New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-27
WEDNESDAY, February IA, 1872.

The section was adopted as amended.
The second section was read
MIR. Lynch will state that after receiv
ing legal advice the committee came to til,
conclusion that it could not reduce the pa,
OF the present incuinbents of the offices O.
secretary, assistant secretary, etc. Fol
That reason a clause has been inserted il
this bill providing that this provision shall
only be operative, so far as they are con
cerned, after the end Oh the present session
The section was adopted.
Sections third and fourth were read and
adopted
Section fifth was read.
MIR. Ray said ne thought the committee
mad agreed to pay the dOOrkeeper So per
day.
Mr.. Lynch said the amendment reducing
the pay o the doorkeeper to S. had been in
compensation for the performance of duties
which required no special skill, as those of a
clerk did.
Mr.. Smith thought it required great skill
and powers OF perception on the part of the
dOOrkeeper to distinguish between good
citizens and disreputable characters apply
ing for admittance.
MIR. Ray suggested that the amount be
fixed at seven dollars per day instead of
five dollars.
Section adopted with Mr.. Rays amend
ment.
Section six was read.
Mr. Ray said he noticed that no provision
had been made for paying the messenger of
the Senate who had charge of all printed
documents, etc. He, therefore, moved to
insert an additional clause creating the
office anew, and providing for compensation
at seven dollars per day during the session
and ten days thereafter.
Section adopted with amendment
The seventh section was read
No 7 1ne. ~,
ton of the Senate to the fact that ten boys
have been employed as pages. At the last
session twenty-eight were appointed, and |
thought l was reforming considerably in
deere asing the number by eighteen If it
is the desire of the Senate that should re- |
duce it further | will do so, but some pro-
vision should be made for paving those
boys who have served thus far.
MIR. Ray said the bill applied to subse-
quent sessions of the General Assembly and
not to the present session.
Mr. Lynch thought it was imperative this
session only so far as the officers provided
for by law We're concerned
The section was adopted.
Sections eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh
and twelfth were read and adopted with an
amendment 10 the eighth section.
Section thirteen was read.
An amendment offered by Senator Ray.
setting apart a certain amount for the ex-
penSes OF the extra session OF the Senate. |
was adopted.
Mr.. Blackman's motion to strike out the !
clause authorizing the Governor and State |
Treasurer to designature the fund from
which the appropriation should be drawn, I
was adopted.
Mr.. McMillen moved to strike from the |
bill all in reference to the Warrant Clerk. |
He said This bill. if understand it cor
rectly, is intended to apply to the expenses
OF future sessions OF the Legislature. 1t
does not fix the number OF employees for |
this session, nor does it provide how our
financial affairs shall be managed during
the present session. Il provides that this
Warrant Clerk system, which we all admit
to be obnoxious and Objectionable, shall be
foisted upon future sessions of the General
Assembly.
Mr. Blackman said proviso could be
adopted abOlishing the office of Warrant
Clerk after the present session.
Mr.. McMillen thought it unwise and i'm
polite to retain the Warrant Clerk even for
this session, although the question had
already been decided aflirmatively by the
Senate. He thought the office should be
abolished now; but if that could not be
done, he hoped the Senate would not
fasten the odious system upon future Legis-
Mr.: Bowman thought the Senator was
Histdktn DIS 10 lne meaning OF the clause IN
reference to the Warrant Clerk.
Mr.. Blackman said the bill was worthless
II 1t did not affect the present session of the
General Assembly. He thought the Senate
could not bind future Legislatures.
Mr.. McMillen-I see no necessity for this
bill If 1t does not regulate and limit the ex-
penses Of the present General Assembly.
l! u! we make 1t only to govern future Leg
islatures, it can be changed at any
time. 1t is holding out to the COM
munity the idea that we are enact
ing reform measure, when we are |
doing nothing of the kind. We are OPEN
ing wild e the doors 20 that extravaganza in |
the exp enses of the General Assembly which
charact cried our last session. Therefore,
say tn is is not reform measure in any
sense of the term. 1t is not calculated to
restrict the expenses Of the present Gen
eral AS sembly 1t Is not calculated to limit
the nu mber OF employees, nor the travelling
eXpen ses of the committees Of either house
it doe S not prevent either house from voting
away the money of the people, as they have
in the past. Ii is perfectly useless for us to
pass this bill to bind future Legislatures
Unless we first show them that we desire to
INIT and regulate our own expenses.
Mr.. Ray-By constitutional provision,
We are forbidden to pass any retroactive
measure. Hence, any act we may pass !
IAN have no effect until after its passage.
The session of the Legislature is now draw
ng to close, and we must De governed by
-Orner legislation. 1t is for the purpose of
avoiding this very difficulty in the future
nat we desire to pass an act limiting the
expense OF future Legislatures. We have
peri ecu right to pass laws regulating the |
amber OF employees. etc, of future General
Assem- blies, and defining their duties and
iXlng their compensation. If we pass such
! law it is binding upon both branches of {
ne Legislature until it is legally repealed
This is Il reform measure and a very i'm 7
yOrtant one, too
Ii we do not pass law of this kind. the l
lext General Assembly Will be at liberty to a
lave as many employees as it pleases, and /,
'ay them as much as it pleases. 1t is be- c
ause there is no restriction upon the Leris- G
ature in regard to expenditures that we Y
md them now more than double what thev Y
ught to be. h
Mr.. McAIillen-And more than double the @
.mount of the different appropriations; and t
his the result of the Warrant Clerk system. i,
Mr.. RAY am just as much opposed to s.
he Warrant Clerk system as the Senator S
Mr.. hIcMillen) is. | repeat that the bill is Il
reform measure, because it reduces the y
expenses of the General Assembly down to il
he lowest possible figure. 1t prevents the o.
legislature from spending half million Of p
loilafs or more, as it did during the last CT
ession. l think the office of Warrant | ii
'lefk is q useless Office, and for that reason a.
made no provision for it in the original CO
ill | introduced -
Mr.. McAlillen called for the reading of the to
ecuon under consideration. tb