New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-28
DEBATES OF THE SENATE.

DEBATE, OF THE SENATE.
Evening session.
FRIDAY, February Il, 1871.
THE PRINTING BILL.
Immediately after the call of the roll.
Mr.. Harris moved to take up the printing
bill unfinished business, and postpone it
indefinitely.
While the roll was being called upon the
adoption Of that motion, Mr.. Lynch, who
was absent when the question was put, en-
tered, and ASKED the permission OF the Sen
ate to record his vote.
Objections having been made by several
Senators. the President decided that Mr..
Lynch could not vote, as 1t required unanl-
nous consent to allow any Senator to vote
who was not in the Senate chamber when
the pending question was put.
Mr. LYNCH Then challenge the votes of
those Senators who are interested in the
postponement of the bill. Imove that their
names be stricken from the roll of the Sen
ators who voted on this measure.
Mr. Harris: That is the first good and
sensible motion have heard the gentleman
make since have had the honor to sit be-
hind him. / shall, however. challenge his
vote also on this question. l claim that
every Senator on this floor is not only inter
ested in this printing bill. but in every bill
that comes before the General Assembly. If
the gentleman is not interested in a newspa-
per am sorry Tor him. If had an interest
in one | would transfer il 10 the honorable
gentleman. in order that he might be instru-
| mental in disseminating knowledge broad
east throughout the country. and III order
that he may gain Il little more knowledge
himself.
Mr.. Lynch would not seek it in your
| quarter
Mr.. Harris: would give it to you any
how, and It would fall upon vou like 1.-The
gentle dew, of heaven. Now. Mr. Presi
dent am willing to 90 before the people
of the State as having approved the bill
that has been introduced here ~ amend the
! printing law. | want the proceedings and
the laws of this General Assembly to be
spread broadcast over tine country. so that
the humblest and lowliest Of our cOnstiru-
! ents NAV know what their representatives
are doing here. 1t has been stated that four
hundred thousand dollars have been ex-
| pended during the last year for the public
| printing of the State. l believe the amount
has been grossly exaggerated: but conced-
ing FOR the sake OF argument, that that est
| mate is Il correct one. still say that Is
paltrv consideration to be thought of IN fur
| ni,hing means to the people of knowing what
the men they have elected TO represent
them in the General Assembly are doing.
| 1t is proposed to publish the journal and
| laws of the General Assembly in the New
! Orleans REPUBLICAN alone. | have the
honor TO repre- sent as populous parish as
anv gentleman on this floor. and state.
without fear of contradiction, that am the
only man that subscribes to that paper III
that parish. Now, l ask the honorable
Senator from Carroll MIR LYNCH how the
| people are to know what their representa-
| tives are doing N the General Assembly,
unless the laws and proceedings of that
BODY are published throughout the State.
Only yesterday the honorable gentleman
cast his vote for bill apprOpriating sixty
thous and dollars for the improvement of a
BAYOU, the existence of which is not known
to God nor his angels and archangels. and
| vet he is not willing that the people whom
| he taxes shall be informed. through the
medium of the press, of what he is doing.
| And now he comes in here and challenges
the votes of certain Senators. claiming
that they have no right to vote because, for
sooth, they may be interested in the meas
ure hope the motion have made, to in
definitely postpone this bill, will prevail.
| Mr.. Raglan: would inquire OF the Sena
tor from Carroll (Mr. Lynch, whether the
rules Of the Senate preclude a Senator
from voting on this bill simply because he
is interested in the State printing
Mr. OHara: l rise to the point OF order
that all this debate ia entirely out Of order.
Mr. Lynch: The rule which prevents me
from voting on this measure simply because
l happened to be absent when the question
was put certainly carries with 1t the prncl-
pie which have mentioned-that Is, that
no Senator Interested in the public printing
can vote upon this bill.
The Secretary proceeded to finish the
calling of the roll.
Before the announcement Of the vote
Mr.. Todd inquired why he fMr. Todd |
had been allowed to record his vote on the
pending motion when Senator Anderson.
who had entered the Senate chamber before
him. had not been allowed to do so:
MIR. Harris: If the Senator from jefferson
Mr.. Todd, was not in when the question
was put, / object to his name being recorded
in the list of voters.
Mr. Blackman: l rise to the point of order
that Senators Smith, Twitchell. Hunsaker,
Raglan and Swords have no right to vote
upon this question, as they are interested
in official journals of the state, and, there
fore interested in the defeat of this bill.
Under the constitution, this bill affects
directly and Immediately the pecuniary in
terests of the Senators have named, and
they are, consequently, precluded from
voting upon it l now move that the names
of those Senators be erased from the list of
voters on this question.
MIR. Lynch seconded the motion.
Mr.. Harris: l ask the Chair whether after
the yeas and nays have been called for, and
the roll has been called on this question,
(every Senator answering to his namel this
dicussion is in order I ask the President to
announce the result of the vote just taken.
Mr.. Blackman A motion has been made
to erase the names of certain Senators from
the list of voters, and that motion must be
disposed of before the vote can be an
nounced
The President: I will state that Il IS the
duty OF the Chair to protect the interests of
every Senator on the ipor, and cannot.
therefore, entertain the motion Of Senator
Blackman.
Mr.. B!ackmHn; Then I am compelled -
appeal from the decision of the Char.
The appeal was not seconded.
! Mr.. Lynch; have no desire 20 interfere
with any gentleman III the exercise OF his
rights as a Senator; but if l am permitted
to cast my vote on this mea sure, insist
upon the motion of Senator Backinan to
strike from the list the names Of those Sen
atOrs who axe interested IN The defeat OF
the bill.
Mr. Whitney called for the announcement
of the vote. He raised the point of order
that debate was not allowable until the
vote was announced.
The Chair decided the point well taken.