The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1871-01-08

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Nov. urss upon TIA SsnAt, that Ii Is high
time that this body was perfectly organized. and
SO thatit con proceed - The legitimate business
that win come before it Three days Of tho
session have already passed. and no ego has
been turned toward tho important legislation
which will demand the attention Of this body
during the present session. I say to Senators
who propose TO hlibuster upon this question,
that they have q serious and q solemn accounts
bility to give their constituents that sent them
here say to such Senators, "go home to your
constituents and tell them that you occupy the
time of this Senate in the discussion Of the man.
ner in which a committee shall be formed to
mako rules for the government ofyour body.
when the State il now suffering from the effects
of the war that has lately ragged over it, and from
the effects of some bad legislation that has almost
ruined the State Treasury. insist that this
question shall be settled and settled at once; for
the die in cast, as there is o majority in this
Senate that is determined that this body shall
have the power Of choosing officers for itself
Mr.. Ray: Some remarks have fallen from the
Senator who has just taken his seat, which I feel
bound to reply to. He has remarked that those
who opposed the passage Of this resolution were
unnecessarily taking up the time of the Senate
Now, when it was proposed on the first day OF
the session to adopt the same resolution that is
almost uniformly adopted by all Legislative
bodies, that the Senate should adopt the rules
that governed it the last session. the very same
gentlemen that favor the resolution brought up
now refused to vote for it; and now they have the
temerity to charge Us with delaying the proceed
ings of the Senate. Now. sir, if that course pro
posed on the first day had been followed, we
would have been ready from that very day to go
into any business that came before Us. 1t is not
our fault, hut theirs, that business has been 80
long delayed. 1 hurl back with contempt such
a charge on any man that makes it here, as being
| untrue, and not in accordance with the facts.
Now. a. to the merits Of this question. said
something on the same subjecton the Arst day
Of the session, and propose to reiterate, in sub
stance, what said then. On the first day of the
session said that believed that from the orga-
nzation Of our State government down to the
present time the power Of appointing the stand
| ing committees Of the Senate bad always been
left to the President of the Senate. was cor
rected by the Senator from Orleans, who spoke
Of some case Of the kind that had taken place in
the year 1913.
Possibly there. may have been An exception
made at that time but have not looked into
it to ace how far it goes. nor is it necessary that
should do 90, also stated that previous to the
wear 1845 there had been no Lieutenant Govern
or Of this State elected and that the Senate had
elected their own presiding officer From 1845
up to the present time. during which period we
have had q Lieutenant Governor. there has
On the contrary when . gentleman Of very
high standing by Tie name Of Moutou was pre-
siding over the Senate in his capacity a. Lieute-
nant Governor. And motion was made to take
ths appointing power Of ono committee ont Of
his hands, he considered it a personal imputA-
ton, and took up his hat and resigned The
general power of appointing standing commit
ICES was not proposed to be taken away from
him /; but simply the power to appoint one CON-
mittee. He considered it a proceeding 10 contra
ry to precedent a. 80 Crave an imputation upon
himself. or upon the manner in which he had
discharged the duties Of his Office. that no re-
signed That is the only time that the rule has
ever been departed from since 1845.
kind almost universally been sdopted7 It il
because long experience has demonstrated tina,
it is the best rule that can be adopted. It il be
cause the Speaker Of the House and the Pres
ident of the Senate have knowledge of each and
every member of the respective bodies ovel
. which they preside, and they form the com
, mittees in accordance With that knowledge. Fol
instance. on the oudiciary Committee. they put
the best legal talent Of tho, House, aud on thu
: COMMITTEES ON Commerce they put the men mos
! srninsntly cited to consider the questions tina
will be brought before them and unless tn
to him, he appoints tho different members Of tn
standing committees with o view to the best in
t terests Of the State. No member Of the Senate j
no well situated to judge us, or studies the mat
ter with more care than the presiding officer
becauss that is part of his dnty. Now. when
, is declared by the Senator from Claiborne twh
l is very honorable and respectable man), tbs
I since you have presided over this body you hav
Q been just and honest and honorable in the dis
charge of your duties, and have performed thcr
!, TO the entire satisfaction Of everybody, am cs'
tain that there is no other Senator on this foo
| rbo w:II Ga thu yavo~xa 7 rhaIIonOa any Cana
I or to get up and stake his reputation on the a
sertion that I'd pave not faithfully and impal
If tally discharged the duties incumbent upon 20