The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-02-17

) never given the printing of the laws t.
Democratic papers the printing is no
given to the paper having the largcs
circulation, but to Republican papers
MIR. Spcer had witness veto of the
bill authorizing We'll to sue the State.
for his claim of $4,000 read. Tho oh.
lection made in the message was that
the debt was contracted in tho interest
of the "rcbcllion.' The certificate OF
Indebtedness issued by Auditor peralt:,
and exchanged for bonds by the Com
missioners for liquidating the floating
debt Of the State, had been uttered
when the bill was vetoed. Witness de-
clarcd that the certificates were recog-
nizcd and liqnidated by the Commits
sioncrs, in his absence, without his
knowledge and without his consent.
The commission consisted of witness
! himself, Mr.. Gaines, President of the
Citizens Bank, and MIR. Graham, State
Auditor. 1t was agreed that all ccrtif-
icates OF Indebtedness approved by the
Auditor should be recognized as part
of the floating debt, and witness be-
lievcs that the Auditor approved Wells
certificate. Witness has made no pro-
test against the payment of the claim.
Believe, its payment would have been
enforced by the courts. The claim was
held by Senator Anderson when it was
liquidatcd by the Board. Does not
know whether the Senator bought the
claim for twenty cents on the dollar or
not.
Q.-'rhc bill you vetoed, was a bill
! authorizing We'll to sue the State. Why
did you not let him sue? .u..
Witness vetoed the bill because as n
general thing all such suits We're deci-
dcu against the State. Tho fact that
the State allowed Il suit was regarded
us tacit confession that the claim was
mcritoriouS. Witness repeated that
the rule adopted by the Commissioners
was that every claim would be appro-
we'd by the Auditor. .,
Mr.. Specr--But the Auditor had is
| sued the certificate OF indebtedness.
A.-That was the Democratic Audi
tor. l am speaking of the Republican
Auditor. The only difference between
Mr.. Gaines and witness and the Auditor
was that witness and Mr.. G. thought
certificates of indebtedness ought to be
considered part of tho floating debt and
the Auditor was of the different opin-
ion. Witness himself had no interest
in the We'll claim. Does not know that
the Legislature refused twice to ac-
knowledge the claim lit was rejected
by the Legislature (Dcmocratic) of &c
and 81, though urged by the friends of
Governor Wells in the Legislatures
--tEr. I....
Witness had signed the funding bill
before tho Speaker of the House signed.
1t was quite Il common occurrence for
Gov. Dunn to come into the Executive
Office and sign bills after witness had
signed them. The signatures OF tho
Lieut.. Governor and Speaker of the
House were not necessary to- give va
liditN to Il law. Witness, when the
bill was pending, told several friends
that you would sign it. Some of them
members of the Assembly included
had put their warrants in his posses
sion before the bill was signed, to cN-
change tor the bonds which were to be
issued. These warrants and witness
own warrants got exchanged before the
act was promulgated. Witness had
about $1,000 of his own. Altogether,
for himself and friends ne might have
had @Si6a,otH, perhaps more. Complaints
were made and Mrssrs. sam. Smith Il
Go. and Mr.. Levy sued the Board to-
compel it to issue bonds to them. t..
Witness made about $75, 900 by buy
ing Levy GS when he became Governor.
1t Was made by an appreciation Of the
security in the market, without lcgiSla-
tive or executive influence.
Witness has eleven hundred shares
of stock in the Republican newspapers.
| Docs not know what amount the paper
drew from the State Treasury for pub
! lie printing last year. 1t might have
been halfu million-witncss does not
know. Referred the committee to the
Auditor on that subject. He kept the
accounts of the State.
Mr.. Spccr~-WhO was the contract
with the Republican for state printing
made by:
Alt was sign all by myseifand Mr..
Carr, then speaker Of the House.
p.-Ihcn you, as Governor, made Il
contract for the State with yourself rs
printer"
A.--l'hat is Il very broad way of sta
ting the fact. | made q contract with
the Republican Printing Company.
Q.-iIavc you said to Judge Walker
that you made $lOO,OnO the first year
you was Governor"
Al made more than that. Wit
nc-S has 100 shares of $1,000 each in the
Mexican Gulf Canal Company. Sub
ScribcH for that stock in 1867. Witness
WAS a stock holder when he Girnct the