New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-09

houses ought not to exceed $4,000. Then
what has become of the excess SS33,9oo 3U
1t has been squandered by the oihcers
OF the Assembly in paying extra mile
age and per diem of members LOT
days service never rendered; for an enor-
nous corps of useless clerks, pages, etc,
Tor publishing the journals OF each mouse
i'll fifteen obscure newspapers, SOME oi
which have never existed, while some OF
those that did exist never did the Wofk
they were employed to do, although every
one has received the compensation for IL ; III
yiAconmittecs authorized by the House
to sitUuIing vacation and to travel through
out the State and into Texas, and III a nun
dred other different ways. The enrolment
committee of the House had over eiGniV
CLERKS, most of whom were under pay durin5
the whole session at eight dollars per day,
during which time only one hundred ana
| twenty bills We're passed which ull NOT
require more than eight or ten clerks TO
perform the whole labor of enrolment:
Permit me 10 suggest that neither house
has any right to spend the public money tor
purposes for which the law has already pre-
vided. The publication of the Journals
Of the General Assembly being provided
for by the printing law, it was not com
petent for either house separately to direct
and pay for such services. 1t is not leglJi-
nlately part OF the contingent expenses of
fltHeF house.
| will also venture to lay down a propo-
sition which believe 10 be sound policy as
well as good law. The constitution limits
| the session of the General Assem- ably I"
sixty days Both houses must adjourn at
The exp ration of this time. Can il N the
face OF the constitution continue Its exist
ence for Il longer period, even by the JOINT ac-
| ton of htNh h0nscS Then if 1t can not
| for longer period. how much less can
! tIf her HplISp q roufifiIlp The
| existence OF a part of its body during Vaca-
ton am clear III nv conviction that neither
house can authorize one of its committees
| to sit during vacation without the consent
OF the other house, with the approval OF
the Governor, or without having passed
Il jOlnt resolution to that effect over
| his objection by the constitutional ma
.jority. Hence it is 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 le-
gally passed. | viii not discuss the ques-
ton Of whether they did pass the House,
| for | do not believe the House was compe-
| tent to give any such authorization. a
committee can only be authorized to sit
/ daring vacation by an act OF the LeglsIa-
| turc, 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 ami amount each mem Der
shall be paid the number and char
/ acter OF the officers, clerks end EN-
ployes OF each house, and their cOmpensa-
! ton; defining what shall b" considered con
I ungent 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
! Il hy- tlIa S1.iI
! in all other claims against the State;
I that vouchers, accompanied with the
| bill of articles or showing the character OF
| the services rendered, by what authority
! they We're purchased or employed. shall be
/ ii, d with The Auditor as his vouchers, and
! il shall be his duty to scrutlnize and examine
! the bills to ste that they are in accordance
! with the law. 1t is believed after a care
! tut calculation, that one hundred and
/ twenty-five thousand dollar is amply sutii-
cicnt to pay all the expenses OF "a sixty
! days session OF the General Assembly.
REFORM
! The bitterness which existed at the inaug
nra,ion OF the present administration has
! ! am happy 10 say, entirely disappeared,
| and perfect tranquility now relgnS
! throu. h0ut the Stale. No one is molested
on account of his political opinions. 4
! lew personal difficulties occur now and
/ then. perhaps, but they are Incidental to
any society, and are not attributable 10
political differences.
Our criminal laws, except in the city
nj New Orleans, are enforced with
comn"ndahle promptitude. The di>posl-
ton OF jurors. with few exceptions, to CON
Wet Individuals charged with ottenses
against the law, was never more manifest
than now. Punishment tor crime is aG-
minietcled to offenders with certainty and
severity.
In the parish OF st. Landry, where in 1868
large number Of colored persons were
killed for differing on political questions
bat few weeks ago two young men. both
white. and of respectable connections. were
convicted and sentenced to the penitentiarv
for Lie Tor attempting violence to IA colored
woman, Notwithstanding she did not enjoy
the best reputation. At the same
son of the court out of fourteen Grim
inal cases tried, but one prisoner was ac-
quilted.
In the parish of De Soto, white
prisoners have been most severely
punished for violence and injury to
colored people. So it is throughout the
State. Justice is melted out with an even
hand to ali alike. giving the strongest evil
denre 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
adlnnis;ra The subject is one that
calls for your most careful consideration
and pronpti;ude of action:
!. | recommend to NOn the m0diiiCa-
ton of til" registration law, in respect 10
the appointment OF registrars and their com
pensHilun. The law should require them
t. he residents of the PARISHES Tor which
they are appointed. They should be inelj-