New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-28

may see fit to establish" fSee pages l24,
14S, 149 and 165 of Debates above referred
to-
We will now give his remarks to the
House, when the emigration bill was before
them for consideration:
"This section provides, Mr.. Chairman and
gentlemen of the committee, to give to
certain number of men the sum Of 500, O0O.
Remember, nearly three-quarters OF MIL
lion dollars. Now, what security Is given
that they will carry out what they promise.
None at at all This section provides that
the Governor shall pay over to the agents
of said company 100000 in bonds OF the
State within twenty da Us after the Governor
has been notified that two vessels, with
emigrants, have landed at New Or
leans This section IS so loose in construc-
ton and so general in terms that any
amount of fraud may be practiced by the
company, against which we have no. the
slightest protection. Now VIII
ask gentlemen on this floor friendly to this
bill, what are you going to reply when
YOUR constituents ask you who are these
men TO whom YOU have donated 500, 900 of
our money, and what security have we that
they will carry out the provisions Of this
act!
"In another section of this bill it is pro-
posed to give this company in addition HH TO to
the State bonds worth 100000, SOC, 900
acres Of land. This company is careful to
put in the words, 'tillable land;' and they
are not willing to take the good and bad
together: they do not propose to improve
the swamp lands of the State. l am OPP
posed nOw as ever have been, to this sys
tenn of fostering monopolies at the expense
of the poor. As long Mr.. Chairman, as
there are hundreds and thousands of poor
people around us homeless, l am opposed to
giving this mOnstrOus monopoly 5OO,OOO
acres of the peoples land. This believe to
be one Of the schemes to make the rich
richer and the poor poorer, and for this rea-
son oppose it,
In this way we might go through the
whole of his first term in the Legislature,
and show, from the debates and newspa-
pers, that every measure got up Tor the
benefit of speculation, to rob the citizens,
has met with constant and determined Op-
position from Mr.. Brewster. Even when it
was proposed to draw mileage tor the extra
session of 1870, and extra per diem the year
before, his vote is found recorded against it.
We also find his vote recorded against
every printing bill and resolution which has
ever been before the House.
1t is not surprising that man who has
guarded so well the interests of the labOring
people and the State should be the choice
of the voters of Ouachita for reelection.
The manner in which he managed the last
campaign, the speeches he has made. the
work he has done for the Republican party.
and his reelection by an overwhelming
majority last fall, is too well-known to be
related here. So much is said, however.
Just now in regard to reform that We must
remind our readers that we have Repre-
sentative who has not only advocated, but
acted and practiced, reform from the first
dav he took his seat in the Legislature.
We can not not bring this article to close
without giving few quotations from the
debates of the last session. Seeing the ex-
travagant manner in which the public
money was used he was the first member
of the House who brought the subject be-
fore the people, and caused to be published.
in this and other papers, list OF prices
which certain individuals pretended was
paid for from the contingent fund of the
House: and on the fourteenth day of Janu
airy, he introduced a resolution requiring
the Speaker to appoint committee OF
three on retrenchment and reform. Through
the influence of the very men who are now
CRYING out reform, but who have never put
their teachings into practice, this resolution
was not adopted. (See pages %, 80 and 80,
Debates of 1871
This resolution alone, had it been carried,
and the committee appointed. with Mr..
Brewster as chairman, would have saved
the State not less than half million dol
lars.
We have not room for more extended
review of his course, as one of our Repre-
sentatives. but ask those of our readers who
may feel any doubt on the subject to exam
inc for themselves the journal and debates
of the various sessions of the House.
On the fourth of this month he was
elected Speaker of the House of Represen
tatives. and we close this article by giving
his remarks on tax ing the chair:
Gentlemen of the House Of Represen-
sentatives--Yo will not think it strange
if l express surprise at thus being elevated
to the responsible position of Speaker of the
House of Representatives. You know as
well as myself that it is not fifteen minutes
since my name was first mentioned as
candidate, and, consequently, now take
the chair without having made promise to
any member of this House | am untram-
meled and free. and will give you but one
pledge at this time, and that is that will
recommend and practice the most rigid econ
omy in every branch of our expenditures.
1--WE have been extravagant and wastetul
in the extreme, and, while | know that GER
tain individuals are far more criminal than
others, vet | can not and will not deny that
we are all most shamefully to blame for the
manner in which we have allowed the peO-
Piles money to be used in the past. Then,
let us cease to attempt to throw the whole
blame of our former msdeeds upon any one
man, or faction, or party IN short. let us
cease to look to the past, except with de-
termination to discover our own mistakes
for the purpose OF avoiding them in the fu-
ture.
Let us unite with high resolve that we
will pass such resolutions and laws, or. if
necessary. recommend to the voters OF the
State such amendments to the constitution,
as shall forever prevent the plundering OF
the people hereafter.
Il know that it is customary on all occa-
sions like this for the recipients OF office to
return thanks to those who have elected
them. This | shall not do. l shall wait
until the close of the session, and then If
find that you have stood by me in my firm
determination to carry out the great prlDcl-
pies of reform and retrenchment which are
so earnestly demanded by the people
throughout the State, then l shall thank
YOU a thousand times from my Utmost
heart for the proud position in which you
have placed me. Let us keep the necessity
of reform constantly in view. and make
record to which we can look back at the
end of the session with feelings Of satistac-
ton and APPROVAL record to which we
can point our constituents on our return
home and Justly claim that we have done
our duty as the representatives of the peo-
plea record to which our children after
us will turn with the proud satisfaction
that their father proved faithful and true