New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-17
DEBATES OF THE SENATE.
FRIDAY. February 10, lS7

DEBATES OF THE SENATE.
FRIDAY. February 10, ISL.
IMPROVEMENT OF BAyoUs DARBoNNE AND
CORNIE.
Mr.. Futch called up substitute for Senate
bill No. 81, providing for the improvement
of RavOus d'Arbonne and Connie, and
Mr.. Wilcox moved to indefinitely post
pone the subject matter.
Mr. Futch hoped tine motion would not
prevail.
a member OF the committee to whom TINS
hill was referred, and the evidence which
induced that committee to report it back
fayorably was of such satisfactory char
acter that the bill should be passed at once.
l certainly oppose its indefinite postpone
ment, | believe it is meritoriOuS
hill, and would like the Senator from
Feliciana to withdraw his motion to indefi-
nitely postpone, in order that II may be
made the order Of the day for some speci-
fed time. l am convinced that the passage
of this bill is necessary, in order to develop
that portion of the State which it is intended
70 benefit, | think the interests of the
people will be subserved by its passage. l.
now ask the gentleman to wlthdra" his
motion to indefinitely postpone:
Mr.. Wilcox withdrew his motion.
The bill was finally adopted, the Chair
giving his casting vote on tie.
The bill increasing the salaries OF me
Chief Justice and Associate justices OF INC
Supreme Court was then taken up.
Mr.. Blackman was Of the opinion that the
LEGISLATURE could not change the salaries
of officers whose compensation was fixed ny
the constitution. He had no doubt that the
Senate could and would pass the bill, but
he did not think they could do SO without
violating the constitution. He had no other
objection to the bill.
Mr. Raw admitted that the constitution
fixed the salaries of the Judges of the
Supreme Court, but it did not provide that
they should not receive more than that
amount. He moved that the bill be consld-
cred as engrOssed.
The bill was considered engrOssed.
IMPROVEMENT OF BAYOUs D'ARBoSNE AND
CORNiE.
Mr.. Whitney moved to reconsider tho
vote by which substitute for Senate bill No.
81, providing for the improvement OF Bayous
D'Arbonne and Cornie. was passed
Mr.. Pinchback inquired what the object
of the Senator was in making the motion TO
reconsider.
Mr.. Whitney explained that he had in
tended to vote on the negative SIDE OF the
question, but was not aware when he voted
that this particular bill was before the
Senate.
The motion to reconsider was carried.
Mr.. Blackman: / do not understand the
reason which prompted the Senator from
Tensas to make the motion to reconsider
the vote by which this bill was passed.
Some extraordinary influences must have
been brought to bear upon him. 1t seems
that the gentleman has suddenly discovered
that that portion of the State interested In
the passage of this bill is about to receive
f+l,a of ha tat
DEVELOPMENT of that section. If my mem
.ory serves me right the same Senators that
oppose this appropriation for the internal
IMPROVEMENT of the State have manifested
their willingness to appropriate the pubic
money for the purpose OF putting up ms
cradle warehouse in the city OF New Or
leans. This is strange stand that Sen
atorS have taken. 1t is strange that when
measure comes before them asking for an
appropriation for the purpose OF improving
the navigation of two of our most important
inland streams, they should vote 1t down,
when they are perfectly willing to give
three hundred thousand dollars OF the pub
lie money into the hands OF private
CORPORATION, to enable them to put UP a
warehouse in this city. 1t is strange that
this bill should be opposed when the money
appropriated is not to be paid into the
hands Of any private parties or any private
corporation in order that 1t may be pIl
fered from the State, but is to 60 into
the hands of public officers. to be expended
ON this work. 1t is strange, repeat, that
when you are asked by the Senators from
that section to pass this measure. which
will tend toward the improvement and
prosperity Of four parishes. you refuse to
pass it, when you have passed bill, only
two or three days ago, giving the enOr
NOUS sum of three hundred thou
. sand dollars to private indiyid
.uals for the purpose OF building
up private enterprise, allowing them to
charge twelve per cent per aimun Tor any
advances they should make TO their Gus
toners. l want the people to know these
facts, and to Judge for themselves wha,
their representatives on this floor are doing
Measures of this character have been pre-
aented to the Legislature, time after time
by the Representatives from Northern Lou
isiana, and their demands have been met
unfavorably in every instance. Not Il single
dollar has been appropriated for any wOrl;
of public Improvement in that section of the
State. Every other part OF the State. has
been aided in this way for the last three
wears. The people of our section are
almost crushed beneath the heavy load OF
taxation which they are compelled to bear,
and when they ask simple justice at the
hands of the General Assembly they are
met by a simple no and the mea
which are intended to benefit them are laid
upon the table. These are significant facts.
Let the people Judge of them.
Mr.. O'IIara: | am opposed to the passage
of this bill at this time. | know nothing OF
that portion Of the State which asks fOl
this appropriation. do not know but what
might vote for it eventually, but ask for
time to inform myself on the subject.
have been told that these people have come
before the General Assembly repeatedly
asking for an appropriation for this same
y work. l have also been told that this
money will be expended i'll a work which is
inpracticable of completion. l think it
comes with very bad grace from the Sena-
tors from Northern Louisiana to say that
this General Assembly has neglected them.
1T strikes me that We have passed
two or three bills to assist III the
building of railroads in that section
of the State. to which we have guaranteed
the bonds of the State. If l am not mis-,
taken, the gentleman himself (Mr. Black
mani engineered railroad bill through the
Senate during its last session. l DO not pro
pose to vote for any measure that comes be-
fore the Senate simply because the people OF
North Louisiana want it passed. When
am satisfied that the seventy-tive thousand
dollars asked for in this bill is to be ex
pended with any benefit to the people OF
that section. or that the work for which 1t Is
appropriated can be accomplished, will be
willing to vote for it, but until am salts
fed on those two points l shall oppose the
bill. l hope the consideration OF this mat
ter will be postponed for Il few days until
we can examine intOit.
Mr.. Todd: l have been opposing this
measure all through. because | considered
that the appropriation asked Tor would he