New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-10
DEBATES IN THE SENATE.
MONDAY, January 8. 1872.

structions to report by resolution:
Resolred, That committee of three be
appointed by the Chair to wait upon the
Governor, and inform him that the Senate
has thus far failed to obtain quorum, and
request him to send to the Senate any com
munication that he may have for our con
slderatiOn.
Carried
The President appointed Senators Camp
bell, McMillen and Harris.
The committee reported back series
of resolutions. as follows:
WHEREAS, A conspiracy Is on foot IN the
city Of New Orleans having for its object
the subversiOn of the executive and legisla
tive departments of the existing State gov
eminent through unlawful combinations
embracing portion of the members OF bOtt
houses Of the General Assembly, and
through an appeal to the passions of the
turbulent element in this city; and
Whereas, This conspiracy and attempt tC
excite revolution, menace the people OF
this city and State with the evils of an
archy, turmoil, bloodshed, robbery, arson
and all the train of crimes which are the
unavoidable accompaniment OF revOlu
ton; and
Whereas, The pretended House of Rep
resentatives assembled over the Gem saloon
on Royal street has sought to conciliate
and obtain the support Of the better class
of citizens by the publication of their pur
poses in regard to certain laws now i'll force
in this State, purposes which they are utter
ly powerless to accomplish; therefore, be il
Res0lred. BY the Senate of the State OF
Louisiana, That the action of those mem
hers of the Senate who have remained away
from their seats for the past eight days,
thus depriving this body of all power tO
ENACT REFORM. and relieve the people OF
the State of any real grievances by appro-
pirate legislation, is reprehensible in the
highest degree, and should meet the severest
condemnation of the people of this State.
Resolred. further, That the action of the
members of the House of Representatives
who have voluntarily cOmbired in an I'M
lawful manner to enact legislation in other
places than the hall of the House of Repre-
sentatives, and who have appealed to the mob
spirit for protection and support, is unwor-
thy of the position to which they have been
elected and merits the disapproval of their
constituents
Resoired, further, That we are in favor
of the most thorough and efficient legisla-
tive reform III all existing laws which ex-
perience has proven to work injury to the
rights or property of the people of this
State, and We heartily indorse the recon-
mendations made bv his Excellency the
Governor in his annual message, this day
delivered and read to the House of Repre-
sentatives.
Resolred further, That we favor the re
ductiop of the expenses of the General As
sembly, and of the executive department of
the government, to such an extent as to
bring them within the means of the people
of the State; the repeal of all laws creating
unnecessary expenditures, and the moditi-
cation of any law the abuse of which has
infrlnged upon the political or personal
rights of the citizens of this State 80 as to
correct such abuses.
Mr.. Campbell-Mr. President, l have
merely to remark on these resolutions that
they meet with my concurrence. What |
might haze desired myself, perhaps, might
have been in some respects different, but,
at the same time, these resolutions include
what | believe We all honestly intend to
promise and honestly intend to carry out
As a Senator of the State of Louisiana, l
say openly and publicly, and l think my
colleagues are in entire accord with me,
that | am in favor Of the inauguration OF
ever single measure Of reform which has
been promised TO the people by the mob
assembled over the Sem saloon on Royal
street. headed bv George w. Carter and a
few Customhouse officials on the one side,
ard few Democratic ward politicians on
the other. The object of those men is not
reform, but the transfer Of the political
power of the State. On the one hand they
desire it to be a transfer from the hands OF
the present State government To the h ands
of George w. Carter and his associates.
The other branch Of the conspiracy desire
to transfer the control Of the State and city
governments from the hands of Republicans
To the hands Of Democrats of the John L.
Monroe and July, '66, era / say that we not
only intend to adopt all the measures of
reform which they pretend to desire, and
have no intention OF carrying out, but we
have the means at our disposal to do so,
which thew have not. Not only have we
the means and the disposition to secure the
passage of these refOrmatory measures, but
we possess this additional advantageous
can do it without a revolution and its usual
resuts-riot, robbery, murder. and arson
which George w. Garter and his associates
intend to inaugurate. We can do, without
these evils what he promises to do and can
only do with them. | wish to state dis
tnctly, in this connection. what | under
stand to be the elements composing this
party OF revolutionists. First, "a few leading
Republicans who desire simply To transfer
the State government from the hands Of
the present authorizes to their hands; and.
second, a few Democratic ward politicians.
So far as revolution rs concerned, the
two branches OF the Conspiraters are in per
feet accord with each other. but when that
shall have been accomplished. if it is ac-
complshed at all, tier roads diverge.
When the revolution shall have reached Il
point where it will be beyond the power of
the Republican conspirators to stay its
progress, the Democrats propose to throw
out of their offices every Republican State.
municipal and parochial official. and then
proceed to annnl every result OF the en-
fDrcement OF the reconstruction laws Of
Congress. That, | say boldly here. is the
design of the Democratic contreres of these
conspirators. | Say furthermore land |
think my assertion will he carried out by
the observation of every Senator present)
that not single Democrat Of high stand
ing, not a single Democrat who has the
welfare of this State and city at heart,
sympathiZes with these conspirators and
Endorses their action. While | say this, Mr..
President, fully recognize the fact that II
largo number of the good. influential
and respectable citizens of the state
of all parties feel seriously and sorely the
results of excessive taxation and the abuse
Of certain laws |, for one, as Senator, It's
said in my seat last session. in reply to a
question by Senator Thomas. am willing to
repeal or modify the revenue laws of the
State so that taxation will be greatly re-
duced. | am willing to reduce the number
and the fees of the officers engaged in the
collection of the revenues, ST. that the ex
pense of their collection may be reduced to
their minimum. an willing to provide BY
law for the reduction to ii specified and
moderate sum of the annual expenses OF
the General Assembly. l am even willing
to go further, and amend the registration
and election laws, SO that the expenditures
under those laws may be controlled by the
different parishes in which the election
takes place. l am willing 10 amend them
SO far that the commissioners and super
visors shall be Ineligible to any office at the
election which they hold, and shall he resi-
dents of the parishes they are in. Every