New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-27

hundred thousand dollars in gold would no
have compensated Messrs. We'll & jam,
for their goods, but ~they@expected to max
a large profit upon their cotton, which, IF
had been delivered as agreed upon, and sue
cessfuly shipped to France, would have al
fOrded tdethem a satisfactory return.
The goods were used for the people OF tn
State, either being sold for State money Of
given to families in distress. Much the lar
ger proportion were given away IN charity
but the sales served to redeem more thai
two millions of the STATE notes. Allen gave
to all with like freedom, his donations belni
as often for the benefit of the cOlOred PEG
pie as the white. His benetactiOns and hi
wise eXertions in charity are remembered
with praise and gratitude. Owing to the
peculiar distress of the people, it may
safely be asserted that no equal outlay by
any government for charitable purposes has
ever been productive of more relief.
Governor Aliens relief measures We're
authorized and fully ratified by the de factC
Legislature of all that portion OF Louisiana
living within confederate lines. The relief
was shared by people of ali portions of the
|. State, much of it having been bestowed
upon refugees.
At the surrender Allen turned over to
the proper authorities, and for the State,
all property and all claims for money due
or property promised or belonging to the
| bSCdlCs Il iClt W liz SuCCSSSoi II lilhlI-
ment of the obligations he had assumed in
pursuance of law. and in behalf of a dis
tressed and almost tamished people. He left
the claim of We'll &Janny unsettled, but
did for them all that was then possible. 1t
was his purpose and will that those gentle
men should be compensated and fully salts
fed. He used every possible eEertion TO
obtain and forward the cotton that had
been PROMISED to such points in Texas as
had been chosen as places for the delivery
of the same to We'll & fanny, in payment
Of their services. Allen had anticipated
the surrender. and when he left Shreveport
he believed that those gentlemen would re-
ceive enough cotton to indemnity them for
all losses resulting from delay. 1t was a
subject of special solicitude with him. and
he enjoined it upon all his agents and Off
GERS of the State to spare no pains in doing
justice to his merchants; but the confusion
incident to the surrender made settlement
impossible.
We'll & fanny laid the claim before Gov
ernor Wells. who caused the matter to be
investigated thoroughly, as will appear by
the statement of the Hon. II. Peralta. Au-
ditor of Public Accounts, accompanying this
report. The claim was thoroughly exam
ined in every particular, and having been
found true and fair, it was formally put on
record in the archives of the State, and GER
t~iticates of the Indebtedness of the State
were given to Mr.. We'll, the claimant,
signed by Governor Wells and the Auditor.
In this form they We're looked upon as an
adjustment of an open claim. and AS fixing
the amount of a debt to be met by means to
be subsequently provided, this being appar-
ent from the language of the certificates.
In order to get the appropriation the mat
ter was brought before the General Assem-
bly, in the form OF a relief bill. The result
was as follows:
The bill entitled an act for the relief of
We'll 4 fanny was introduced by the
Hon. A. L. Tucker: of St. Mary parish, in
the House of Representatives, On Wednes-
day, February g, 1867. The bill, with the
accompanying papers, was referred to the
Committee on Finance. (See Journal of the
House of Representatives,. session January.
1867. That committee consisted of Hon.
b. r. Jonas, chairman: and Messrs. Freret.
OF New Orleans: Samuel Anderson. of Mad
isOn; j. X. Head, of Bossier: d. p. Scan
Ian, of New Orleans: X. B. Stille. of Sabine:
Colonel A. w. Walker, of st. Bernard: j.
c. Leeds and n. Z. Bailey, both OF New
Orleans.
The Committee on Finance reported the
bill back to the House and recommended
its reference to the Committee on Claims.
and the bill was so referred. This commit
tee consisted of the Hon. John II. Halsev.
and Messrs. w. F.. MOreland. of Claiborne:
of Lafourche; w. w. Wilmington.
Rapides: A. Pujo. of Calcasieu: Theme
man. Of New Orleans: J.. Ornond. of AL
giers. and Mcdonald.
This committee reported on Tuesday, |
February &c, 1867. as appears from the fol
passage of the House journal:
Mr.. Halsey, chairman. on behalf Of the
Oh Claims. reported on House |,
bill No. 80, an act for the relief of We'll Il
fanny, as follows:
The Committee on Claims instruct me
to report the claim of We'll & fanny back
to the House, with the recommendation that
it be referred to the Committee on the Judi
involving. as it does. in their opinion.
the construction OF articles III and l29, con
s~titution of 1861.
They further instruct me to report that
they have given this claim a very thorough
and impartial examination: nave examined
VarlOus witnesses. and are of opinion thai
he goods for which this claim is presented
received and used by the State gov
which existed at the time at
and that the inhabitants of a
arge portion OF this State were benefited
hereby.
They further instruct me to report that
rom documents submitted to this commit
zee for their investigation (which are trans
nltted herewith, 1t appears that the claim
lnts had IN their possession, a short time
ubsequent to the surrender of the Trans
Mississippi Department sufficient cotton to
ave %liquidated their claim; but that owing
0 the action of the agents of the State OF
louisiana, then in Texas, the control and
of this cotton was taken from
and the cotton subsequently shipped
o Europe: J. H. HALSEY,
"Chsirmah Committee on CLims."
The report was adopted, and the bill, with
h a fnnt no N win p,n mo .- n nd 49,, $500.
eterred, on motion Of Mr.. Halsey, to the
on the Judiciary.
This committee was one of the ablest ever
aised in any Legislature of this State. con-
of the Hon. j.. b. Elan, of De Soto,
lawyer and an experienced legislator:
George Williamson, OF Caddo. an
ninent lawyer: Hon. A. II. Tucker, of ST.
Larry. one OF the leading members OF tue
ar OF Southwestern Louisiana, and an ex-
erienced legislator; Captain L. NJ. Nutt,
t Caddo, a distinguished lawyer: J. A. Sni-
er. Of Bossier, az able lawyer; Hon Hunter
.ollins, of East Feliciana; Judge w. 5.
colt Of Jefferson; Hon. j. McEnerv,
f Ouachita, one of the ablest of the
of North Louisiana. and
lree young lawyers of this city who have
ready won success and fame, James
.cConnell, j. b. Eustis, and j. L. Simonds.
The committee so composed rep orted as :
flows: ,
''On an act for the relief of We'll & '
amy, favorably, with written report, as $
lows: =,
The committee having had under con- I
the bill entitled an act for the {
lief of We'll Il fanny, committed to 9
EN- by the House, at the request of the !
on Claims, have to report that. |
the opinion of the committee, the debt
by the State during the %administra- +
IN Of Henry w. Allen as Governor OF the
ate, and tor which relief is sought by the 8
at the hands Of the General !