New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-23

,..oo;va their nro rata share of the benefits
tn he derived from the distribution OF the
nblic money. now move to lay the mo-
ton of the Senator from Baton Rouge MIR.
Raglan on the table.
Mr. Sypher: am very familiar with the
section Of country which asks for this APP
nrnnrioti0n for the improvement OF the nav
iyation of Bayou Courtableau. have run
boats over the bar referred to many times,
and have very often run them against IL.
know very well where the distractions are
which a, e referred to by the Senator from
Orleans MIR. Barber]. l know the nature
of this bar, which is commonly cai'ed
.J,ittle Devil" and it is Il little devil sure
cnnu"h Ii we make any appropriation at
all it should not be for less thanslxty thou
sand dollars. tor it will take every cent OF 1t
to do the work properly
Mr.. Hnnsaker: l have no doubt that
this bill should be passed; but l
have heard the cry SO often lately
that we should protect the taxpayers
that l am getting little that way
myself My high regard for the gentleman
who introduced the bill almost warrants me
i'll voting for it without any other CONSIDER
alton: but when l see the money OF the
people attempted to be voted away i'll this
manner. feel it to be my duty to ask the
Senate to pause for moment until they
can examine the character of the bill they
are voting for. What guarantees are given
to the Senate and the people at large that
this work will be carried out! am not
little surprised that the great champions OF
the tax-payers MIR. Lynch and Mr.. Black
mani have not vet said anything on this
subject So far as am concerned, l am not
prepared to vote for such an immense sub
sidy as this before know what am voting
for. have not yet read the bill.
Mr. Anderson: If the gentleman will let
me know the exact amount OF taxes that
this bill will take out of his pocket, Will
settle it Immediately. Laughter.]
Mr.. Hunsaker: do not belong to that jo-
vial class of people who have 50 many rep
resentatives OH this floor. l represent the
laboring classes and they are deeply inter
estcd in all measures of this character. |
desire. in all seriousness, that when | am
called upon to vote away such an amount
as this to know to whom l am voting it,
and what the circumstances of the case are.
| do not wish to be understood as being Op-
posed to the bill, because l am convinced
that Il gentleman of the high reputation of
the Senator from st. Landry Mr.. Anderson]
would not become the champion OF any
measure unless it was u good one but l
have never seen the bill before, and am not
prepared to vote upon it at present. l do
not approve OF this indecent haste.
of tue Senator from st. James Mr.. Hun
s,kerl, in reference to the indecent haste with
which this bill has been acted upon. will
state that it was introduced some fifteen
DAYS ago, referred to the proper committee,
and reported upon favorably. A similar bill
was passed some years ago when we hat the
closest Legislature that we ever had III this
State glance at the names attached to
the petition will convince any Senator that
this il no lob !" that it is an honest meas
ure. and that the performance of the work
is necessary to the people OF Western Louis
lana. The honorable Senator from st. Mary
[Mr. Svpherl is well acquainted with the
navigation Of this bayou. He planted on
several plantations i'll the parish OF Ra-
pdes. just subsequent to the war He
had to ship all his produce through
that bayou. and received all his re-
turn frei.lts by that route. There was
so much difficulty in getting through this
bayou at one time that he bought small
steamboat 10 get his freight through on
count OF the enormous expense that he was
obliged to bear. This is meritorious bill.
The work is actually necessary to the peo-
pie of that section. Bayou Teche was
cleaned out last year AT the expense OF the
State and the instructions are now being
cleaned out of the Bayou Nermilen. The
section in which these bayous run does not
really need those improvements as badly
a. ;iie people represent need the improve
mrnt OF this Bayou Courtableau. There
are sugar and cotton plantations for the
who'll. distance of one hundred and thirty
miles above the mouth of Bayou Courta
bleau. and many of the planters have not
shipped pound of their produce Of
last year because of this bar AT
the mouth OF the bayou. Many of them
have lost large amount of money on
count of their being obliged 10 keep their
produce on hand. The passage OF this bill
would be nothing more than an act of Justice
70 my constituents. rs well AS to the constr
tueuts of Senators kelso and Harris. | am
wilin. that the bill should provide who
shall do the work and how it shall be done.
| have already placed the name of William
Offut in the bill as one of the commissioners.
Il gentleman we'll known to all the old mem
bcrS of the Senate as Il man OF sterling hon
esty and integrity. | propose to add the
names OF two other gentlemen who are just
as honest and honorable as he Is. | hope
the Senate will grant lis this small appso-
p.iation. We do not come here and
ask for two or three hundred thousand dol
lars. We onl V ask tor what is right and
proper The honorable Senator on my
right Mr. Blackmanj has got railroad
running clear up into Missouri. to which
State aid has been given. Other gentlemen
have had State aid granted to railroads and
canals in various portions OF the State. This
bill is introduced for the purpose OF bring
ing the produce of that section to this city
easily. Our people are anxious to ship their
produce to this market in order that they
may pay their debts and sustain their credit
with the merchants here. They have already
lost more than the amount asked for III this
bill on account of this bar. wkch has forced
them to roll their freight around for a dis
tancc of a quarter of IL mile. They have
had to pay one dollar on cotton, and one
dollar and half on sugar. extra. l hope
the bill will be passed.
Mr.. Harris moved to adjourn.
The Senate refused to adjourn.
Mr.. Harris: do not desire to make any
captious opposition to il bill introduced and
advocated by the distinguished Senator
from st. Landry Mr.. Anderson, but it
seems to me that this is one of the most re-
markable bills that | have ever heard read
in any legislative body, whether officiating
as ii member or looking on as an outsider.
The gentleman comes in here and asks the
Senate to make an appropriation of sixty
thousand dollars. to be placed in the hands
OF three parties of whom we know nothing
They may be perfectly honest and honora-
BILE az the gentleman states: but if l vote
for the passage of a bill appropriating "a
large amount of the money belonging in
part to the people whom have the
honor to represent on this floor, | must
be prepared to give them an account of the
manner in which that money shall be ex-
pended. and to show them that some safe
guard is thrown around the State in its ex-
penditure. The gentleman claims that the
Bayou COurtabeau runs through the section
nf nv W ,Jni, / hay %I~,Nl