New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-06
VOLUME VI1---NO. 257.
THE LEGISLATURE YESTERDAY.


senate.
Mc. B1vee, having voted TO table. moved
a reconsideration of the vote tabling the
| hill for the relief Of w. B. Phillips He
said ne Gii this not because he had made
! I'd hi. mind to vote for the bill. but as an
ac. %: Justice 20 Mr.. Phillips. Mr.. BOvee
further SAID he had just understood there
was a mass of testimony ready to be pro
duced going to prove the justness OF Mr.
Phillips claim for relief: testimony that the
Senate knew nothing os. This was the
reason for his motion 10 reconsider.
Mr.. Butler. the chairman OF che Commit
tee on Claims, to whom the bill had been
referred. explained how it was that the
Senate had not been made acquainted with
She "mass of testimony" referred 20 by the
gentleman from st. James Mr.. Bowel. He
said i, was not usual for committees to re-
por. testimony 20 tie Senate. The Com
n.ittee on Claims. IN the case Of Mr.. Phil.
lips. had followed the course usually pur'
sued by committees in similar cases referred
20 them. The committee had examined the
testimony, and being satisfied of the ust.
nes. Of Mr.. Phillips claim. had reported
:avorablv on the bill for his relief.
Mr.. Stamps again argued against the
passage Of the bill because it would be set.
tin: bad precedent. Ns contended that
i: would be- giving away the peoples
money to pass sucl: bills. and he telt that
he. as a member of the Senate. had no
right to do this. lie deemed it his duty TO
guard the public treasury and save the
public credit. Mr.. Stamps was not opposed
10 the claim of Mr.. Phillips. but was OPP
posed 70 his seeking redress through the
Legislature. He thought he should sue for
damages in the parish where the property
was destroyed.
Mr.. Blackburn was not prepared to say
wfa: he would do when the bill came up
upon its merits. He would say. however.
at this time. tha: it is the duty Of govern.
,nent 10 protec: its citizens in life, liberty
and property. The government that did
no, do thi, in this country he would con.
slider no government. II citizen has been
despoiled o; his property by a iawless mob
before the government can interfere TO save
it from destruction. it is clearly the duty Of
the government to indemnity him. That.
in the estimation of Mr.. Blackburn. is what
governments are nstituted to do. He did
no: regard this as a question OF politics.
but a question OF justice. and would not
stop to inquire whether man was a Demo
era, Ur Republican when he asked the
Legislature to indemnify him for the loss of
property by mob violence that government
was pledged to protect.
Mr. Blackburn argued that the citizen
who had suffered in this way was entitled
20 full and respectful hearing, and il the
testimony sustained his claim he should be
granted relief. He said there were numer-
ous instances where citizens had been in.
iemnifed :o- similar losses. by Congress
and State Legislatures. II. was sorry to
find Republicans nealymouthed about
granting Justice to Republicans who have
been iespoiled OF their property and driven
from their homes on account Of their po!iti.
cal opinions. He believed in government
that would protect ;nen in She rights set
forth in the American declaration Of indie.
pendence: and the government that did
not do this did not come up to the standard
OF American government. If the govern.
nent of this State would not protect the
citizen by al lawful means against !awless.
ness: would not be prepared to prevent the
destruction of property by !aw!ess depre.
dators. and failing in that. refuse to indem.
nifty the citizen whose property was thus
destroyed, he ,Mr. Blackburn, though: it
had better disband at once. and let the rule
# barbarism prevail. foc government.
Democratic or Republican. that could not
protect its citizens was, in his estimation.
40 government at all. and consequently not
worthy Of the respect Of the people.
Mr.. Butler supported the bill. because
lc believed its Obiec: just one. He
vas glad to perceive disposition on the
,art of members who had opposed it to !
rive it rehearing. Mr.. Phillips. the gen.
leman named in the bill. is a taxpayer. He |
contributed TO the supper. OF the govern.
nent. and is entitled 70 its protection: or if
hat protection has not been afforded, he is |
iearly entitled to indemnity. Mr.. Butler |
aid he regretted to see the gentleman from !
efferson Mr.. Stampsi denying Justice to a
itizen. He though. the State responsible |
OK Mr.. Phillips loss: and il Mr.. Stamps is !
he watch dog Of the treasury he hoped. as !
uch, he would not attack good citizens |
gho were only seeking lawful redress.
Mr.. Stamps said he did not know tha. !
e was entitled to the credit of being called |
he watch dog of the treasury. though he !.
ad always endeavored to be too good
riend of the people to vo.e away their
loney simply to reward political friends.
[e was of the opinion that losses of the
ind said to have been sustained by Mr.
hillips, should be made good by the par
hes in which they occurred. He referred
the case of Mr.. Belot, in this city, whose
roperty was destroyed by lawless mob,
nd said that gentleman sued for damages
the courts, and recovered them. Mr..
lamps said he had nothing to cay against
le iustness of Mr.. Phillips claim, but
lought lie should 20 to the courts for re.
ress.
Mr.. Burch did not agree with the re.
arks of the gentleman from Claiborne
Ir Blackburn to the effect that the State
I'd better disband and revert back to bar
arism, if the government did not indem-
fy its citizens for losses incurred by mob
olence or bands of desperadoes. He was
illing, however, for the purpose of having
more thorough investigation of Mr. Phil
IS claims to vote for a reconsideration of
e vote by which the bill for his relief was
id upon the table.