The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-01-13

spect to the appointment of registrars
and their compensation. The law
should require them to be residents of
the parishes for which they are APP
pointed. They should be ineligible
to any other Office while i'll the dis
charge of their duties as registrar, and
their compensation should be reduced
and paid, together with that of COM
missioner of election, by the parishes
which they serve; and on the subject
of registration and election, l repeat
my recommendation of last session:
1.-THE disregard of the rights of
franchise evinced in many localities
/ in the State in 1868, induced the
Legislature of 1870 to resort to the
most stringent measures for the pro-
lection of the people. The violent
rancor of that period having now
given place to more liberal and just
acknowledgements of the true rela
tions of our citizens, / commend TO
consideration the modification OF the
registration and election laws to an
extent that, while securing the in
alienable rights of ak, will make the
usage under them less irksOme and
exaeting to the few"
2. The election law should be so
modified that the expense of holding
the election shall be borne by the
parishes, and that in the city of New
Orleans the city itself shall bear the
burden.
3. recommend that the State Reg
istrar of voters, who is practically
the Supervisor of Registration for the
city of New Orleans, be paid by the
city the salary allowed that officer.
4. recommend that all fees allow
ed the Auditor of Public Accounts,
amounting, it is believed, to about
twenty-five thousand dollars per an
mum, be collected by him and paid
into the State Treasury to the credit
Of the " interest tax fund.-" to be
employed in paying the interest and
principal of our debt.
5. That the act give the State
Treasurer two thousand dollars per
annEm as receiver of moneys on pub
lie lands be repealed. To receive
these moneys is legitimately a part OF
his duty as State Treasurer.
6. That the Clerk OF the First Dis
trict Court for the parish of Orleans
be paid salary of six thousand dol
lars per annum by the city of New
Orleans, and that he be allowed no
, fees from the State or city other than
the salary for his services. The fees
of this officer amount to an enormous
sum per annum.
z. ] recommend careful revision
of the laws relative to costs of clerks,
sheriffs, justices of the peace and con-
stables. The fees under present laws
are so enormously high that in many
instances they work denial of JUS
tice. 1t should be made the duty OF
the judge of the court to examine and
approve all fee bills before they are
paid, and to declare the office of any
sheriff or clerk vacant on detecting
oyercharges of costs.
8. / call your attention to my
, remarks on the subject OF bribery in
my last annual message. 1t is as fol-
lows:
g ask your attention to the fact
{ that there now exists on our statute
books no adequate penalties against
the crime of bribery. This defect
should be remedied by appropriate
legislation, which sincerely hope the
wisdom and patriotism of your honor
able body will promptly devise. ]
! am in receipt of information of acts
f of bribery on the part of public Off
Gals, but owing to the defect above
, named in the law, am without the
means of bringing the offenders to
J justice, or stopping the mischief II
has become crying evil, and, if suf-
, fered to go on, will destroy the conf
, dence of the people i'll the government,
: and seriously endanger our liberties
, and highest interests. hope that
the General Assembly will enact some
, law on the subject, providing adequate
: penalties, and placing it in the power
J of the Governor to prosecute with
vigor and promptitude all persons
offering brides, and officials receiving
, them"
8. | recommend reduction in the
compensation given for assessment
and collection of the taxes of the
J State; that the two thousand dollars
paid country tax collectors for listing
: the property be reduced to three hun
: dre.. dollars each that there be a
} board of four State assessors for the
city of New Orleans, at a salary oi
five thousand dollars each, who shall
make the assessment on the property
} OF the city for the State; that the
: board shall also furnish copy of the
rolls to the city, which shall, with
) such notifications as the city may
| make, be its rolls ON which its taxes
: shall be collected, and that the adj
ministrator of Assessments of the city
l OF New Orleans be constituted ex of
+ ticlo president of the board.
10. | also recommend a modifica-
5 ton of the printing law, by which the
expense of printing the laws and Jour
? mails in the country newspapers will
be saved, and that the price paid fol-
l printing be materially reduced. BY
: Such an act ono bundrad on.J Ge4