Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-11

beyond the means, believe, of the people
of the State. / am in favor of the reduc-
ton of those expenses to something
within the limit which obtains in other
States of the Union. 1 believe in cut
ting down the expenditures of the State
government to the lowest amount possible,
and then living within the means that We
collect Fl . the people of the Slate for
this purpose One word in regard to
what is called the revolution in our midst.
1 deem the action of certain members of
the General Assembly as revolutionary in
its character. Ibelieve that some of those
Republican members who have been led
away by the false teachings of prominent
members of the Republican party are SIM
ply mistaken in the view they take OF the
situation. l believe they are leading them
selves and the Republicans they represent
upon the floor of the House of Representa-
tives into serious and perhaps, fatal error.
1 believe they arr guided and controlled
by the enemies Of the Republican party of
the State of Louisiana and the enemies of
Republican institutions everywhere. l
believe that the leading spirits of this
conspiracy ARE members of the Democratic
party andi it is unnecessary for me to tell
you, MIR. President and members of the
Senate, that the Democratic party of this
State is opposed to Republicanism and
republican institutions. The annals of
1868 fully prove the truth of that assertion.
The conduct of that party ever since the
close of the war is full of evidences that it
is antagonistic to republican institutions,
and that it will not stop short of any
means at its command to overthrow Re
publican rule in the State of Louisiana. /
believe this to be their purpose now, and
believe these Republicans who are CO.
operating with them do not know their
real object, but are led astray by these
glittering generalities in regard to reform.
If they want reform, let the absent men,
bers of the Senate come and take their
seats and act reform. Let us revise the
statute books, and strike from them
those measures which are against
the well-being of the people and
the State, and pass other LAWS which will
grant everything that a peaceable and law
abiding community can desire. But l do
ia tp ha
and bloodshed. No good can come from
successful revolution in our midst. To-day
the city Of New Orleans and the State Of
Louisiana are losing more, in a pecuniary
sense, from the bare possibility of revolu-
ton than they could possibly lose from a
continuation Of an unwise legislation which
characterized this General Assembly last
year. Irepeat that if the Legislature should
go on in this career of unwise legislation
until the close of the session, it would not
inf1ict upon the city of New Orleans and State
Of Louisiana one-tenth Of the injury, 80 far
as dollars and cents are concerned, that they
are suffering from the presence of these Re-
publican revolutionists in our midst. VIII
have conspired with leaders of the Demo
cratic party to overthrow the present State
government. That is the purpose they have
in view, and do not believe that they will
stop short of the use of any means at their
command to accomplish their ends. Are the
people of Louisiana to be benefited if they
succeed? Are the people of New Orleans as
well off to-day as they would be if this Gener
al Assembly had convened properly and gone
on to adopt such legislation as was necessarv2
Does the credit Of the State stand as well aa
it would have stood if this revolution had
not occurred? By no means. The loss to
people of the State through the shadow that
is thrown upon her credit, the loss to the
people Of this city through the decrease in
business and in patronage, and the driving
away of people and trade will be far greater :.
in my judgment, on account of this threat
ened revolution than it would be from any
ln]udlclous legislation on the part Of the
General. Assembly. Therefore, in pecuni-
airy point OF view simply, this revolutionary
movement is unwise and injudicious. But
they do not intend to stop for any reasons of
that kind; they propose to overthrow the
State government by the use of any and
every means at their command They intend
through riot and bloodshed and anarchy and
confusion. and by invoking the very worst
elements In the city to their aid, to succeed
| In their nefarious schemes. Those snefari.
GUS schemes that are referred to by the
Democratic Central Committee are Justly
chargeable upon themselves, and upon those
who cooperate with them in the Republican
party. They are the men who are irving to
throw discredit upon the State government,
and, by every means in their power, to over
throw legitimate authority.
Shall they succeed? l hope not. trust
that the seventeen Senators present will
continue to come here day after day and
wait for quorum; that the House of
Representatives will stand by us, and that
the executive Of the State will be able.
with the force at his disposal to withstand
any onslaught that may be made against
us. Let it go forth to the people of the
State that we are here ready to enact
measures of reform; to secure to them the
beneficial results of wise and just laws; to
e