New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-14
DEBATES IN THE SENATE,

DEBATES IN THE SENATE.
SATURDAY,, February 3, 1872.
STATE LAND OrTICE-PERsONAL ExPLAHA
OF SENATOR CAMPBELL.
Mr.. Campbell-I see that certain charges
are made against me as Acting Registrar OF
the State Land Office, with regard to the
use Of public money, and the condition OF
the office. l will simply state that there has
been no use made ofpublic money in that of.
flee not open to investigation; that there has
been no misapplication of it; and that what
little has been spent was sent economically
l will ask that committee be appointed to
ascertain the truth of my statements. Hope
the Senate will do SO in justice to me. had
at the beginning OF this session OF the Leg
islature detailed report made Of the ex-
penses Of the otiice-both of the contingent
expenses and the different amounts apprO-
priated for different purposes, such as that for
reOrganizing and for reminding the records
of the Office, which were in bad condition,
the appropriation of thousand or fifteen
hundred dollars for a survey. and the appro-
priation of like amount for repairing a
list of lands sold by the Opelousas Railroad
Company. The trouble in the beginning of
the session prevented the report being re-
ceived. and for the last two or three days
nv occupation in the transaction of the
business of the State has prevented me from
presenting it. 1t will be offered to the Senate
in due time. / now ask that a committee
of investigation be appointed to examine
into the condition of the office and the dis
position of the public money therein.
Mr.. Harris-In view of the statement
made by the Senator from Orleans (Mr.
Campbell), l ask unanimous consent to in
troduce the following resolutions:
Resoiced, That committee of three
members of this Senate be and they are
hereby appointed to investigate and inquire
into the condition of the State Land Office
particularly as to whether the registrar of
of the same has in any manner drawn from
the treasury any moneys appropriated
under the act passed 1871, making an APP
preparation Of $4,000 to provide for the re-
organization of the State Land Office, and
whether the money has been properly
applied, with power to send for persons and
papers
be and they are hereby authorized to inquire
whether the act passed directing the said
registrar to cause certain surveys to be
made of the section lines of each and every
section of State land, selections to be made,
have been made, and who made the same,
and whether any moneys of the apprOpria-
ton of $40, 900 has been paid, to whom paid,
with power to send tor persons and papers.
Adopted.
MAN.
Mr.. Blackman-It has been stated by a
newspaper that | made certain charges
against Senator Hunsaker. l desire to say
that the article referred to is malicious and
false. Imade no such charges against Sen
ator HuDsaker, neither on the floor of the
Senate MOI. elsewhere.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION OF MR.. HUNsAKER.
Mr.. Hunsaker-I notice in the published
testimony Of Mr. BOvee, given before the
committee Of the United States House of
Representatives. sitting here, a statement
that when l was elected to the Senate was
not a citizen of the parish of st. James. If
Mr.. Bovee made that statement, he. knew it
to be false. He knows that l acted as Judge
of that parish for nearly two years be ore l
was elected to the Senate.
Mr.. Smith, would inquire whether Mr..
Bovee is before the Senatei
Mr.. Hunsaker-Hei is not, but this charge
was made before the congressional commit
tee, and desire to set myself right before
tile Senate.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NEW ORLEANS.
Mr.. Kelso reported favorably upon House
bill No. $50, authorizing the levy and col
lection of "a tax for the maintenance of the
public schools of New Orleans.
The President said the public schools of
the city were closed for lack of coal. There
were no funds to meet the current expenses
on account Of the fact that the Supreme
Court had decided that the tax authorized
to be levied for that purpose could not be
collected, as the taxation of the city OF New
Orleans had been limited to two per cent
by a clause in the revenue law. He thought
the bill before the Senate had for its object
the amendment of the revenue law, SO that
the school board could raise some funds.
Mr.. Lewis moved, in order that the Sen
ate might vote iDtelligently, and do justice
to the public schools, that the bill be
printed and made the special order Of the
day for Tuesday next.
mr. Lynch in the chair.
MIR. Pinchback-I desire to call the at
tenton of the Senate to the fact that this
hill ia merely for the purpose as l under
stand it land if state it incorrectly my
distinguis he'd colleague, Mr.. Lewis, who
Maid considerable attention to the reading
of the bill, can correct the error), OF en-
abIing our municipal authorities to raise
funds to meet the current expenses OF the
public schools of the city OF New orleans.
Some of the largest attended ana pest
schools we have in the city are closed to-
day. and the children prevented IRON at
tending because we can not get money 10
purchase fuel. In the meantime the pay OF
the teachers, the wages of the attendants,
portresses, etc, and all the other incidental
exnepses are going on, without auy beneht
being derived therefrom by the public. l
ask if this is not question which demands
our immediate ami careful attention. Does
II not look like measure of reform 1t is
a hill in which both the children and the
taxnayers are vtally interested, and on
" hich the education Of The masses of the
city depends And yet mo,isn is hr maaS
the Senate to postpone it to special day
and have it printed What Nh, h nersssl'E
= there for printing the oili al; IL
simply seeks to remedy conflict
wbipb exists at present between the reve-
law and the education W. t 5na s wne
AK on the property of the city OF New or-
cans. Even if you pass this bill, the tax
san not be collected for some tlme' OUT IL
sill at once place the'schoOl board OF the
nperintendant Of Education ia such posi-,
on on that they can go upon the market am: and
ct money, to be repaid after the collect,on
f the tax As the case now stands we
ave no money to buy coal, and the dealers
efuse to let us have any on credit: