Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-25
S. That the act giving the State Treas

5. That the act giving the State Treas
urer two thousand dollars per annum q
receiver of moneys ON public lands b.
repealed. To receive these moneys il
legitimately q part of his duty as Stat<
| Treasurer.
6. That the clerk of the First District
Court for the parish Of Orleans be paid q
salary of six thousand dollars 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 Office amounts to an enormous
sum per annum.
T. recommend o careful revision OF
the laws relative TO costs of clerks, sheriffs,
justices Of the peace and constables. The
fees under the present laws 1ase SO enOf-
mously high that in many instances they
work a denial Of justice. 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
overcharges of costs.
8. call your attention to my remarks
on the subject of bribery in my last annual
message. 1t is as follows:
Il 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 I sin
cersly hope the wisdom and patriotism of
your honorable body will promptly devise.
l am in receipt Of information of acts of
bribery on the part Of public officials. but
owing to the defect above named in the
law, am without the means of bringing
the offenders to justice, or stopping the
mischief. 1t has become q crying evil,
and. if suffered to go on. will destroy the
confidence of the people in government,
and seriously endanger our liberties and
highest interests. l hope that the General
Assembly will enact some law on the SUBJ
ject, providing adequate penalties, and
placing it in the power of the Governor to
prosecute with vigor and promptitude all
persons offering bribes, and officials re-
ceiving them"
9. recommend reduction in the COM
pensation given for assessment and col
lection of the taxes of the State; that the
two thousand dollars paid country tax col
lectors for listing the property be reduced
to three hundred dollars each; that there
be board of four State assessors for the
city of New Orleans, at salary of five
thousand dollars each, who shall make the
assessment on the property of the city
for the State; that the board shall also fur
nish a copy of the rolls to the city, which
shall, with such medication as the city
may make, be its rolls on which its taxes
shall be collected, and that the Admins
traitor of Assessments of the city of New
Orleans be constituted ex officio president
of the board
TO- also recommend modification of
the printing law, by which the expense of
printing the laws and journals in the
country newspapers will be saved and
that the price paid for printing be mate
rally reduced. By such an act one hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars can be
saved annually.
II. That the Metropolitan Police law be
repealed, and an act passed organizing
the police under a system similar to that
in force on t6e adoption of the present,
reducing their expenses to four hundred
thousand dollars per annum, renting the
financial department to the city of New
Orleans, and limiting the Metropolitan
district to the cities of New Orleans and
Carrollton.
IL. The passage of an act giving to the
city of New Orleans entire control of feed |
ing prisoners confined within the parish |
prison of Orleans. The expense is now
enormous, and can be greatly reduced if |
the city government is empowered with |
the control.
IS. The act passed at the last session |
relative to statehouse should be re-
pealed, and the purchase of land ON which |
to build a capitol should be annuled
IA. The institution for the education of |
the blind should, for the present, be dis
continued. The State has no building |
for the accommodation of the pupils, and
too few pupils to justify the expense of
tue institution. 1t is now simply an
asylum, and if the Inmates whose fami-
lies or relations are able to maintain them |
we're dismissed, there would be but very
few dependent upon the charity of the |
State. The unfortunate people remain
ing should be provided tor elsewhere.
Is. Chief constables should not be al |
lowed other compensation than the fees
they receive for the service of summons
Of the execution ofwrits, ETC.. except when
called into active service by the Governor.
16. That each parish judge be paid by
The parish in which he resides and acts,
hat in this way the State treasury may be
relieved of the expense.
II. recommend that the act providing
IN annual salary to the secretaries, assis-
ant secretaries, clerks, sergeants-at-arms,
,tc., Of the General Assembly be repealed,
md that these officers and employees