New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-24
VOLUME VIII--NO. 272
THE LEGISLATURE YESTERDAY.

Senate.
This body commenced business punctuall.
at l2 M. yesterday, and continued in session
until p. NJ, accomplishing much in tn
way of legislation.
Senator Anderson, chairman of the judi
cisry Committee, in compliance with th'
resolution which passed the Senate on las
Saturday, requiring all committees to re
port on the bills in their possession, made
lengthy report.
Senator Wharton presented special re
port from the Committee on Auditing ani
Supervising the Expenses Of the Senate il
compliance with resolution adopted OF
motion Of Senator Burch, January q, 1875
showing the disposition made of unexpend
ed balances of appropriations during the us<
of the Senate for the year 1894. that il
sustained will prove very damaging to the
Auditor. The report was read, and on mo
ton of Senator Wharton, ordered to be
printed in the journal.
The articles of impeachm ent preferred
by the House of Representa- tives against
Judge j. E. Trimble. of the Eleventh Judi
cial District, were received in the Senate
| and read.
Senator Burch introduced set of resolu.
tions providing for the manner Of proceed.
ing in the trial Of Judge Trimble by the
Senate when sitting as q court of impeach-
ment.
One of the most impor tant bills that
finally passed the Senate was the House
bill appropriatine $500, GOO for the purchase
of the St. Louis Hotel as q State House.
This bill was received from the House some
days ago and referred to the Committee on
Parks and Public Buildings, Of which Sena-
tor Cage is chairman. That committee
amended the bill by making the amount
appropriated $25O,o0o instead of $500, 900,
and reported in favor Of it's passage. 1t
was called up by Senator Twitchell and
placed upon its second reading.
Senator Burch arose, and in q very calm
and forcible manner proceeded to give his
reasons why the bill should not become q
law. He said he did not claim great deal
Of Credit for opposing the bill, nor was he
prompted to do SO by any desire to make
favor with his constituents who might be
supposed to favor Baton Rouge as the
proper place for the seat of government in
Louisiana. He thought, nevertheless, the
State House at Baton Rouge could be put in
q condition to be occupied as State
House for the sum of $125, ,0O0-one-haf of
which he thought the people of Baton
Rouge would be willing to give. He was
not prepared to say what the St. Louis
Hotel building is worth, but believed the
State not prepared to give $3.50, 1000 for it.
The speaker said he did not believe that
New Orleans was the proper place for the
State House, and instanced New York,
Pennsylvania and other States to show that
it is not the custom to establish the capital
of State in large commercial cities; but if
Louisiana is going to deviate from this
course he thought. as had been very pro-
perly suggested, that the State had a build
ing much better adapted for State House
than the St. Louis Hotel; building that
belonged to the State, if the State authori-
ties saw proper to claim it. He referred,
he said, to the Mechanics Institute.
Senator Wharton moved to take up Sen.
ate bill No. los, relative to removing the
State House to Baton Rouge, and consider
it in connection with House bill No. 67, the
one under consideration.
The President of the Senate ruled his
motion out of order.
Senator Burch moved, as an amendment
to the first section of the bill before the
Senate. that $l5O,Oo0 be inserted in the
place of $3.50, 600, and that the amount be
used for repairing the State House at Baton |
Rouge. His motion was lost by . very de- |
,ided vote. The bill was then declared |
adopted on it's second reading.
Senator Twitchell here moved for q sus-
pension of the constitutional rule in order
% place the bill upon it's third and final
eading.
Senator Allain here took the floor and
poke against the bill with much feeling.
Ie hoped the Senate would not pass it. He
aid the State was poor; was without a
lollar in the treasury; and yet it was pro-
'osed to give $250.000 for the St. Louis
IOtel to be occupied as State House.
Ie did not pretend to know the
alue of this property, but was
isposed to think it not worth that sum.
Ie expressed himself sorry the bill was
yer introduced, and very sorry that the
enate had rejected the amendment pro-
osed by the Senator from Baton Rouge |
Mr.. Burch), for he thought the consumma-
on of the measure would prove that the
epublicans were not in earnest in their
xpressions of desire for reform. Senator I
lain concluded his remarks by moving to
lble the motion for suspension of the
rule in order to place the bill 3,
pom its third and final reading.
Senator Wharton opposed the bill, and
,oke very warmly and earnestly in favor
having the seat of government at Baton
ouge, regarding that as place far better t
lapted for State House than New Or &
ans. IL
Senator Blunt was just as earnestly in {
vor of the bill under consideration. He Z
ought it reform measure, because it pro- t
,sed to relieve the State of the high rents 1
had been yearly subjected to for the last b
ght or ten years, in order to furnish
,arters for the different departments of r
vernment. The rents, he said, had
Mounted to more than the sum proposed l
be given for the st. Louis Hotel. Sena- S
r Blunt said it made little difference to T
> constituents where the State House is G
,ated, SO long as the State owned it.
Senator Stamps opposed the bill for sew Fl
al raocOps fhe frat Of which waa that | N
Q appropriation was too large; secondly, fl