New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-11

r. r. f4r Mr. Hunt and Nj. Dibble, for the
money came through their fundamentally.
That gentleman has been q constant source
of expense to the State government ever
since he came into Office. There Is another
claim here of Major New for acting attorney
failure for ten thousand dollars. He was
assisting the Attorney General: Ten
thousand dollars and ten thousand
dollars are twenty thousand dol
lars, and this fifty thousand dollars
arc seventy thousand dollars to Mr.. Belden
for one year. There was Mr.. Roselius, who
filled this Office, and other distlnSulsneo
men, and Mr. Belden has drawn more money
out of the treasury than all OF them put To-
speaker, that / think Governor Warmoth
has acted the part OF brave. true, faithful,
devoted public servant in refusing to sign
this infamous BILL and call upon you, out
Of regard to the State, out OF regard to your
own integrity, to protect the people !
would not have spoken on this thing at all
if the gentleman from Livingston had not
got up and denounced Governor WnrmOth
for doing what he was sworn to do, what his
oath of Office compelled him to do, to see
that no person should plumber the State
treasury, whether it was the Attorney Gen
eral of the State, or was thief or rObber. l
say that he had no instrumentality i'll collect
ing this tax He has not done one
dollars worth Of service. There was suit
brought the other day. He sued the State.
What was the consequence! The state
had no one to represent it. He was elected
"a Il constitutional officer to represent the
State, but there was no one to represent the
State So Governor Warmoth had to ap-
point some one to represent the state.
say that Governor WarmOth was obliged to
employ counsel to defend this case against
this very Attorney General. lie who should
he the defender Of the Stateis no defender,
because he was suing her, and the Governor
employed counsel to defeat this very claim,
and call upon every honest man upon this
floor to sustain the Governor.
Mr. Burch of East Baton Rouge: l must.
in turn, express my surprise at the gross
personalities INDUCED in by the gentleman
from Ibcrville Mr.. Lynch, and it comes
with bad grace, indeed, to say the least,
from a gentleman who has occupied the
same position which the present claimant
for relief in this bill has occupied. 1 must
reiteratc, that it comes with bad grace from
gentleman who is now a member ON this
floor, who has once occupied the same posi-
ton that Mr.. Bcldcn does, and who has
been before the Legislature OF this State
asking for a claim Of five thousand dollars
for the same cause: and now i must say
this if the gentleman had been successful
in coming before the Legislature and claim
ing this five thousand dollars he would not
be so bitter against this claim tonight; but
from the fact that he did not gain it, he does
not wish his successor to obtain it. Laugh
teri hold that it is unfair to ask men to
accept responsible positions in this
State that requires great mental ability and
days and nights of labor, it is unfair to ask
them to do these great services to the
State and to save to the State immense
sums of money. which are now i'll the treas
ury, and to refuse to pay them compensa-
ton which is justly due them. We talk of
placing officers beyond the influence of
bribery and corruption but here we have
an example of an officer who has performed
his whole duty to the State and is now oh
ligcd to come to the Legislature to ask that
this compensation shall be granted TO him,
and he has a right to receive it. If gentle
men upon this floor will examine this care
fully and see the immense sums of money
which this gentleman. by his legal abilities,
has secured to the State, they would not,
for single moment. object to the cOInpcn-
sation which he asks for, but wonld grant
it at once with the generosity which
| am sorry to see does not per-
wade the bosom of every man on
this floor. We are not here to indulge IN
personalities on any one; we are simply
here to consider what claims this gentle
man may have upon the State. and to pass
upon them. That is the whole question
before us, and if we find the compensation
asked for by this gentleman to be legal. if
we have right to give it, we should give
it-Mr Lynch and the Governor himself TO
the contrary notwithstanding. l would ask
the gentlemen upon this floor whether they
wish officers to perform these great duties
for the public welfare and the public good
without receiving compensation. recolect
that when this Legislature here. two or three
years ago. they brought i'll bills giving
twenty tive per cent extra pay to members
in order that they might get their whole
pay. But today We find that there are
gentlemen upon this floor unwilling to
allow to a man the compensation W Eich he
is entitled to according to law. and what
Justly belongs to him. Talk abou- putting
your hands in the public purse: why. you
put your hands into his private pocket.
and you deprive him of that which justly
belongs to him. He has been working
solely for the benefit OF the commonwealth,
and how asks the Legislature to award to
| him. not what belongs TO you. not what
belong sto the STATE. hut what belongs to
him Ii You recognize the amount which
| is due to him. allow it. He has done his
| whole duty. and l think that the members
upon this floor should award him the COM
| pcns;ltion to which he is entitled. We are
unwilling that these important positions
should be filed by any but men able to ill
them, and if we do not give them the com
pensation to which they are entitled, we
will find them flied by second rate men,
| who will take them for anything they can
get, and then bribery and corruption will
| be prominent all over the State. Let us re-
ward this officer. Let us see that he obtains
| his inst compensation. Now, Mr.. Speaker,
! think that the subject has been thoroughly
! discussed. and. therefore, move the previous
| question.
| The main question was ordered.
While the roll was being called on the
| final passage of the bill. the name OF Mr..
Stamps. of Jefferson, having been reached
Mr. Stamps. of Jefferson: Mr. Speaker. l
vote against this bill because it says he has
collected money III the parish OF jefferson,
| and know it is not true. vote no
The bill finally passed over the Govern
or's veto by a vote OF G3 yeas to "A nays, and