New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-08

only to debts contracted and adjusted prior
| to April l. 1870. That the sO-called war
! rants do not in any way represent debt of
the State that the State of Louisiana is
| bound by her real officers only when they
act in accordance with law, and that such
an officers illegal acts bind only himself and
suretiee and not the State.
| That Wickliffe was not All officer OF the
| State when ne forged the said warrants and
when he issued the same.
! | want to state another thing that think
can be proved-that when Mr.. Wicklitie
sold these warrants to Mr.. Strauss he sold
| them at the hour of midnight, with Il SLOUGH
hat upon his head, false whiSkers upon his
| face, and his cloak drawn over to conceal
his person. II any person can not imagine
| that there were suspicious circumstances III
this, ! don't know how it is possible
tor us to think that the purchaser OF
| these warrants could not have had his
doubts whether lie was an accessory
after the fact or not. There Is
nothing III law nor equity which Will justify
the Legislature in appropriatlnE anything
! for the benefit Of Mr.. Strauss. nave he-
fore me the opinion Of the Auditor OF Pub
| lie Accounts, in this matter. wherein lie
SAYS: Neither in law nor equity is there
the slightest foundation for this claim. l
believe this is nothing but !! rak'lS up OF
| the old sores of the old Wicklittc arrange
ment; ! believe that if Mr. Nickiitie did
impose upon this gentleman. he was getting
a small share-a very small iota of the
| thousands of dollars-perhaps the <Juo.OoV
of kAl coupons; and perhaps. If you trace
the matter up, these very parties are the
| parties who hold the 100000 of bad con-
| pons, and there was probability that the
money might be paid again by the Leg!sis-
| ture Of the State OF Louisiana.
| l say, if we can not do anything more.
| this matter. at least. should be more
| thoroughly ventilated, because it goes back
| into the old history of the .Wicklif1e affair,
| and have my honest belief that these gen
| ,lcmen would not want their affairs ex-
| amincd into very closely. because there
| might be some suspicion that they were IN
| plicated in this transaction Now, although
| a great deal more might be said upon tins
matter, | shall leave it to the House. now
| move that the committee recommend to the
| House the indefinite postponement oi this
bill
Mr.. Faulkner, OF Caldwell: Mr.. Chairman.
propose to look into this matter
| coolly. l do not propose to get eX-
cited. and ! am ast"nished AT my
friend from st. Charles tMr. Harper,
that he should permit himself to get .int"
| a passion. so calm and quiet and good as he
| is usually, he who is usually so kind-hearted
and who can sympathize with the short
comings of his ftllow-lnen TO such an eN-
tent, could. III one moment AZ II We're. r
off at a tangent. l propose to look IT this
| matter in'accordance with the customs OF
| business and commercial transactions. There
| is no necessity of abusing any body. II Il
| is right and correct. if these warrants were
| issued by an officer of the State, AM: that
before he was arrested and charged with
| high crimes. while he was performing his
official duties. what ground is there. tor
| charging completely with Mr.. Nick!itse
on the part of these parties. Were
| not these warrants issued N .hc
| ordinary course of State business
| But the Auditor, the agent Of the State for
| law and in equity. the agent can bind his
principal Ii he issued these warrants III
| the usual way and manner to Mr.. Straus.
| or any other gentleman. what evidence Is
| there, what appearance of evidence Is there.
| that Mr.. Strauss was in completely with Mr..
! Wickitfe +. These warrants ante-date the
| action Of the Legislature. with regard I"
the impeachment OF Mr.. Wickl!tie. Even
surprising these warrants had been p'i;-
| chased after he had been charged and COZ
| demncd. they would have been bought and
| sold on Carondclet street, and clScw here. as
many others have been: but it turns "ut in the
course Of time that Mr.. Wickhtic. Will" pur-
| suing his official duties as Auditor. took ln'"
| his head to issue warrants not authorized NV
|
| But he was the agent of the State OF Louis
| lana. and You can't 90 behind ih,' Ny dis
| .inguished friend on my right mir. Ih"m,-
| SOM saws i. would be better :or him :" sue
the State. think not. Ii :h;- i right II
| he is the innocent holder o. Tie warrants.
| if there. is no evidence q. c",nrl:.ity Ink
| that tie parties acted in good !:.it;!. I: Is tor
| the Legislature to say thai 'ne present Audi
| tor OF Public Accounts sinai. protect him i'll
! T. p,,,t, ! sent
doesn'. wish SO 70 do. NJ. >tran-> pur-
chased these warrants in 200. :!lth. IKE
| he has purchased hundreds o. thousands ne
| fore, and like any nthc: broker has i'l:!'-
| chased them before and suce: ;,n,! say ii
| the evidence shows this. tEeE :. = proper
| for this General Assembly :" say 'i.tt the
Auditor shall issue the warrants named
in the bill. Our committee gave tins matter
several days, they brought into ref:.iS:;i"n
every way 70 inquire into il, and their re-
| port is that Mr.. Strauss, from the evidence
| gathered by them. purchased these warrants
in good faitl,-purchascd them on the faith
of the State of Louisiana: and if :ilat IS t.c
fact, the State OF Louisiana is bound ,oi>suc
warrants equivalent To them. II Is Il mat
ter, as before remarked. to look at co"llv.
calmly and deliberately. ]. is YOUR duty as
representatives. if you believe that Strauss
| purchased these warrants i'll good faith. 10
| protect him. as vOrl have done hundreds O;
thousands Of men heretofore. and will do
again. and as every Legislature in every
State in this Union has done in similar cases
and under similar circumstances.
And we have got not alone 10 protect !:
| citizen Of the State of LoU.sian. III bis
rights. but We have another duty t" per
| form; that is. 70 protect the integrity Vi the
| State Of Louisiana. Every man knows tilat
| a man can not ignore the acts OF his :.ru..
when that agent has acted within his bow