New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-17
aleu-, Orleans $epnblieat1.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
0FFIClAL JOURNAL OF new ORLEANS
OFFICIAL. JOURNAL
OF THE
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE
SECOND SESSION
OF THE
SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF TIE
STATE OF LOUISIANA.
Thirteenth Days Session.

journment.
Presentation. p. B. S. Pinchback, Lieu
tenant Governor and President of the
Senate, and Messrs. Anderson, Barber,
Butler, Campbell, Gallup, Harris, Hun.
saker, jerks, Kelso, Lynch, McMillen,
holland, Raglan, Swords, Thomas, Twitchell,
Whitney-lS.
The President announced that quorum
was present.
The Secretary was instructed to inform
the House of Representatives that the
Senate was organized and ready to transact
business.
On motion of Mr. Anderson a committee
of three was appointed to inform the Gov,
ernor that the Senate was organized and
ready to receive from him any communica'
tions he might desire to submit to the
Senate.
Messrs. Anderson, Thomas and Butler
were appointed as such committee.
The committee reported that the Gov
ernor would soon submit his annual message.
The report was received and the committee
discharged.
The following message was received from
his Excellency Governor H. c. Warmoth:
STATE OF LOUISIANA, }
Executive Department,
Kew Orleans. January l. 1872.
~<;entlemer of the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives OF the State OF Louisiana:
In compliance with my duty, under the
constitution, have the honor to lay before
YOU the following information respecting
the general condition of affairs in the State,
with the recommendation of such measures
rs have deemed of sufficient Importance
to merit your especial consideration:
PUBLIC DEBT.
The State Auditor persists in publishing
to the world that our debt is Sal, l94, 473 81,
which he makes up by adding to the actual
debt of the State, which is 81, 295, 100 So
an amount which he calls a contingent
debt" of SIS, 1896, 683 80. This last is indeed
contingent. 1t is contingent in that its be-
coming actual debt is entirely dependent
first. upon the construction of certain rail
roads, for which the State has agreed to in
dOrse second mortgage bonds for $l2,5
per mile, the companies having the right
to issue first mortgage bonds for the same
amount; and, second. upon the foolish pre-.
sumption that these roads, with all their
etc., will not be worth $25, 900 per mile. the
aggregate of the first and second mortgage
bonds This is no more q debt to be en-
ployed as such at the expense of our State
credit. than is the Endorsement of prOmis-
sorry note by an individual who is secured
for the liability he assumes, by pledge OF
fivetwenty bonds or real estate, in the pro-
portion of four dollars to one.
In the first place. there is not the slightest
probability that any of these roads except
the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas rail-
road, will be constructed; and, in the second
place, if every one of them should be built,
the State would be amply secured from
ever having to pay the Endorsement, for the
reason that the roads chartered, if con-
structed, would be worth four times the
amount guaranteed.
This unwise course of the Auditor has
tended to depreciate our secrities, and has
given the enemies Of reconstruction capital
from which to misrepresent our govern
ment and to throw discredit upon US
abroad.
In 1861 our debt was $40. l57 1852 -. In
1868, when the present administration came
into power, it was $l4,347, O5l o., and it is
now about $23.045,790 So. This increase
consists in three million dollars employ ed
for the repair of levees; three million to
take up the floating debt which had been
incurred prior to the Inauguration of the
present government; two and half mil
lions subscribed for stock Of the New
Orleans, Mobile and Texas Railroad Com
pany, and seven hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars subsidy granted to the same
company. The present administration is
not properly chargeable with the three mill
lion dollars for floating debt, because it was
mostly, if not entirely, created before its in
coming. So that the real increase of the
debt by the present government has been
only about six and a half millions of dol
lars: and the wisdom of the several acts in
volving the increase is generally conceded
and almost universally approved.
The bonded debt on which interest is be.
ing paid is SIS, S5S, 300, the annual interest
on which amounts to $l,403, 800. Of this
debt. 81 ,357 900 in State bonds have been
purchased and are held by certain trust
funds in the treasury, which, if cancelled,
would reduce our Understanding debt to
sls,50l 300, and the annual interest to
$780,. 400.
FINANCES.
The condition of our State finances de-
mands your most serious attention. The
report of the State Auditor will show
deficit for the past year of nearly two mil
lions Of dollars. This has been caused by
the inefficiency of tax collectors and the
enormous appropriations made at the last
session of the General Assembly in excess
of the revenue. To meet this deficiency
two things are necessary: First, a reduc-
ton to the minimum of all the expenses of
the government and, second, vigorous
and efficient collection of the revenue. This
is practicable, and the best solution of the
problem have been able to devise.
The amount necessary to pay salaries of
officers need not exceed $500, 900; that for
mileage and per diem of members and the
contingent expenses of the General Assem-
bly, need not exceed $ls5,oOo; while all
other expenses, payable from the general
fund, including those necessary for
support of the militia, of public institu.
tons of a charitable character, such as
institutions for the deaf, dumb and blind,
the Insane Asylum and the Charity Hos
pital of New Orleans, and for rent of pub.
lie buildings, etc., need not exceed
$42O,65O.
The interest on our State debt amounts
to 81, 800 per adnum. 1t requires
$400,0 900 to maintain our public school sys
tenn.
The four mills assessed for the general
fund is believed to be sufficient to pay the
salaries of officers and the current expenses
of the machinery Of government. 1t is
doubtless enough to do 30 with economy,
but it should not be expected to bear the
draft of four millions of dollars in appro-
Driations. as was assumed by the legislation
of the last session.
would. therefore, recommend that dur
ing the present session of your honorable
body an act be passed making general ap-
nr,nriation for payment of salaries OF Off
GERS. interest on the public debt, expenses
ofuublic education and the public charities
which act shall be general law, and re
main ami in operation until modified or repealed
bv the General Assembly. Should this be
done we shall avoid the evil which has
heretofore prevailed. of crowding into this
bill a large number of obnoxious approprla-
tons, and coercing unwilling members to
vote for its passage under the threat OF De
featng the necessary appropriations fof the
year.