New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-05
DRBATas OF TIE HOUSE.
FRIDAY, February 20, 1874

the Chair might have sprung from some
momeutsry dissatisfaction with myself; thu,
when, on . late day, the Chair refused
to entertain my present motion of appeal q
temporary cloud might have for moment
0bscured the sun Of justice but when find
- to-day, the Same resistance on the part
Of the Chair to any review by this House
Of his erroneous and unjust decision
and the came evident COLLISION and alliance
between the Chsir and the minority Of
this body against the rights Of the majority
upon this floor. am compelled to mourn
Of one of those delightful illusions of friend
ship, regard and reverence, which are one
Of the chief pleasur Of our existence; ia
regret that the honored party chief, the
leader go long deemed incoTruptible and nm.
swervine, should in the eleventh hour Of
his career, sully his wen deserved fame by
. combination with his enemies; with men
laden with the responsibility Of many Of
the distresses of this State; against the
friends who have honored and sustained
him from the adoption Of the constitution
until this hour. 81.
The decision of the Chair, against which
now appeal, was that q bill having the
same end and purpose, having been, during
: the session, indefinitely postponed by this
House, the bill for the relief Of the citizens
Of Caddo could not be considered. The
wa Of general application, and affected
equally each parish in the State. No valid
reason ives alleged Why the indulgence
should be extended, and this House,
fused to add to the embarrsssments
Of the treasury BY such legislation. The
bill for the relief Of the citizens of Caddo,
however, applies to bat single parish, for
. different period of time, and alleges as
just reasons for the indulgence granted by
tho bill thst the parish was devastated dur
ing the business season of the past year by
m epidemic unexampled IN severity; that
nearly Thousand Of its people were cut
down By the destroying pestilence, among
theme large proportion Of its taxpayers;
that during the taxpayiug season Of the
year all business was suspended and oil her
population not stricken with the pestilence
Or engaged in attendance upon those who
were, had necessarily sought safety in fight
from her plsgue-stricken territory; that
more than Eve hundred SUGGESTIONS had
been opened aimee the disappearance of the
the plague, and that owing to infOrmalities
in the constitution of the court oil OF these
proceedings had been invalidsted and re-
opened since the close of the past year.
The two acts were therefore by no means
similar, as assumed to be by the Chair.
They were, as ! have shown, most essen.
italy different in their operation and in
their application, as well as are the argu-
ments and reasons upon which they were
based.
The one was mere act of grace for the
which no general distress was proven, no
substantial reason was alleged, and which
must have resulted in the serious embar-
fassment of the treasury. The other is
simple act Of justice toward the people of q
small section of Louisiana, who alone
among their brethren Suffered during the
past year the horrors of pestilence united
to the horrors of poverty and starvation.
Gee some of the members of this body do
not seem disposed to allow me time to con-
that ID mot in their power to intimidate me,
or to prevent my saying to the uttermost
what hsve to say in reprobation of their
conduct, or that OF the Chair on this ques-
ton, or to prevent my laying before the
majority Of this House the many reasons
Why they should sustain my appeal. With
mo the interests Of the people Of my parish |
are . paramount consideration. Myself
and my colleagues upon this floor are of |
them, shared their ssfferings during the |
past year, and share at this moment the |
distress which those sufferings have en- |
tailed upon the survivors. Our interests |
are idestical with those of the people We |
truly represent. They rely upon US to
give expression to their wishes and
their neceesitiea upon this floor, and |
It is not in the power Of Q minority Of this
ing what our constituents demand, and
doing it to the uttermost of our ability.
BEE around me gentlemen whose connection
with the particles they by courtesy repre-
sent ON this floor, is 90 precari0us and I'M
certain that they can well afford to disre-
gard the wishes and interests of their con-
stituents 80 called, having confidence,
nj AoI hat <lo i
suing election there may be formed, under
The operation of our peculiar laws, some
; aven Of rest for the wandering and pro-
lessional representative Of the people,"
Not so with the representatives Of the great
parish OF Cadd0. Our people demand Of
Ne what we nov ask of this Houee. Their
demand is just. If granted it will relieve
ure the State. We demand Of the majority
# this House justice, ard feel confident
when / look in the faces of my hOnOred
riends of this House that we shall not be
efused.
Mr.. Bryant of East Baton Rouge-Mr.
speaker, wish to state that, in my opinion. I
We are getting things somewhat mixed up. |
!. sir, can not boast of being q Louisianian.
am Western man; but, sir, no. man has
he interest of the State more at heart than
have, and can not be party to any act
- |
~ friend, Mr.. Gair, has expressed regret
hat there il not some law to prevent ,
PREACHERS from becoming members of the ,
legislature. He thinks, sir, that no Chris ,
Ian should be member of this House, and {
say with pleasure that am member of
he church, and also . preacher; and in
lonor to the people who elected me to rep
ights, and that they are not compelled to !
~ any exorbitant claims. The gentle
nan claims to have been one of the trainers :
our constitution, and, sir, if the Obiec- | 8
On to preachers and Christians being mem :
srs of the Legislature was 80 strong, why
id he not see that 1t was prevented at that h
me. The gentleman gets upon the floor
I'D points his finger with scorn and con-
,rn him that he he owes his lib :,
rty and his position in this House j
,-dsy to the preachers, for I would
X him if the great doctrines of abolition y
I'd emancipation were not scattered broad
ut through the land by the preachers Of Z
% North. He says he is afraid the preach
. will get things mixed up, but can tell :,
"a that preachers are not in the habit Of y
story from the discovery of this country.
ar greatest and best Statesmen have
ways been our best Christians, and l will
8ts today, sir, that if We had moro true 81
Aristisns in the Legislature we should
I've less stealing: Ny friend would like to b
70 elO. O0O to French paper, because the Il
itor of that paper printed his paper and u
ID it and got his money from his sub :,
rib6rs. Now, sir. why should We vote to 81
re man 81, 900 who has had goods for Pr
b, has sold them and received his money ~
: them. That, sir, is what I call rsbbing N
. public in most bare-faced and shame ~
D manner. The gentleman regrets that f.
eachers are allowed 70 become members
the Legislature because they 90 here 70 -