New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-29
ceiving, the number of suits entered, in
whose hands the road is and how much has

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whose hands the road is, and how much has
been built.
Mr.. Wands, of Tangipahoa, chairman OF
the Committee on Ways and Means. re-
ported back number of bills, the majority
of which were fixed for later day. Among
them were one fixing the limit of parish tax
alton at seventy-tive per cent of that OF the
State; one to exempt the Catholic church
of st. Martinsville from taxation. both OF
which were passed.
Two reports from the same committee on
the bill remitting the penalties on delin'
quenr taxpayers. provided the taxes be
paid within sixty days. The majority re-
port recommended the passage OF the bill.
and the other its indefinite postponement.
Its consideration was postponed till after
the morning hour.
Mr.. Kern, of Jefferson. chairman OF the
Committee on Canals and Drainage. re.
ported favorably on the Senate joint resoir
ton ceding jurisdiction TO the United States
of all State lands near the site Of the pro-
posed Fort St. Philip canal. The vepor:
was agreed to. and the bill passed.
Mr.. Demas, of st. John the Baptist. chair
man Of the Committee on Corporations. re.
ported number of bills of local import
ance, which were passed OF fixed ;or con.
sideration at later day.
The special order OF the day was the
joint resolution prohibiting the employment
of convicts on plantations. aud providing a
penalty for it's violation.
Mr.. Allan moved the passage Of the bill.
It was the custom now to send men and
women from the Penitentiary to pick cot
ton. By SO doing they violated the law,
and stop ought to be put to IL Immediately
Last year the Committee on the Peniten
tiary reported that convicts were employed
as laborers on plantations in several par
ishes.
Mr.. Murrell, Of Madison, desired the pas.
sage of the bill. The practice of sending
convicts out to pick cotton was injurious to
the poor laborer, who could not compete
with such labor whom it was contracted for
at fifty cents day.
sired to have the bill referred to the Com
mittee on the Penitentiary. He conceived
that by consideration in that committee
improvements might be made and justice
done to all parties. The committee were
about to make a reinvestigation, and de-
sired to make a thorough one. The bill was
pertinent to a portion of the inquiries that
would be made, and should be laid before
them.
A motion to table the motion to refer &c
the committee was lost by vote of "a to
so. twentysix members changing theiI
votes from yes to no.
Mr.. Devices moved to postpone the matter
till Monday.
Mr.. Murrell, of Madison, opposed the
postponement. The poor people demand
immediate action in this matter. The en-
ployment of the convicts in this mat ter is
taking the bread out of their mouths and
such rascality must be put stop to. He
didn't care who had the credit of intro
ducing the measure, but wanted it passed
that there might be an end of these
outrages.
The House tabled the motion to postpone
and the previous question being called,
the bill ives referred to the Committee Oh
Penitentiary.
The bill remitting the penalties or deiin'
quent taxpayers came up.
Mr.. Mathews, of Tensas. favored the
recommendation of the minority report to
postpone the bill indefinitely. If the bill
passed it would be an injustice to those who
had paid promptly. In the parish of Ten
sas, for example, the poor people had paid
their taxes, and those who appeared on the
list of delinquents were only the wealthy.
1t was the owner of large plantations who
refused to pay, and among the most promi-
nent was the name of the distinguished gen.
tleman who ran for Lieutenant Governor
on the Fusion ticket. This bill was q spe.
cies Of class legislation. and ought no. to
pass.
Mr.. Murrelf, Of Madison trusted the bill
would pass. The poor people of Madison
had paid their taxes, but this relief was
needed for those who had not. He wanted
to relieve the taxpayer who wanted to pay
from these burdens, and considered it his
duty to legislats for the benefit Of all.
whether they were Republican. or Fusion
Mr.. Montaidc. of Orleans. considered that
while it was proper to devise means to re.
lieve taxpayers, it was not incumbent on
the Legislature to benefit tax resisters. He
would relieve the poor, but not those who
had formed themselves into body to op.
pose the collection of taxes. These people
take the money they ought to pay into the
treasury and put it out at interest, then
they come to the Legislature and ask for
relief. They already had the relief Of the
privilege of paying their taxes in warrants,
and that was enough.
Mr.. Bryant. of East Baton Rouge, said
the poor people had already paid their
taxes in money. Those who owed the State
nine millions Of dollars taxes owned the
and they ought to pay their taxes
with them.
The bill was indefinitely postponed by a
vote of 50 10 II. and the House adjourned.
HonOrs to the King.
1t will be seen by the suhjoined letter that
General II. s. McComb has been appointed
RI on innOrtant nosition in tho sarvica of