The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1871-02-09

d. stopping the mischief. It has become
! crying evil, and, if suffered to 60 on,
viii destroy the confidence Of the people
q government, and seriously endanger
our liberties and highest interests. hope
Ihat the General Assembly will enact
some law on the subject, providing adj
equate penalties and placing it in the
power Of the Governor, to prosecute with
vigor and promptitude, all persons offer
ing brides, and Officially receiving them.
STATE LANDS.
l recommend to your attention certain
amendments to the laws relative to pub
lic lands, contained in the report of the
Registrar of the State Land Office, which
is herewith submitted.
POLICE JURY.
The Police Jury system is cumbrous
and awkward, and leads to great delay
and inconvenience in the management of
parish business. In some parishes there
are SIX, eight ten and fifteen police Jury
men to be elected. These officers are
obliged to meet often and travel far. II
Is difficult to obtain gentlemen of the re-
quisite capacity, integrity and public re-
putation to serve in these positions.
Hence oftentimes,in many of the parishes,
this branch of the public service is ne
elected, to the great detriment of general
and individual interests. recommend
that the system be SO changed as to re-
duce the number, of police jurors in each
parish to three; to make their meetings
monthly, in sessions of three days each,
and to allow each police juror small
per diem, says 81 per day for each ses-
sion. This will facilitate business and
secure the services of competent men
and not increase materially the public cx-
penseS. would also recommend that
these police jurors be made parish Off
GERS, and be elected OF appointed for the
same term as other parish officers.
CHARTER OF CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Among the most important acts passed
at the last extra session of the Legislature,
WAS the new charter of New Orleans.
With view of putting the new govern
ment into operation as soon rs possible,
I made the appointments required of me
by law Of = Mayor and the several Ad-
The charter has been found
to work well, with ths exception of some
minor particulars, which viii, doubtless,
DC brought to your attention by the Mayor
and Council. To any representations
and suggestions they may make, I be-
speak your respectfully and careful con-
sidcra,ion. Much Of the success of an
system or form Of government depends
upon the character in which the affair,
of the city of New Orleans stood, through
bad and partisan management, required
more than ordinary care and capacity il.
those vino should have them il charge.
With that view, I made NY selections to
the several positions, ;nG, l ha.tter myself.
with success, for they have earned the
respect OF all parties for fidelity of man
agement; and all who were candidates
were elected TO the same or higher posi-
tons by triumphant majorities. The
funding provisions of the charter requir-
ing the issue Of three million of bonds
to take up the floating debt, have been
found inadequate. At least eight huL-
bred thousand dollars more will be re-
quired to take up audited and, as yet,
unpaid portions of the debt The Le-
gislature omitted many just debts and
claims by the peculiar phraseology OF the
bill, which limited the obligations pro-
vided for to four classes, viz Judgments,
registered certificates, warrants and city
notes. I
The large proportion which the assessed pro-
perry, taxes and population of the city OF New
Orleans bear to the whole State, earnestly claims
your time and attention during the present SEES
sion. The questions involved are not without
great difficulty, Prominent among them is one
arising out Of the careful and scrupulous COM
plance OF the Administrators with the provi-
sions of law relative to the consolidated and
railroad debts and the one million loan. The
city has redeemed half o million back interest,
nearly half million OF capital, and all current
interest of her bonded debt 1t purposes to
continue to do SO, but the strain upon its Golfers
has rendered n deficit inevitable during the