New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-11

TUESDAY, February %,


from fhe table next session, and passed.
M. Davidson, of Livingston: The people
If the narish of st. Mary are worthy peO-
nile. They are in want Of this appropriation
and they ask this House to give it to them,
and the question Of further appropriation
doesn't amount to anything at all. Are
thew entitled to the appropriation Are
thew taxpayers Ia it to the interest OF the
State to make the improvements desired by
the people asking them or not If it is the
House should 20 on and make this 'appro-
priation. The argument comes with poor
grace from the gentleman from DE Soto
IMr. Carl, who engineered the ChattaneO-
"a swiudle Of two and half millions for
strange SPECTATORS. to tell us that the tax
having people are not to have anything be-
cause they can't find anything in the treas
ury of the State. And why is there no
money in the treasury! Because 1t has
make profit out of the pockets Of the honest
taxpayers of the State. /. now, sir, am
Wiling for the House to take its own course
on this matter, but could not sit here and
hear the remarks Of the member from De
Soto without replying.
WEDNESDAY, March l, 1871.
The House met promptly at twelve
o'clock.
Speaker Carter in the chair.
Seventy eight members present.
Prayer BY the Chaplain.
IMr. Moncure, of Caddo. in the chair.
Senate bill No l47, known as the State
funding bill, being before the House, the
first and second sections were adopted.
A motion of Mr.. Harper, of st. Charles,
to postpone the further consideration Of
the bill until tomorrow at one o'clock was
tabled nv a vote Of 20 to 26.
Mr.. Davidson, of Livingstone: l went to
the Auditor to inquire into this bill. and
ascertained these facts: Under the first
act, apprOpriating certain sum OF money,
a certain number of bonds were issued to
take up the floating debt, but warrants
dated after certain time, for instance
after the first of April, were not taken up
There is still the sum Of six hundred thou
sand dollars in the hands of the commits
sioners to take up these other warrants,
and / ask the House if it is fair to stop the
payment of warrants dated after certain
time, when the appropriation is not ex-
hausted. There should be no preference in
the matter of paying these warrants.
The motion to suspend the rules to pass
the bill to its third reading was lost by a
vote Of So to "a.
bile and Chattanooga Railroad Company to
change its name to the New Orleans, Mo
bile and Texas railroad being before the
House
Mr.. Carr, of De Soto: l will state why
they want this name changed. The original
charter provided for road running from
Chattanooga to New Orleans. After they
obtained their charter and had spent over
one hundred thousand dollars in surveying
the right Of way, they found that another
company had been granted the same charter
over the same route, and within twenty
miles of them, for a term Of years, with the
exclusive privilege, and that has fifteen
wears vet to run. The company cOnse-
Guently abandoned their charter. Their
original intention, as their charter states,
was to run from Chattanooga 10 Mobile,
from Mobile to New Orleans, and from New
Orleans to Texas, but in consequence of
this other charter the road from Chattanoo-
ga to Mobile had to be abandoned. There
fore that portion of the name is superauous;
1t means nothing, and as they propose to
run from Mobile to Texas, they want the
road designated as the New Orleans, Mo-
bile and Texas railroad.
Mr.. Washington, of Assumption: l would
like to ask u question about this affair.
Does this bill change the time Of building
the road
Mr.. Carr, of De Soto: Not at all. 1t simply
makes all their contracts under the new
name, which they can not do except by act
of the Legislature. They change their name
without your permission. If you give them
permission to change their name in accord
ance with the road as it runs, it makes their
contracts good. 1t don't ask for any State
aid. 1t don't invalidate any contracts they
have made with the State, but confirms
them.
The bill being on it's final passage, and the
yeas and nays having been demanded
Mr.. Carr, of De Soto: l would like to know
the names of the gentlemen calling for the
yeas and nays. l want it to be understood
that there are two members on this floor
who will consume our time and hamper
legislation by calling for the yeas and nays
ON an act to simply change the name of a
railroad.
Mr.. Harper, of St. Charles: would like
TO know if the gentleman is going to cues
ton the rights and prerogatives OF other
members.
The bill finally passed by recorded vote
Of 81 yeas to . nays.
Mr.. davidson, Of Livingston: desire to
ask the House to take upmessages from the
Senate. There are very important messages
there. and if we expect to have laws passed
let us take up the bills.
An act for the relief Of the New Orleans
Academy Of Sciences was finally passed
Mr.. Worrall of jefferson: would simply
state to the House that it is a small appro-
priation very much needed to enable the
Academy Of Sciences to take care OF large
number of books and documents that are
now living loose, and of no value whatever
to the State. Its a most important measure
from an educational point OF view.
The House being in committee OF the
whole.
iMr. Davidson, of Livingston, in the
chair,
The revenue bill was before tie com
mittee.
Mr.. BRYAN. of Calcasleu. moved to strike
ont -four mills" and insert three mills
MIR. Blunt. of Natchitoches, moved to in
sert ..two mills" but atterward Withdrew
his amendment.
Mr. Carr, of De Soto: Four mills is .jus,
the same as it was last year and Tor 1--we
wears previous. We have appropriated
great deal of money this session. Our war
rants are selling at seventy-two cents OF
the dollar, and / earnestly ask you not t.
depreciate the States credit any more. .
am opposed to the amendment and nope L
will not be adopted.
Mr. Harper, Of st. Charles: Tins estl
mated tax has been based upon actua
expenses, and / do not see how we can g
back on it, This four mills on the dollar II
absolutely necessary for the expenses
already incurred, and if you refuse thi
YOU reduce the price Of warrants; you in
Srease instead Of decreasing the expenses
nf the State, because if warrants are lift.
cents on the dollar you will have double tn
amount to pay that you would have wer,
your warrants at par. By creating larg
revenue for the State large tax is thu
vithdrawn; If you attempt to reduce Thu
amount, instead Of decreasing the amoun
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