New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-21

/ TO the CIL1Z0uS Oduh, v II Oohhot
| to meet the interest on the State debt. The
| Citizens Bank advanced $4,000 OO for that
purpose. If you now pass this bill, taking
| money from the special fund deposited in
| the Citizens Bank to meet the interest, you
| will find the Associated Press, or some other
| agent, ~telegraphing to every paper OF the
| North that this rascally Legislature is AK
| ing the States money to pay its expenses:
Mr.. McMillen remarked that a proViso
should be introduced to protect the prefer
| eLce claims of last year.
Mr.. Lewis-There have been a great many
charges of fraudulent warrants issued at
the last session of the Legislature. We do
not at present know what warrants OF the
last Legislature are out, and L am IN FAVOR
of letting them remain until the committee
that is investigating this matter has made
its report.
Mr.. McMillen said it was Auditors war
rants and not ordinary warrants that he
| had reference to.
The President left the chair, took the
| floor, and said: l understand the PROPOSE
| ton now is to refuse to pay any contingent
expenses that were audited by the Senate
| at the last session, but which did not pass
| through both houses n receive the ap-
proyaI of the Governor. l have now in my
| nOssession a claim for S4623, due me and
| Senators Kelso and Antoine for printing the
journals of this Senate in a newspaper
which we are unfortunate enough to own,
called the Louisianian. We did not get on
the inside OF the Warrant Clerk and obtain
| our money before we had done the work.
| We did the work, and the result is that l
have yet the States certificates in my
! pocket. Other gentlemen, more fortunate,
| have received large amounts, as much,
sometimes, as $4,000 at a time, from the
Warrant Clerk or SOMEBODY else before
| their work was finished. We have done
| IL .uorJ- 49,, rn o.I- %In ~ 70 70 IL
provision in this appropriation bill to pay
our just claim. l know how the preferred
paper spoken of by the Senator from Car
roll (Mr. McMillen) was issued, and | know
lie has some of it. l could have received
Auditors paper to the extent of nearly
$4,000 for my claim, instead of $4,000. l
could have had Auditors paper at the rate
of sixty cents on the dollar, but l would
not do that. 1 preferred to keep my original
warrants.
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures warrants l
own l bought from proper authorities of the
House of Representatives, and paid my
money for them at a higher rate than they
were able to obtain from anybody else. The
law under which l bought them rave me a
deprived Of that preference by the operation
of the Eighth District Court, and my object
in offering this proviso is simply to protect
myself and others.
The President-l do not doubt the gentle
man at all. l do not charge my illegality
or fraud upon the Senator. l have no doubt
he holds his paper just as he states; but
that irregularity and fraud have been prac-
ticed is positive, and l say that | have some
claims which no Senator can refuse, and that
in this appropriation bill provision should
be made to meet them. / do not come be-
fore you with Warrant Clerks paper; |
come with the Senate vouchers. | have
shown an honesty in this matter that few
men have. l could have put these warrants
in the hands of the Warrant Clerk and re,
ceived his vouchers at sixty cents on the
dollar. l could have obtained State war
rants and made ten per cent anyhow, but !
did not do so: and | ask the Senate, as a
matter of justice. to fulfill their contract
made with Senators Antoine, kelsO and
myself. l ask the Senate to be just before
it is generous. If we do not get our money
by this bill l will have to come in and pass
a bill through both hOuees, get the Gov
ernor's signature to it, and receive warrants
at sixty, fifty or even forty-tive cents on the
dollar, thus making a loss OF one-half on
my bill. l hope the Senate will not do me-
such an injustice.
MI. Lewis-I would like to know how
many of this same kind of claims are t.
come in, and where it will end.
The PRESIDENT can answer that very
frankly. The Committee on Contingent
Expenses tell me they are satisfied there
are no vouchers out from the Senate
that are fraudulent. l believe the Chair
man of the Committee on Contingent Ex
penses had some vouchers OF his own, ant
refused to exchange them for warrants iron
the Warrant Clerk. Hence the outstanding
vouchers of the Senate are all correct, ant
| do not suppose there are over ten o.
fifteen Thousand dollars worth out alto
gether.
Mr.. Blackman-Let the Senate pass
resolution to pay you your money.
The President-I shall be satisfied witt
that. l only want to protect myself,
Mr.. O'Hara-I wish to call the attention
of the Senate to one fact: There is not
single voucher issued by resolution of tn,
Senate or House that is legal. think i
was in 1868 or 1869 we passed an act forbid
ding either house appropriating any none.
by a simple resolution. If that act la
been repealed l am not aware of it.
The President have just seen the clerI
of the Committee en- Contingent Expenses
and he tells me the whole outstanding eS
penses of last session are only Sl7 ,0OD.
Mr.. Blackman-But l an informed b.
the Senator from Carroll (Mr. McMlilen
that there are $3.50, 600 issued by the Hous
improperly. If there is any legal claim,
can be passed by either house through 1t
contingent fund.
On motion of Mr.. Ray, ST.. 900 was il
Guided in the appropriation to pay the GU
standing expenses of the Senate.
The Senate then adjourned.
1.-THE debates of February 3 and Februar
5 have been previously publlshed.l
TUESDAY, February 6, 1872.
INVESTIGATION OF BANKS
Mr.. Harris called up the resolution pr
viding for the appointment OF a JOINT con
, mittee to investigate the condition OF tn
banks Of the State.
Mr.. Gallup thought the investigate
p should be made by the Committee on Bank
and Banking.
Mr.. Harris said he had no objection t
that proposition, but the Committee o
Banks and Banking of the Senate was NJ
: a Joint committee of the General Assembl,
as provided for in the bill.
MI. Gallup thought there was no neces
y sity for an investigation of this characte
| He, therefore, moved to lay the subJe'
! matter on the table.
Mr.. Misunderstanding l lave the creates
regard for the gentleman who introduce
! this resolution, I can not consistently voi
, for it, for the reason that l believe 1t en-
, bodies the very same principle contained
, the resolution offered by Senator Blackmal
!, which latter resolution l opposed because
regarded it as a reflection upon the STAN
ing Committee on Banks and Banking
There is a standing committee in eac
i house for the purpose of making such |
+ vestigations as this, and they can conf
a with each other. That will be carrying oil
the meaning mt intent of the law
. The resolution passed.
( RELIEF OF J. O. NIXON.
n Mr.. jerks called up the bill for the reli
f. IF T q Nixon.