Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1872-02-08
THE SENATE.

MONDAY, February 5, 1872.
The Senate was called to order at
IL NJ, Lieut.. Gov. Pinchback pre-
siding.
. Twenty-four Senators present.
Prayer by the Chaplain.
President Pinchback observed
that there was great confusion upon
the floor of the Senate.
Mr.. McMillen was of opinion that
the confusion was chiefly caused by
persons who had no business upon
the floor of the Senate, walking
around, conversing with and occu-
pying the attention of Senators
while the Senate was in session.
Senator Pinchback observed that
it was in the power of the Senate
to enforce the rules and prevent the
entrance Of such persons within the
hall. The lobbies were open to
everybody.
Mr.. McMillen hoped this rule
would be enforced for the future.
Petitions and memorials from
certain charitable institutions were
received and acted upon.
The following message was re-
ceived from the Governor and read
by the Secretary of the Senate:
STATE OF LOUISIANA. J
Executive Department,
New Orleans, Feb. 5, 1872. J
To the Honorable Members of the Senate
and House of Representatives of the
General Assembly of the State of Lou
isiana:
Thirty-four days of your session
have been dissipated in contests,
the nature of which I will not dis
cuss now, but which are familiar to
the members of your honorable
bodies, and which, permit me to add,
have tended much to weaken the
confidence of the people in free
government.
I regret the necessity that impels
me to once more address you, frank
ly, sincerely and earnestly, on ques-
tions deeply affecting the interests
and feelings of the people of the
State. This I shall do without un-
necessary verbiage or circumlocu-
ton.
There are laws on the statute
book which must be modified in the
most solemn manner to modify in a
way that will make them acceptable
to the great body of the people.
The public voice has spoken in
this behalf with no uncertain sound,
and it is your duty as representa-
tives of the people to give the force
of law to the popular will without
any further delay.
I will be candid with you, and
state that your plighted faith is sus-
pected on this subject, when so
much time is wasted in delay.
Every consideration of justice to
the people, to yourselves, and to my
self, whose friends a large number
OF you are, requires that the modi-
fcation Of these laws should receive
your prompt and undivided atten-
ton.
The condition of affairs in 1868,
which induced and made necessary
the enactment of most stringent
laws on the subject of registration
and election has ceased, in a great
measure, to exist.
The relations between the white
and colored citizens of this State
then unsettled and quiet and grow
ing respect for the rights of each
other. I barely allude to the scenes
Of 1858. I have no wish to refer tc
them, except to show that
what may have been ther
necessary is unnecessary now. In
no State of the Union does there
exist a more determined spirit
among all classes to maintain tht
rights of our colored citizens thar
in Louisiana at this time. And a,
a natural result, mutual confdenc,
is rapidly springing up between tn
two races, in place of the hostility
jealousy and apprehension formerl,,
existing between them.
The stringent provisions of tn
election and registration laws
| ao&od 70 .,,no& &b;o d;ok,, .Lol on.