New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-06
BY TELE G R APH .
CONGRESS.
Senate.

Senate.
WAsHrNGroN, May 5.-The bill regular
ting customs collections, regulating mes
and penalties, and abolishing moietles, was
placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine, from the Commit
tee on Appropriations, reported the OIL 1or
the relief of the sufferers by the overflow OF
the Mississippi, increasing the appropFla-
ton from 500, 900 to $1,000
Mr.. Edmunds moved an amendment that
the provisions of the bill shall not apply
later than September !. 1874.
Mr.. Pease said that great destitution ex-
listed In Mississippi and the authorities OF
the State were utterly unable to afford the
necessary relief. :.
Er. Alcorn said that in affording relief
under this bill care should be taken TOR the
nr0per and iudiciOus distribution of the
food and clothing. He alluded to the tele-
gram in the morning papers that the ne
groes around Memphis we're now refusing
to work, alleging that the government in
tended to feed and clothe them. The diff
Guilty to be apprehended was that the labor
of that whole country might become de-
moralized. He had Thousand negroes on
his plantation, and he did not ask
the government to feed them. he
would feed them himself, and when he
had no more for them they would
all starye together. He said that the levees
of the Mississippi should have been in q
condition to resist the rising OF the river.
The people of the States of Louisiana and
Mississippi had been taxed largely to con.
struct levees, and it the money had been
properly expended it would have accom-
plished the object desired. The State of
Louisiana had spent Sl2OOO,OoO on the
levees and Mississippi had spent $40 ,0O0, 600
since the war for this object; $4,000, 600
honestly and properly expended would
have been sufficient to protect the State of
Mississippi from overflow.
The trouble. was that the money was
sauandered by irresponsible and reckless
pal ties. Several of the counties of Missis-
sippi, including the county in which he
| lived, had been taxed for levee purposes.
80 much on every pound OF cotton raised.
| Boards of supervisors were appointed for
the different counties to direct the expendi.
ture of this money. The board of super
| visors for this purpose in his county con-
sisted of four negroes, who, he believed,
! could neither read nor write, and one white
| man, who was such the people would
sooner have the meanest negro that could
be found than have him. The taxpay'
ers had no responsibility. no share IN
| the disposition of their own money, and
| this was the reason why it was squandered
/
| He (Alcorn) had endeavored heretofore to
| get the general government to furnish the
! authority to construct and maintain the le
| wees, but to let the States pay for them, a
| they are able to do, but let the army officers
| control it. The people are not afraid OF the
army officers. They know they will moi
| plunder them.
Mr.. Conkling asked how it was that thu
taxpayers could have no share IN the con
I r e.: w
| IN Mississippi.
| MIR, AlcOrn said in his county there were
about twelve or fourteen cOlored men to one
white man; they we're very COED class O.
colored men, too. He (Mr. AlcOrn) had NJ
| complaint to make against them; but thes'
colored men were told in the last canvass
they would support q certain ticket tina
General Grant would divide up the land
| among them. -,
Mr.. Conkllng--Will the Senator name tn
parties who made these promises!
Mr., Alcorn said be did not care to men
ton any names; he had heretofore give
the names in his speeches on the stump; h
would not 90 into that matter now; he wa
talking about the flood. He believed tn
newspapers had exaggerated the suffel
ing, but had no doubt that there wa
q great deal; but he wanted the Se'
retary of War to have absolute cOntrO
|
the negroes of that region that the govern
ment intends to feed and clOthe them, ths
whole country will be demOralized. and n
more work will be got out Of the negroe
for a year. 1t is thought that relief shoul
also be extended to the people OF Arkansa
who had suffered quite as much as those
! Mississippi. He would move an ament
ment that the additional appropriation b
$l0O, 900 instead OF Il, ,O00, and that the Sta'
ho Ind
Mr.. Conkling said before hearing tt
Senator from Mississippi he thought
! wouldkhave voted for the bill, but as th'
. Senator had stated thai the State was alb
, to care for its own poor, any aid that 20
gress should give should be in the nature
; an advance, to be returned to the COVER
. | uent hereafter. AS no one In Mlsslsslp
. | was distranchised, he did not see how it WI
the people had no voice in the managemel
of their own affairs. lie inquired OF Il
Senator the name of the person who W
the president of the upper levee board.
| Mr. Alcorp said it was NJ. +. AlcOrn, h
r | son.
Mr.. Conkling said he would not rema
silent and listen to insinuatiOns that t
national administration was responsible I
the sins of omission and commission in Il
Southern States. The misrule in Miss
sippi was not brought about by carpet ba
| gers OF 0Au uhO Sot"'
(AlcOrn) might as we'll charge the NAL a
Ininistration he complains of upon the s.
tan of Turkey.
Mr.. Alcorn inquired if the Senator fre
New York tCOnkhngj did not know tn
in 1867 and 1868 Congress passed Ii
forbidding any one from holding office
any of the Southern States unless tt
person should take the irOn-clad oath a
did he not know that that oath exclude
all the respectable men of that secti
from office The oath, he said, was even
tended to the voter, so that respectful
men could not vote.
Mr. Conkling said he did deny that q
man had been denied the right to vote af
the State government was organized.
Mr.. AlcOrn said it was true his son v
<. president of the upper levee board, bpt
n. was also true that the district over viii
II he presided was the only one not overflow
= to-day. He took the office against his {
!, | oorp,ol o6vico huf nrOhahlV did SO to n