mr.. Harper further illustrated his posi-
ton by showing that the butchers get thei,
living 10y the exercise Of their vocation. and
1t is unjust to compel them to do whatever
these lncorporators see tit. to compel
them to be taxed by the incorpo
rators; further, that the principles
embodied in article 40 Of the con.
stltutlon had been originally enunci lated in
the British constitution. and were so adopt
Ell tnere!n shortly after the close OF the
vent that Wholesale cOntiscation OF the prop
erty OF the vanguished rebels, which III
those times was usual This article of the
bill OF rights was Incorporated in the con
stitution OF the United States. and
thence transferred to our own State
constitutions; but it was never intended to
apply to such rights as those claimed by
the slaught"rhOuse, matters Of mere NUM-
clpat and police regulations; not to act rs
a check upon rulers, but at any time the
American people should be placed in the
position of England ut the conclusion OF the
wars of the Roses
Mr.. Harper closed by ar appeal to the
| House, rather to regard the older and higher
rights of the butchers. than the assumed
|
| house company.
Mr.. Worrall, of Jefferson: Mr.. Speaker
| during the time that this bill, which through
| the wise intcrposition of the Governor is
| again before lis, was originally before
| the House, | arose ten tiInes-kept the
count-to my feet in the hope OF being able
to raise my voice against this measurc the
bill is now returned to the House with the
| Governor vetO and with Ely views OF the
| measure had nat RI q EOyernor vetoed that
| bill. l certainly should have lost all conf
| dcnce III his wisdom and all faith in his de-
| termination to well and faithfully sustain
| the constitution which he has sworn to sup
port and defend l have watched, with 1t
| great deal of interest, this SlaughtcrhOuse
measure since it was first introduced and
shall briefly call the attention Of the House
to the purposes and objects original, ac-
conplished in the passage of that
bill. I presume that there is not i.
gentleman on this floor who Will
deny tlat there was some great
necessity for a measure 10 be framed to pro
tect the health OF the people, placed in jeop-
ardy by the Strengthening OF animals in the
upper portion and middle OF this city. l
presume that it is well known that even the
main pipes through which the water was
to be used for drinking by the people of
this city was frequently clogged up by the
filth which passed from these slaughter
houses; and the people of this great me
tropolis were day after day staring death in
the fact and death staring them in the face,
while again and again the city of New Or
leans-l refer to the city governncnt-had
put forth efforts to remove this nuisance
and cou]d not accomplish that object. Et
forts were made again and again. but these
butchers were power IN the land. | sup
pose, with plenty OF money, and therefore
the nuisance still remained. The necessity,
therefore, that something should be
done was imminent. and it WAS i'm
portant that some plan should be |
devised that should meet the occasion.
The plan adopted by the wise Legislators of |
the last session was to pit monopoly against !
monopoly. TO fight the devil with fire" to |
overcome those who had a grievouS monop-
oily and who had grievously exercised ii, for
many years by another monopoly: so far.
so good. l say there could he no question
that the Legislature had q perfect right TO
pass act of this kind. 1t that is dis
puted, Iappeal for the truth of my state
ment to the decisions of the courts of the
country. They had that right and they cxer-
ciSed it prudently and judiciOusly in passing
that bill. A great deal has been said about
oppressive monopolies. l want to go back
in the record eighteen months ago. fifteen
months ago. If or my wife went to mar
ket We had to pay thirty or forty cents a
at that time those butchers were buying
that beef for four cents III Texas and tram
sporting it to this city upon the Morgan
steamers. costing them seven cents. But
when the slauShterhOusc went into
operation beef dropped down and
has kept down to this day. l appeal TO
the record as to this 'oppre ssivc monopoly"
Again. sir. We find that there's a great deal
said about depIiying these parties OF their
rights. ! would like to know what right
they are deprived OF. Let us take IL case.
| would like to ask whether any man has a
II light to store large lot of gunpOwder in
any portion OF this city! trow not. Why.
Have we the right to say that man shall
not sell gunpowder. a useful article of COM
meyeet Why, certainly We have no right to
saw that But ask whether the rights of
the hundreds OF thousands of people living
in this city! Why should we say no man
has a right to carry Oh his occupation to the
prejudice Of the health or the risk Of the
lives of the people of this city, or any other
city, 1t is public policy; and say. if We
have the right to say that a man shall not
have gunpowder in this city, we have the
the existence Of slaughterhouses shall
he removed. and have the right
to pass an act removing it. Do You deprive
these butchers of the right to slaughter
cattle BY no means, The butchers can
go down there under certain regulations.
Allow me to refer to the Speaker himself.
He was long connected with the company.
If they paid you ten cents per head to in
spect their beef. and you took their money,
tLey faithfully discharged their part Of the
contract, and you both did right. There
Was certainly no interference on your part
With their claims. When You We're an Off
Der Of that company never heard OF
their complaining that you did anything
that was not warranted by the position in
which you We're placed
The Speaker: Let lnc correct the gentle
man. ] was not an officer of the company:
Was an officer OF the State: never had
to do with the company.
Sir. Worrall: Now, sir these butchers can
20 down TO the appointed place and slausil-
heir slarghtcring down there. II is simply
he old trick of trying to break
sanitary laws which the State has
oeen so long trying 10 pass, but has
always been met by this talk of monopoly
Pass this bill over the Governors veto and
'oH will again have the whole water of the
VI issiSsippi poisoned, giving me more bust
less than ] can do. But another point
comes directly here and this is my main OBJ
ection to this bill When l stood there on
he first day OF the session, l raised my
land and swOre to defend the constitution .
II the country. l propose to do it to the
'est of my knowledge and ability We
re told that there's no vested right Do
he gentlemen believe thata Do they real
re the fact that the reporter is sitting there |
iacing on record their words, when they !
ay there is no vested right heres l ask