New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-09
DEBATES OF THE HOUSE.
MONDAY, February -. Isl

This bill being before the House
- Mr.. Moncure, of Caddo: Mr.. Speaker. 1
.reoret 70 he under the necessity of oppos'
ing the adoption OF these ahendmen1s: OPP
Dose the adoption. first. because 1 do not
know what are contained in these amend
ments. and would ask the t"roeaiance OF
this House and respectfully ask the atten-
ton of the House while state &c" FACTS
in connection with this matter
NJ Carr. Of Dc Soto: rise 10 point OF
order that the amendments have already
been adopted.
The Sneaker ruled that the amendments
had been adopted, and that the bill was
before the House on its third reading.
Mr.. Moncure. of Ca.lio: II can not do
ANYTHING more. Mr.. Speaker. shall oppose
the adODiiOn Of the charter As amended.
If the journal Of the House shows that
these amendments have been adopted. then
oppose the adoption OF the charter. ana
appeal to the House not to put upon us a
charter which we do not want. | want 10
state facts in connection with thls matter.
and ask the House 10 hear With me Il few
moments while ii" SO. | shall address my
remarks tn the bill as amended. and ask the
House 70 vote it down. When the charter
of the city of Shreveport came up some
DAYS ago. il motion was iia'.r {" ftief me
charter 10 the delegates from me parish Oh
Cadds and the parisi! o. BoSslcr. " nat
the delegates from the PARISH o. BnSsirT
then. and did not know until now.
i was member of TINT committee
when these amendments We're adopted. and
/ give this as :: reason why that charter
ah0uid not now BE- passed by the House:
when these amendments We're offered Il
chat charter l was 4 member of that com
mittee, and the balance of the committee
without saying orc worsl 10 me. without
giving me any opportunity of being heard
though | am . resident of the city OF Shreve
port;s and though am the representative OF
that parish ON this floor, and without saying
ANYTHING to me brought III the amendments.
and the first intimation l had that meet
ing had been called of that committee was
when these amendments were presented
before this House. Now, appeal to the
House, appeal to their fairness and their
honesty. is it right, just or honest that a
member upon this floor appointed upon Il
~eommittee, deeply interested in the 9ues-
lions involved in that charter. should be
% enter into the deliberations OF
flat committee I. And. Mr.. Speaker,
who are the men, who are the men who
0ndc~fake thus to thrust upon the people
Of the city Of Shreveport this charter
Are they men to the manor born of that
city or of that PARISH No: they are men
Of but yesterday-mere mushrooms upon
our society, who have undertaken to con
struct charter for the government OF these
people against the wishes of the people
themselves. A charter was sent here from
the Common Council of the city of >llreve
pOrt. q charter which mad received the
sanction of the people of that city. and
do say it upon this floor. a charter without
one single objectionable feature il it, and il
vas not considered objectionable here. he
cause the Senator fror, Cadio and OuachitJ
introduced it in the Senate and passed il
through that body. Ii there wa;
anything Objectionable IN il. NJ. An
<oine certainly would have discovered
1t, and he certainly would not hay.
been guilty of presenting a charter il
the Senate and passing i, through the Sen
ate with Objectionable features in it. WLai
these gentlemen propose | do not know;
what these amendments contain l do moi
know. To this extent am perfectly igno
rant of the character OF the charter which
they propose to fOist upon our people: and
/ do say it is not proper toward the H9ust
to treat a member of this House from tina:
parish in this way. l am not competent to
discEss the merits of this b.ll. but | do no,
think it is proper that a charter should gr
through this Legislature and become the
port unless full opportunity has been al
lowed to have its merits discussed. | an
uniformed. not by any OF these gentlemen
bnt otherwise, that ii increases the munich
pal expenses of our city government. Ii it
does. az matter Of course shall oppose il
on that ground: but what are these provi
sions. | am unable to say because | was
not told-because | had no opportunit,
of reading what the amendments contain
n 4 %lns 10. oh, va
be recOmmitted to the committee with in
structions to have it printed so that We
may know what we are voting upon.
Mr.. Carr, of De Soto: l move the fina
passage of the bill, and upon that wish {,
have the floor. The gentleman says tina
the Republican members CT this House ar,
forcing down the Threats Of the people o:
Shreveport this charter: that the person
who framed this charter are not 10 tn,
maucr born. He himself is not 20 th'
manor born. I maintain the city o
Shreveport needs charter; that ii need:
just such charter as this. The need
loyal government: they need a goo.
government; they need a government
90 that q Republican can live in the city y
Shreveport alfd express his opinions. Is i
10 tD-day!' Look at the city of Shreveport
in the last election: look al the epithet
which were hurled against the Republican
of this State and against the chief eXecll
tive when he was making tour throug
the State. Nothing that they could say WI,
too bad for us. Thieves, scoUndrels an
sraiawags were too good. They even Wen
further. They were not satisfied with thai
but they said we We're political vampires
that We had come there TO ROB ami "a steal
that We had no right there; ;!iat We wer
preying upon the people of this STATE
and that We had come TO III
city Of Shreveport to prey there
Now, sir, the city aDd people who say this
Who would hurl such epithets as these a
the chief executive of our State. say the
need a good government. a loyal govern
Ment; they need just such a charter as thi.
and we intend to give it to them. |. fo
one, while l am a Republican upon thi
floor, shall be always III favor uf givin
every city in this State a loyal government
80 that can 20 there and say what
please. am a Republican. l am n
Democrat Iwant to go to the city OF Shrev'
port 10 make my political speeches. il
have a mind to. You can not do it in til
city of Shreveport to-day; you could not u
it at the last election: but By God. We !,
tend that it shall be done.
Mr.. MOncure, of Caddo: In decent Ia!
guage, Mr.. Speaker, cali the gentleman ;
order.
Mr. Carr, of De Soto: We want 10y;
mayor in that city. we want Il loyal council
and we demand protection for every NAL
be he black or white. Republican or Dem
eat. We want loyal government thel
and everywhere else in our State, whel
they point the finger o. scorn a; us when W
60 there.
This is the kind OF city government W
are going to give you. and the sooner yo
accept it the better for you. We will ii,
q it to the city of Baton Rouge, and if ii
city OF Shreveport don't take ii we wi
make them. We are tired of this thing an