New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-24
DEBATES OF THE HOUSE.
THURSDAY, February %.

1
| Speaker Garter i'll the chair. %.
| Eighty-two members present.
| Prayer by the Chaplain.
| Mr.. Carr, Of DeSoto: l would like to in
! ouirc OF the chairman Of the Committee On
| WAYS and Means what has become OF the
appropriation bill.
Mr. Wunds, of Tangipahoa: 1t is now in
| Senate
Mr. Carr, OF DeSoto: l would state that
| the general appropriation bill always starts
| in the House. and it is proper that 1t should
| 90 so. and l would call attention to the fact
that unless the general appropriation is
made immediately very great damage Will
| he done to the State treasury during the
! coming year, ami the object for which they
propose to postpone it will not he accom-
| plisned ny the delay. In 1869, ii was the
last work that was done, and then was ontr
half done would not like to see that
| occur again.
The Speaker: The report referred to by
| the gentle man from DetSoto Is an exceed
| insly important one. don't know how far
the committee has progressed; but II is III the
| power OF the House to give them such III
| structions us they please about hurrying up
| the report.
[Mr. Davidson, OF Livingston, in the
| chair.
| NJ. Moncure, of Caddo: l wonld like to
call up House bill No. ISL. This is local
| bill to establish the days upon which the
terms OF the District Court OF the Tenth
| Judicial District shall be held. 1t has been
| laying upon tie table, having been reported
upon favorably by the judiciary committee
| three weeks ago. Being a modest man and
| not having lungs to contend with this House
| | have been unable to gct it up. 1t can
| be put through in five minutes. and if the
| House will grant me the time will be under
| obligations.
| The bill was called up, put through it's
| successive readings, ana finally passed.
MIR Faulkner, OF Caldwell, in the chair.
The judiciary Committee having reported
| favorably on House bill No. 2.3, relative -
| TIE jr,ries III the parish of Cad,;o-
Mr. Moncure. OF Caddo: would urge the
passage Of this bill, because. as il now
| stands, jurors, both white and colored, have
| been compelled to attend that court and
remain dlrin. that long period, sometimes
| in the busiest season OF the year, and have
| been appealed 10 by all. both white and
colored, ~ relieve them from this burden
and the bill | offer Low is TO accomplish
| that purpose.
Mr. Carr, Of De Soto: TIE word of the
| gentleman is good.
The House refused TO adopt the report by
| Il Vote OF 16 yeas TO So nays.
Hossse bin No. So, entitled an net decL,r
I. approved March 10, 1870. having been
| called up
Mr. Carr, Of De Soto: am opposed to the
| passage OF this rill. because it leaves the
| gate wide open for III enormous amount OF
| fraud. The city is already ten millions III
| debt, and he people ale grooming under eX-
cessive taxation, and, if you pass this bill,
| YOU can not tell what the debt will he
| Why. anybody could GO and have certiti
Gates OF Indebtedness printed. and forge
the rames upon them, and the city is held
| responsible. !. is very wrong. and | move
| the further consideration ci the bill be in
definitely postponed
| Mr.. Lynch, OF lbe.ville: l want to be
| heard or that bill
The Speaker pro ten: 4 motion 10 in
| detniteiy postpone ls not dchatahir.
! Mr.. Lynch, having obtained permission:
| The gentleman from DeSoto, Mr.. Carl.
| has characterized that bill AS one opening
| the door Tor fraud and for tie presentation
| of false claims. That is not the meaning
nor the letter OF the bill. l, is only tacil!tat
| ing the getting OFT OF claims against the city
and to compel the officers to shut down
claims and reject improper claims. to make
! it their duty TO audit claims and have them
| paid. /: is very easy TO characterize any
measure as the gentleman has done, but
! tis bill is Tor another purpose than to Ell
able those who have Legitimate claims
against the city to enforce these claims.
! Tie bill is good, just and equitable. ard the
| House should pass it. | now move TO lay on
! the table that mo. ion to indefinitely pos
pOne.
Mr. Calr. of DeSoto: However good NAV
| lie the intentions OF the gentleman from
| Iberville sir. Lynch VINO introduced aiiS
| bill. or however GOOD the intentions OF Tie
| gentlemen who got it up-and that don't
question at all-this thlngl do know; that
| the Administrator Of Public Accounts
| look d carefully into this matter. and all
evidences OF indebtedness a-ains. the city
| that were presented were careful Y examined
by him; and know there IS MOI "a member
| upon the floor OF this House who would i'm
| peach the honesty OF any member OF the
present city government. The public-the
| citizens would not do that, as was shown by
the last election. The City OF Jefferson has
| been an example. What did they do the
last night they met Why, they gave out
! contracts and passed ordinances which now
| hold the City of Jefferson down. One OF
these ordinances was for the Smelling OF
some road and another enc was the Ship
! Island Canal Company.
| Mr. Lynch, Of lberville: rise to /. point
| of order. would like to know wha. the
| City OF Jefferson has 20 DO with the merits
or dement's OF the bill.
Mr.. Carr OF De 500 AS a member upon
lIis lGol, tdH HoI s,aIiL 20 see any SltcU
| bill pass, winch allows our citizens to be
! swindied III this way.
Mr.. Lynch Of ihcr,ii!e: What swindlpg
| IS there III il! The claims are to be decided
| 10y the courts, and i j. net presumed that
any court
iIr. Carr, OF De Soto: The certificates
were examined 10y the proper officers of the
| city, and II they have not approved them it
| is prtr,0 fGcie evidence that they are not
good, are not valid; that they were given for
work which has never been performed |
do say that they shall not be recognized.
That the citizens Of this city shall not he
taxed for these things and l am astonishcd
that gentleman should get up here and adj
vocate any such claims as these. ] have no
doubt but that he does II in good faith. but
il is an outrage. | call tie yeas and nays on
my motion.
Mr.. Harper, Of st. Charles ] desire to
say few words before the ques ton is put
The whole intent of this bill is instead Of
making an opportunity for one man to be
corrupt, it will give an opportunity lor a
hundred or perhaps thousand. The for
mer bill Of the city charter gave the Adj
| ministrator OF Public Accounts the authority
70 decide upon these certificates. If this
law passes, every man who ever had con-
tract, can make out such certificates us he
pleases, and may run the city into ten or
| twelve millions of debt 1t may not be
| quite as high as these figures. but there is Il
| probability OF the debt being increased
| nearly double. Besides that. it opens the
| door for forgery and other dishonest deeds,
instead OF placing it in the hands of tho Adj
m1nlstrator OF Public Accounts, a gentleman
nVA