New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-13
: THE STATE or LOUISIANA.
SATURDAY,

I having seventy feet front on Phillippa street,
to be measured from the line of ground now
occupied by the University of Louisiana, in
the direction of Canal street, by $50 feet in
depth, between parallel lines.
Sec. 3. That the said Mechanic Society
ehall, Immediately after the execution of
the donation, begin and within three years
thereafter complete the construction of a
brick or stone building on said ground, suit
able for library, lecture room and cabinet
of natural history and mechanical inven-
tions; and the said society shall, as soon as
said building is completed, establish and
maintain a library for the use of the me-
chanics of New Orleans, and an annual
course of lectures on the physical sciences,
and particularly those connected aciM agri.
culture and the mechanical arts.
SEC. 4. That if the said Mechanic Society
shall fail to do and perform any of the acts
required Of it by the third section of this
act, then the land of which they are hereby
given the possession and occupancy shall be
taken possession of By the GOrer7,Or ON be-
half of the State, and all the buildings and
improvements made thereon shall be for
teited for the use of the State.
| SEC. 5. That so far as instruction is con.
cerned in said institute, it shall be under
the government and control of the admins
TRAITORS of the University of Louisiana,
reserving to the directors of said institute
the fiscal and internal government of the
same. But all medals, degrees, certificates
| OF excellence or merit to be confirmed by
| the government of the University Of Louis
| lana upon the recommendation of the di-
| rectors or managers of said institute.
The State having no property in New Or
leans, the Legislature was we'll satisfied to
remain in Baton Rouge, and the people by
the constitution adopted in 1852, protected
the site of the Capitol by the following
| clause:
ART. 107-The seat of government shall
be and lemain at Baton Rouge, and shall
not be removed without the consent of
three-fourths of both Houses of the General
Assembly.
The exigencies of war and the destruc-
tion OF the Capitol by fire caused the
removal of the seat of government to New
Orleans, and at that time the Legislature
would have unanimously voted that Baton
Rouge was not good place to meet in.
Our present constitution, adopted in 1868,
contains the following, less stringent rule
by one-twelfth being considered sufficient to
keep the State House in its place:
ART. 13l. The seat of government shall
be established in the city of New Orleans,
and shall not be removed without the con-
sent Of two-thirds OF the members of both
houses of the General Assembly.
1t was established in New Orleans on the
very spot from which it had flown to Baton
Rouge, and until a year ago the State paid
large rent for the property it had donated
twenty years before. 1t never should have
left it.
Long before the State House was removed
to the St. Louis Hotel, namely, on the
seventeenth Of February, 1871, the charter
Of the association expired by limitation. and
the title OF the land donated reverted to the
State. A careful examination of the statutes
fails to show the State has again divested
herself by second renewal of the charter
Even if there now stands between the State
and the land grantee of the association,
the title Of the third possessor must fall
with the failure of the consideration for
donation, and the want of the creature of
the law to execute the charitable purpose
commanded.
Beyond all this is the fact that the as
sociation has broken every condition of it's
existence, and forfeited the title to every
portion OF Its property except in the sole
point of receiving all it can get. What are
the charitable purposes to which it's rev.
enue has been applied! It has indeed builded
the brick or stone building, but where are
the lecture room, the cabinet of natural
history and of mechanical inventions that
should be contained in its walls! How
many annual courses of lectures has it |
How many mechanics enjoy |
the privileges of the library and attend the |
discourses on physical science and the
mechanical and agricultural illustrations! |
by the fourth section Of the act of 1850 |
it is the duty of the Governor of the State |
to take possession of the building and i'm
provements on the land granted by that |
act, which are, by its negligence, forfeited
to the State.
This will obviate the necessity of either
purchasing or hiring the St. Louis Hotel or
any other building. The Governor and the
Legislature can be easily and comfortably
established in their old quarters, and it |
would be absurd to retain the hotel merely
or the accommodation of the subordinate
'fticers, unless at greatly reduced rent.
When the Senate comes to consider this
Dill. these consi0 0rations will, we hope,
rave their due weight.
IMPROVED AND VACANT REAL ESTATE
PRoMIssoRY NOTES AND ASSETS, ETC, DY
UCTIoN BY THE SHERIFF.-We aye re-
luested to call the attention of the public
o the sales by auction, to be made today
It noon at the Merchants and Auctioneers'
Exchange, Royal street,by the civil sheriff