New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-17

of the General Assembly being provided
| for by the printing law, it was not cOmpe-
| tent for either house separately to direct
| and pay for such services. 1t Is not legltlc.
mately part of the contingent expenses OF
either house.
| will also venture to lay down q prOpo-
sition which believe to be sound policy as
| well as good law. The constitution limits
| the session of the General Assembly TO
sixty days. Both houses must adjourn at
the expiration Of this time. Can 1t IN the
| face of the constitution continue ITS exist
ence for longer period, even by the JOINT
| action of both houses /! Then if it can not
for a longer period, how much less can
| either house, acting separately, continue
the existence Of a part of its body during
| vacation! am clear in my conviction that
neither house can authorize one of its com
mittees to sit during vacation, without the
| consent of the other house, with the ap-
prevail of the Governor, or without having
PASSED Joint resolution to that effect over
his objection by the constitutional majority.
| Hence it ia that the action OF the House IN
| continuing five or six committees in session
after the adjournment was not legal, even
If the resolutions said by the Speaker to
have been, had been legally passed. l
will not discuss the question OF whether
they did pass the House, for DO
not believe the House was compe-
l
committee can only be authorized to SIT
during vacation by an act OF the Leglsla-
ture, properly approved, in accordance with
| the constitution.
! state these facts to suggest the remedy.
recommend the passage of an act fixing
the compensation OF members, the rate OF
| mileage and amount each member shall be
paid; the number and character OF the ON
GERS, clerks and employees Of each house,
and their compensation, defining what shall
be considered contingent expenses, and
| limiting the amount tor each house: the
| adjustment of the office of warrant clerk,
and providing that the members shall be
paid in warrants drawn by the Auditor, as
is customary in all other claims against the
State; that vouchers, accompanied with the
bill of articles, or showing the character OF
the services rendered, by what authority
they were purchased or employed, shall be
filed with the Auditor as his vouchers, and
| it shall be his duty to scrutinize and exam
| inc the bills to see that they are III accord
ance with the law. 1t is believed, after a
careful calculation, that $l25,O00 is amply
sufficient to pay all the expenses OF a sixty
DAYS session of the General Assembly.
REFORM.
The bitterness which existed at the inaug
uration of the present administration has
am happy to say, entirely disappeared,
and perfect tranquility now reigns
| throughout the State No one is molested
on account of his political opinions. A
few personal difficulties occur now and
then, perhaps, but they are incidental to
any society, and are not attributable to
political differences
Our criminal laws. except in the city
of New Orleans, are enforced with
commendable promptitude. The DISPOSE
ton of jurors, with few exceptions, to con
Wet individuals charged with otfenses
against the law, was never more manifest
than now. Punishment for crime is admin
istered to offenders with certainty and Sc
verify.
In the parish of St Landry, where, in 1868
a large number of colored persons were
killed for differing on political questions.
but few weeks ago two young men, both
white, and of respectable connections, were
convicted and sentenced to the Penitentary
for life for attempting violence to q colored
woman, notwithstanding she did not enjoy
the best reputation. At the same session O1
the court, ont Of fourteen criminal eases
tried, but one prisoner was acquitted.
In the parish of De Soto, white prisoners
have been most severely punished tor VIC
lence and injury to colored people. SO it il
throughout the State. Justice is melted out
with an even hand to all alike. giving the
strongest evidence of the healthy tone OF
society, and the purpose of the people to
secure equal protection to all, and to insure
the honest enforcement of the law.
With this happy condition of affairs. we
must look to the reformation OF the many
evils and abuses that have crept into our
administration. The subject is one that
calls for your most careful consideration
and promptitude OF action:
|. | recommend to you the modi6ca-
ton OF the registration law, in respect to
the appointment of registrars and their com
10 low ,n,,ll fhnvv
to be residents of the parishes for which
they are appointed. They should be ineli-
| gible to any other office while they are in
the discharge of their duties as registrar,
and their compensation should be reduced
and paid, together with that of commits
sioners of election, by the parishes in which
they serve; and on the subject of registra
ton and election | repeat my recommends
ton Of the last session:
The disregard of the rights of franchise
| evinced in many localities in the State in
1868, induced the Legislature of 1870 to re
sort to the most stringent measures for the
protection of the people. The violent ran
cor of that period having now given place
to more liberal and just acknowledgment
of the true relations of all our citizens.
commend to your consideration the modit
cation of the registration and election laws
to an extent that, while securing the in
! alicnable rights of all. will make the usage
under them the less irksome and exacting
to the few
,. The election law should be so modified
that the expense of holding elections shall
| be horne by the parishes, and that in the
city of New Orleans tine city itself shall
bear the burden.
8. | recommend that the State Registrar
of Voters, who is practically the Supervisor
| Of Registration for the city OF New Orleans
be paid by the city the salary allowed that
| officer.
1. | recommend that all fees allowed the
Auditor of Public Accounts. amounting, il
is believed, to about twenty-five thousand
dollars per annum, be collected bv him and
paid into the State treasury to the credit OF
the interest tax fund" to be employed il
paying the interest and principal OF oul
debt.
}. That the act giving the State Treasurer
Two thousand dollars per annum as receiver
of moneys on public lands be repealed. TX
receive these moneys is legitimately par
of his duty as State Treasurer.
o. That the clerk of the First District
Court for the parish of Orleans be paid {
salary of six thousand dollars per annum b,
the city of New Orleans, and that he be al
lowed no fees from the State or city Othe]
than the salary for mis- services. The fees O.
this officer amount 10 all enormous sum Del
annum.
:. recommend a careful revision of the
laws relative to costs of clerks, sheritfs
justices of the peace and constables The
tees under present laws are so enormously
high that in many instances they work 8
denial of justice. 1t should be made thu
duty of the judge Of the court to examine
and approve all fee bills before they are
paid, and to declare the Office of any sheriff
or clerk vacant on detecting overcharses OF
costs.