New Orleans Republican., 1871-08-30

eudt AncnuS any blAuS d1 Oh, ~ AAo"A' 49, -
jority must vote for it. Certainly those
who vote against it don't pass 1t.
Those who are absent don't pass it.
defy any one to give any other interpreta-
ton to the act of the Legislature, except
that majority of the Council must vote
for all appropriations over five hundred
dollars. If this reconsideration is not taken;
I propose to take a proceeding which will
make this fact pretty evident to the world.
am willing to have this question reopened
and argued. 1 do not know but what it is
thing which, some time, may properly pass.
1 only ask a reasonable time for examinar
ton. As far as concerns the assertion OF the
Administrator of Finance, that no ordinance
can pass unless am for it, and that every
thing am for passes, think he very mucn
magnifes my influence in this Councn. Inc
majority of this Council have taken the
prerogative of differing from me at various
times. and the Mayor, besides, holds me TO
tighter Interpretation of the rules OF order
than any other member on this hoor. L do
not complain Of that. only claim as one
single member the right to one single vote,
and if I have spoken warmly on this
or any other ordinance, it is because
| have regarded it as serious question.
I look upon what we shall do with our
Waterworks as a very important matter.
I am willing to take up this ordinance and
pass it piece by piece. l am willing to pass
any ordinance that will save these works
from the ineorporators under the act of the
Legislature, if it can be done; but in trying
to avoid Scylla 1 don't want to get into Cha
rybdis. In trying to get out OF the clutches
of the Legislature, don't want to pass an
ordinance which is twice as dangerous.
The Administrator of Finance talks about
being approached. 1 have not been ap-
preached on this subject in an improper
manner by anybody.
Mr.. Bonzano: What do you call impropers
Mr.. Shaw: Nobody has ever offered me
any interest in the matter OF the Water
works. Think am as approachable in my
manner by all classes of citizens as the Ad-
ministrator of Finance. 1 am exceedingly
curious on this subject Of approaches. l
recollect a quotation-I can not exactly
place it
he comes too soon who comes to be denied"
Nobody has come to see me on this mat
ter; to that 1 could take oath. l repeat
that in courtesy, and according to parlia-
mentary usage, it is the duty of the Ad-
| ministrator of Police, in accordance with
the notice of motion he has given, to place
this ordinance back in the hands Of the
majority of the Council for reconsideration.
The Mayor, having called Administrators
Lewis to the chair, took the floor aud said:
As this is matter of courtesy and not a
matter of right, 1 would like to say word
or two with the permission of the Council.
This ordinance was passed according to the
rules. 1t had been before the Council for
months, and not suggestion of any objec-
ton was made to tit was simply delay.
Previously another proposition had been
| made to US which was in itself atrocious-
not so bad perhaps as the act of the Legis-
lature which gives the works away in per-
petuity to the Crescent City Waterworks
Company, but it was a proposition which
had all the elements of outrage and insult
to the Council. Whether the rumors pro-
ceed from those that made the proposition
or not, l don't know; but have had it stated
to me all the time since that propo-
sition was made that it would
be carried through the Council, and declare
here. in confirmation of the Administrator
who tells US that he has been approached
on this subject. that 1 have heard it
stated that every member of this COunci
has been approached, and have seen an
offer of hundred thousand dollars of the
stock of this company for one vote in favor
| of the proposition, which it is the object OF
| the present ordinance to defeat, by SO tying
| up the Waterworks with mortgages as to
prevent their being stolen by persons who
would have to mortgage them again In
| order to get the money to run them. If the
Administrator of Accounts wishes to make
any amendments to surround this ordinance
| with greater safeguards and guarantees, let
him offer them. believe every member
will vote for them, but want to secure the
Waterworks from robbers.
Mr. Delassize That is it.
| The Mayor: This, believe, is the Admin
| istrator of Waterworks' object, and there
is not a word, not lisp, against this
ordinance, on the ground of the incom-
pleteness of this ordinance, in this re-
gard. declare again that have heard of
offers made to other members of the Council,
| besides the Administrator of Finance. l
| have seen the offer OF hundred thousand
dollars of stock, with the names of the incor,
porators affixed with their own signatures.
l would like to have this ordinance so COM
plete, and believe it is so now, that nobody
who has not abundant resources OF his own
to carry on and extend these works, can ever
| take them away from the control of the city.
We are short lived, all of us. The members
| of this Council may die, or they may leave
| the Council, and the Legislature, under the
spur which induced them to pass the
Crescent City Waterworks bill, may pass
another bill like it, or the same bill, over the
| Governors veto; but this ordinance, l be-
| lieve, will be sufficient security for the
city's interests. None OF this two millions
and a half can ever be expended with.
out the vote of this Council, and
| the Administrator of Finance knows it
full well; and if there are four Administra'
tors here SO jealous of this ordinance, these
same four Administrators will surely be
equally jealous hereafter of the way in
which the money is expended. Three Ad
ministrators can not vote it away. The
Administrator of Accounts can throw as