New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-19
z,,h;ect IA tho nrintiug bill to intr0 duce my

Mr.. O'Hara: can not; it is in the hands
of the committee.
Mr.. Lewis moved to lay ON the table tho
motion to take up bill No. %.
. Mr.. Lynch seconded the melton:
The yeas and nays were called for.
Mr.. Pinchback: l wish to explain my
vote.
The President: The motion is to lay on
the table, and is not debatable.
Mr.. Pinchback: I do not want TO raise a
debate. am in favor of bill No. 80, but 90
not want to give it the preference over inc
printing bill.
The Senate refused to table the motion,
and took up bill No. 95, which was tor the
payment, to j. o. Nixon, late State Printer,
of the sum OF $50,3Il A..
Mr.. Pinchback moved that the bill be con,
sidered engrossed, ami ordered to third
reading.
Mr.. Fish: The preamble of this bill recites
things that am not willing to assent to-.
believe it states that the contract with
J. o. Nixon was payable in currency.
| have had occasion to read the law
in this case l have had occasion to
read the printing law of 1864, and
the printing law of 1868, and many others
by which money is appropriated and paid
from the State treasury, and 1t seems to me
there ia no material difference between
them. lean see nOne and there being no
material difference i'll the law, and the law
being the only contract in this case, don t
Sic where and why this contract Is special
one, and as do not propose to compensate
all the various persons who nave Deen the
creditors of the Stare for the last four
wears with the rate of discount which has
prevailed, ranging from ten to forty! per
cent to tho amount of millions OF dollars,
and creating IA debt beyond the limits OF the
constitution l therefore shall oppose this
bill. 1t is alleged that this work was done
under a contract, and that special
provision in that contract makes this
special. They refer us TO no such provision.
and they don't even allege that any such
provision was produced i'll committee.
There is no such allegation before the Sen
ate and there is no contract except the law
in the case. Mr.. Nixon was elected State
Printer during the special session in Novem-
Der 1865, in violation of the statute law OF
1864, which confirmed the existing State
Printer Some time aiterward, either late in
the special session of 1865 or early in the
regular session of 1866, a printing law was
adopted, and under that law which pro-
vided for the payment of the State Printer
in the same manner as all other creditors,
by warrant, he was paid throughout. He
drew his pay during the time 1t IS alleged
he received currency in the same manner as
he did afterward, that is he drew warrants
from the Auditor of Public Accounts. 1t Is
true, during part Of the time he presented his
warrants, and received cash for them, and
that afterward the State was i'll the unfOr-
tunate position of not being able to pay ln-
mediatcly all the warrants issued, and con-
seouently he had to take his choice between
selling his warrants at Il discount, or keep
ing them until the State was able to meet
them. He chose to sacrifice part OF his
warrants, and must bear the loss. lie ac-
cepted the contract he accepted his
election, and handled the money, and
presented no protest at any time against the
receipt OF his State warrants. On the con-
trary, he received them in liquidation OF
his claim. and signed receipts for his bills.
If We pass this BILL and issue TO him a war
rant for fifty-two thousand dollars, or what
ever the amount is that is claimed, that
warrant again can not he paid in cash, in
the present condition of the treasury, and he
must sell that warrant at seventy or seventy
five cents on the dollar next year. therefore.
with equal justice he may come i'll and ask
for an appropriation of twelve and half
thousand dollars to meet the discount he
has now to pay, and the year after for
three thousand dollars more to meet the
discount on that. Where is this thug to
end 1t is not only question OF fifty
thousand dollars. more or less. that Is in
vOlved in this claim, but it is precedent
which. if followed. will take millions of
dollars out of the State treasury. and will
swallow up all the debt the State is au-
thOrized to contract.
Mr.. Ingraham: In answer to the gentle
man l will say that the Committee on
Claims devoted Il good deal of time to the
investigation of this matter, and also had
the contract before them.
Mr.. Fish l would like to have that
contract read.
Mr.. Ingraham: If had known the gen
tleman wished to read it would have had
it here.
Mr.. Fish: l gave due notice when the
bill was first up.
Mr.. Ingrahan The contract was made
in 1866, aud it expressly stated he should
be paid in current funds. He was paid in
current funds until the passage of the re-
construction acts, and was then paid in
warrants.
Mr.. Fish rose to ask a question: From
whom did the State Printer receive this
money.
Mr.. Ingraham: From the Treasurer,
through warrants issued by the Auditor.
Now, Sir, Mr.. Nixon was compelled to close
his printing establishment and to break up
his business because the amount of COM
pensation he received from the State for
work done was not sufficient to pay for the
labor and to purchase material to carry on
the business OF printer, even on his private
account, had he surrendered his contract as
State Printer. The failure of the State to
pay him in current funds broke him entirely
i'll his business and he now comes simply to
ask to be relieved of his losses. The idea
that he will subsequently ask a new appro-
priatiOn of twelve or thirteen thousand dol
lars, and then three thousand more, is
simply absurd. He will take his warrant,
aS all the other creditors of the State have
taken theirs. as a final settlement of all
claims against the State. l have not yet
voted, nor will l vote while l remain a Sen
atOr, to take out of the treasury single
dollar unless | believe cOnscieptiOusly am
doing an act OF Justice 70 u worthy citizen
who has been deprived of his rights by cir
over which he had no control.
Mr.. Lynch offered an amendment that to
the first section should be added the words
land take the receipt in full of said James
o. Nixon for all demands against the
State.
Mr.. jerks accepted the amendment.
Mr.. Lewis: regard this precedent of
paying losses aecruing from discounting
warrants us dangerous one. In the pres
ent condition of the laws Of the State can
not pretend to say how many public print
ers there are in the State of Louisiana.
There are great many Senators on this
floor that own printing presses who would
never have thought of purchasing a print
ing press had it not been tor the present
printing bill. and the openings for making
money created under this mammoth prinf
ing law.
MIR. Sypher rose to a point of order. The
present printing bill was not before the
House
MIR. Lewis; l am coming to the point: |
am coming to 1t in my own way. By voting