New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-21
THURSDAY, February l, 49,
REFORM

i
sented by the Committee on Enrolment,
and then the question will properly come
IN whether the President shall sign them
or not / am opposed to this double legs
lation-to this attempt of the gentleman
from Claiborne (Mr. Blackman), who was
not in his seat when these bills were passed,
and did not vote for them, to cure what ne
calls this defective legislation of ours.
Mr.. Blackman-In reply to the Senator
have to state that there is some doubt as 20
| the legality Of our legislation the Presl-
| dent Of the Senate has announced that h1s
| idea was that there was no quorum presenV
| at the time, and that he would refuse to sign
| these bills if brought to him for his sigma
| ture.
Mr. McMillen-Bnt he is bound to obey
| the order of the Senate.
Mr.. Blackman-4here is, in my mind,
very grave and serious doubt on this SUD-
| ject-indeed, there is no doubt at ALL De-
cause i am satisfied that nineteen mem bers
| constitute quorum OF the Senate, anu lIas
| eighteen members do not
Lieutenant Governor Pinchback - he
question is now on suspension OF ITO
| rules.
| Mr.. Blackman-Yes, sir; and the reason
, why l ask suspension of the rules is TO put
| us all on record as to our intention to pass
| these bills
| Mr.. McMillen-Very well then let the
| gentleman order the Enrolment Committee
| to report these bills.
Mr.. BIackman-It could do no IN at
| all to pass them again.
| Mr.. Lynch-It would be silly to do SO; IT
would be mere boys play.
| Mr. CAMPBELL object to the suspension
! of the rules for this purpose. l have been
| informed by leading Democrat that there
| is a bitter feeling commencing to exist
| toward Senators because they have not
entered on reform measures. l tell these
| T bau
| of bitter feeling, and all the bitter feeling
! in this State would not induce me to hasten
one step toward the repeal of any of these
laws. Furthermore, desire to state to the
people and to the constituency ! represent
| what said to the committee of Congress.
When / was asked if was in favor OF
the repeal of certain so-called obnoxious
laws said no. that had voted for these
| repeal measures under protest, and Tor tae
reason that l was led to believe that
my vote for these bills would conduce 20
the formation of a quorum, and would tend
to relieve the Senate and the State Legs
lature from block. In this respect 1made
mistake, although my protest shows my
| Judgment better than my vote. Nor did L
acknowledge that the laws then voted to
repeal were obnoxious. Estate emphatical-
ly that they are not obnoxious to over one
half of the people Of this State. On the
contrary they are desired and demanded by
one half or more of the people of Louisiana;
but l am perfectly willing to meet the
Senator from Claiborne Mr.. Blackmanl
and the Democratic party of this State on
this platform. l will never again vote 70
place the people Of the State in the position
in which they stood at the election in 1879;
| will never again allow the statute book 20
stand so that, in the Senator's own district
of Claiborne, only two Republican votes
can be cast, on account of the terror and
intimidation prevailing: / will never agree
again that the statute books OF Louisiana
shall be in such a condition that the elec-
tons shall be carried in this city and STATE,
as they were in 1868
Nh. Blackman-This debate is on. Of
order.
The PRESIDENT think any reasons per-
tanning to the subject are in order. The
gentleman is now showing the Senate Why
he is opposing the suspension of the rules,
and it seems to me that he is in order.
Mr. Campbell--When the Senator troIn
Ouachita Mr.. Ray) told me, some time ago,
if We passed no laws on the subject OF reg
istration and election, we could have 10
hope of ever holding free election, and
asked me to assist him in preparing the very
laws he is now opposing. l saw the very
: same reasons existing then as exist now
for the passage of these laws. But / VIII
meet the Senator from Ouachita (Mr. Ray J,
: and the Senator from Claiborne (h1r Black
l mani, or any one else, on this broad plat
form. Pass such laws as will equally
prevent the violence and frauds of 1868 and
the alleged frauds of ls7o-make such laws
as will prevent the wholesale murder and
, violence of 1868, or the returning of regis
{ trars of election, Or the stuffing of ballot
boxes, as is alleged to have prevailed IN
1879. and will go with you in any measure
to secure fair election return.
Mr.. Blackman-Then you do not con-
slider that these laws have ever been re,
pealed.
Mr.. Campbell-I do not; they have never
,, been repealed.
Mr. Hunsaker-I indorse what the Sen
tor from Orleans Mr.. Campbell) has SAID.
, l will never again be persuaded to vote
, without know what am voting for. Il
the mob that has been assailing the halls OF
: the Legislature are to assemble again, GO
not know any time better than Just now.
! l think it would be good thing to let it 60
on record to the country, through it's repre-
, sentatives in Congress, now here in this
city. l shall not vote for suspension OF
! the rules, but when proper bill is intro
= duced am goin. to vote for modification
: OF existing laws, or for a new bill that VIII
give everybody fair chance at the polls
l am going to vote for such bill as | be.
= ! HeVe Will secure to every citizen equal
+ rights at the polls, but am not going %
vote to strike from the statute books al
laws on this subject, till other and better
|
= MIR. Blackman-Let me ask the gentle
: man from st. James (Mr Hunsaker} q cues
; ton. You do not consider these laws re-
| pealed!
Mr.. Hunsaker-The Supreme Court has
decided that for me. 1t has decided Il
1t takes nineteen Senators to make 2 ono.
rum.
MIR. Nc Millcn-I will say to the Senator
: from Claiborne (Mr. Black man), to the Sen.
ate and to the people, that nv answer "a
the Senator's bin is in part contained in tie
| report submitted this morning from the
: COMMITTEE on Election and Registration
which shows that next Monday we will
nave the opportunity of entering urou
these measures Of so-called reform. We
Will then have a chance of putting in q
? practical way, in legislative form, our ideas
OF registration and election. | regard this
bill OF the Senator from Claiborne hr
} Blackman) as partisan in its character, and
therefore oppose it.
The Presidential document is Gircu-
i:it!lg III the newspapers with reference &c
the position took ON the fifteenth uItilno
Whith makes me appear as stating then that
there was a quorum present, and afterwa ar 4
! changing my opinion for partisan purposes
L stated there was no quorum. Senators
KNOW that when the Secretary said there
were eighteen Senators present and QUO
rum, stated did not think So ana The
Senator from the Second District Mr.,
Campbellt moved that l be instructed to
declare that quorum was present ! was
so instructed, and so announced by order
| n na hpt 7 hoo 10