The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-14
OVERFLOW CONVENTION.
Meeting Of Representatives From
the Inundated Districts.
They Desire Relief at the Hands
of the Legislature.

lion, was elected Secretary.
The following parishes were represented:
st. Mary-T. J. Foster, B. A. Raymond, and
Edward Hickey.
Terrebonne-Tobia Gibson.
Observation-Disclosures.
West Baton Rouge. N. Lefebve, and N.
Yon Phul.
st. james,. Bourgeois
Pointe Coupee-Thomas NJ. Scott, and John
- Ereaux.
West Felicians-E. L. Weber.
Assume tion-C Barron.
Concordia-F. s. Shields, w. F. Ogden and
". Il. Spencer.
Mr.. Foster, on assuming the chair, re-
marked that he was sorry to note the limited
number of representatives, but attributed it
to the fact that urgent duties at home, prom
,:nent among which may be noted that OF pre-
pairing, as far as possible against the impend-
ing food. prevented larger attendance.
Mr.. Gibson thereafter related the condition
Of the people in the overlooked sections, and
urged the necessity Of securing some relief,
aud that such relief should come from the
Legislature by exemption from taxation and
4 remission of the taxes of 1873 and 1874.
aAsN
prepared, to be submitted to the Legislature
Cor action. Mr. Gibson thought committee
should be appointed to wait upon the Con-
.servative and Republican Caucuses now sitting
at the te-House, and present it to to them,
urging the great necessity Of relief. He
thought this would bring it into very promi-
nent notice, and enhance the chances of
action upon it.
MIR. Dardenne, of Iberville, thought that
despite the very impoverished condition of
.As people of the overlooked districts, it
would not be judicious to ask of the State too
much, as the Treasury is now quite depleted;
hence he preferred that there be embodied in
the bill some condition which would be an
7iuducemert as it were, for extending the re-
lief asked; as, for instance, lot there be in
serted a clause conditioning payment Of the
.axes OF 1874, provided there is granted a
-emission of the back taxes due from those
sections. This was discussed at length, and
Various suggestions under the same idea
made.
Mr. r. Upper proffered the suggestion
taat committee from the Convention should
confer with the committees from the Chamber
o: Commerce, Cotton and Merchants Ex-
changes, who are now occupied with the
framing of bills for the Legislature to con-
slider. and secure the benefit of any suggges-
lions that might come from that source. Mr..
Gibson opposed this strenuously, and mo-
sion that committee Of five be appointed to
wait upon the Conservative and Republican
,caucuses, for the:purpose suggested by him.
prevailed.
The Convention thereafter adjourned until
3 o'clock p. NJ. Subjoined is given the full
text of the bill adopted by the Convention,
and which will be presented to the Legisla-
s.ure for its action:
FOR the relief Of planters and other landhold-
-ers whose crops, live stock and other property
were DESTROYED, and lands overlooked by the
crevasses of the year 1874, and to provide the
manner for obtaining the exemption from
taxation of the same.
Whereas, many of the people residing in
the overfowed districts of this State have suf-
fered great loss Of property and are now in
condition of great distress caused by the Gre
vases and attendant overfows of the year
GS74. and
Whereas, by the destruction Of the crops,
live stock and other property up IN sid over
flowed lands, the people are utterly unable,
qyitbout sacrificing their remaining property,
% pay the State and parish taxes levied upon
said lands aud other property for the year
1873 and 1874, therefore
Section l. BE il enacted by the Senate and
.sleu@ Of Representatives. Of the St"te 9 Lonisi'
.t.na Il, aenerM Assembly conrened. That all the
State and parish taxes levied for the years
1873 ana 1874, due and collectible in the
years 1874 and 1876, be and the same are
hereby RENTED and abolished on the
property of all planters and other lane
owners in this State whose lands were over
flowed and crops destroyed by the crevasse:
OF 1874
Sec =. Be II further enacted, ETC., That tn
President Of the Police Jury. the Clerk of tn
Court and thu R. corder of each parish in IT,
oyerhowed districts Of this State, shall be ant
are hereby constituted Board of Commits
sgoners to which every planter or other part.
iii interest, who may wish to avail himself Q
the privileges OF this act, shall make applica
ton for q certificate OF exemption from tn
payment of taxes for the year herein men
toned; that it shall be the duty OF the salt
Board OF Com miSsioners to require the affids
act, aud are to take such other testimony o
may be deemed necessary to establish the col
r-ectness OF the allegations Of the appiican,
and on being satisfied that he is fully entities
70 the privileges Of exemption hereil
mentioned, the said Board Of Commission. r
shall issue to him q certificate of exemption
which, on exhibition to the tax-coiector, b
shell remit the collection of all taxes, Stat
and parish, for the years herein specific
upon all lind covered by said certificate q
exemption; provided that the party applyin
&or sand exemption I1ay have the right to ap
veal from the decision of the aforesaid boar
20 the dis riot or parish court, according t
the amount Of tax involved and the respectiv
Jurisdiction Of said courts, which appes
,,aall be decided contradictory with the Ia,
collector. represented by the District Attol
ney of the District.
Sec. ). BE It further enacted. ETC., That TIL
act shall take effect II om and after its passage
md all laws or parts Of Laws contrary to il