New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-21
N TFE LEGISLATURE.

acl 10 oBcISu ct.iii pUAAoLA--Ni-e IL 'i|~
State ofLouisiana The bill, which is very
short, provides that no person shall suffer
death for any capital crime committed IN
this State but in all cases OF CONVICTION
for murder, the person so convicted shall
be sentenced to solitary imprisonment tor
life in the State Penitentiary. We sup
| pose that the enactment OF this law will
not interfere with the gube1natorial power
Of pardon or communication.
The public mind has for many years
| been divided on the subject Of Senator
Hunsaker's bill. The growing tendency
of public sentiment has been, for Years, IL
favor of the abolition OF the death penalty.
This is evidenced by the fact that some
wears ago the Legislature, III order to
secure conviction, was compelled so to
modify existing criminal laws rs TO give
| iuries the right to say whether the pen
atty should be death CT imprisonment tor
! life. We do not think the severity OF
penalty would be so et1ectual for the pre-
vention Of crime as the certainty OF pun
ishment If. therefore, by mitigating the
law for the punishment Of crime. Its en-
| torcement becomes more certain, the
community will be more certainly pro-
tected.
Mr.. Raglan. Of East Baton Rouge. intro
duced some days ago q bill relative TO re-
moving the seat Of government TO Baton
Rouge. This I'LL. which had been re-
terred TO the Committee on Parks and
Public Buildings, Was reported back
without action. Il is easy to understand
that :. member from East Baton Rouge
should be anxious TO have the capital OF
the State in the district he represents.
Bat il IS not so easy 10 understand the
benefit that sIlch a measure would be
to the State at large. The project was
put in operation Years ago, and the seat
of government remained at distance
from the commercial capital until the re-
construction Of the State. The practical
| good ofsettinc the evil OF having the Leg
islat1.re at q distance from the accumUla-
ton OF intelligence 20 he found at New
Orleans has never Vet been shown. The
Senate concluded its morning session, al
ter few notices Of bills had been pre-
scented.
IN the evening session Of tie Senate,
the consideration CT the printing I'LL was
resumed, and after an earnest and not
exactly prayertul discussion, the bill was
recommitted by vote of nineteen yeas to
nine navs. Senator Ingralam made a
motion 20 reconsider, and 70 lay the mo-
ton to reconsider on the table. This
settle, was adopted.
The bill for the relief Q; John Ray was
finally passed by vote Of twenty-elght
yeas to three nays.
The bin to re-organize the State Land
Office and provide for the disposition OF
public lands was finally passed.
Pending other business the Senate went
into executive session.
IL the House, in the midst Of mach
non-productive efelvescence, but little
business was done.
The most prominent matter was the III
PRODUCTION, by Mr.. Worrall, Of Jetferron,
of articles Of impeachment against Judge
Cooley, Of the Sixth District Court,
charging that iurctionary with official
nisdemeanors. Mr.. Souer, OF Avoyelles.
objected on a point Of order, that
the articles Of Impeachment could
not be presented at the time unless the
rules were suspended, which. the House,
by vote. refused to DO. Mr.. Worr,.ll then
after ascertaining from the Speaker that
memorials were III order, presented the
his capacity as a citizen. III. Souel
raised another point Of orGer, that me
mortal Of Impeachment Lad to be sworn
to before the House copld consider it
This point was sustained ~ the
Chair, ard on the appeal Of Mr.
Worrall from this decision, the
Chair was sustained But III. Worral
made this last movement by swearing tC
. the articles as memorial before judge
, Pardee, and then presented them 70 th'
House, and they were read. Notwith
standing the difficulties which were mad
to the Introduction OF the matter betor
the House, il seemed that Mr.. Norral
f had the majority on his side; at any rate
= he succeeded in having the memorial re
fe1red to a committee Of five, where tht
affair now rests.
The Crescent City Slaughterhouse bill
was then called up, having been returned
from the Senate with slight amendment
p This was concurred in, and the bill nov
r awaits only the signature OF tie Governo
, to become a law.
q The remainder Of the mornings session
+ was taken up with bill No 1856, introduced
+ by Mr. Yorke, of Carroll. This is the &C
' to incorporate a company for the drainag
of New Orleans and the neighborin
r parishes; to make a protection levee, con
I | str,7 ct a railroad and shell road etc Tb