The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-03-27
TOM ANDERSON'S SESSION.

When Governor Nichols issued his
proclamation converting an extra
session of the Legislature, everybody
wondered why the period was fixed
at fifteen days. 1t is quite true that
there was some little business re
naming to be attended to, and if we
consent to ignore the negligence and
folly which caused the delinquency,
perhaps a few days extra session was
necessary. But why ffteens There
certainly could not have been any oc-
casion for session of that length.
If it requires fifteen days to complete
the unfnishe,i business on hand last
Thursday night, then we might as
well have perpetual Legislature at.
once, for at that rate, the ordinary
business of the regular session ought
to take a year. The fact is that
Governor Nichols allowed exactly
ten DAYS more than the necessities of
the case called for. The Legislature
could have finished everything last
night just as well as not, and all the
dawdling and posturing we are re
quested to gaze upon, now, is intend
ed either to kill time and afford de
cent pretext for drawing the per diem
or is displayed as screen for the
real purpose of the extra session,
which has not yet been openly
ayowed.
This latter view of the matter is,
indeed, the one most generally en-
tertained. and people do not scruple
to declare the belief that the extra
session was called for no other pur-
pose than to have Senate on hand for
an emergency very foreign to the le-
climate objects of legislation. 1t is
far from welcome proposition, in
the abstract, that superfuous SEES
sion of the Legislature has been
called, at an expense OF at least
$4,000, and still less agreeable to be
compelled to suspect that the pur
pose which tits rather transparent
fiction is intended to conceal is one
which the people almost unanimous
ly disapprove. 1t would he plain af
fectation to pretend ignorance of the
fact that almost everybody in New
Orleans regards the extra session as
having been arranged for the e>pe
cial benefit ol Mr.. Too. G.. Ate son
in order ii nj the Senate ,niaht be
present to concur in his pardon in
case the Supreme Court fail, to
grant him new trial. Ever, lr,al,
does so regard it. AMI, To snv the
least, there is reasonable )nSlifra.
tion for he theor'. L. >pr,r, t..,h r
hard The iaN pa "r~ 81 this State
who b ;flrra u .i.H"",rl So - =,
y Lne hrnl- Of VI Anlcr.on an
hts colleagues, thri they should have,
to pay $4,000 simp, to Secure llm
prompt anil unobStrurteh innannl
ty from the ronSrquerres of hi
crimes. II is exa>, Grating enough to-
reflect that be is tn he pardnnet at
all, hut when ne are required To
meet the expenses, aud To such u
tune as this, the pressure begins IT,
be onerous.
We have an idea that this case is
one which has never ut any time
been fairly within reach of contro
versy or contingency. The very fact
that there is to be pardon at all is
sufficient announcement that all ra
tional and logical processes have
been set aside and that fixed, mex
orable policy is being pursued with
out reference to the equities or mer-
its of the question. 1t would he
wasting time, therefore, to expostn-
late or regret. All that can be use
fully said on the subject must BE- in
the nature of protest against sad
ding the public with enormous ex-
penses while the responsibility for
Anderson's liberation is being Jug
gled about among high official peson-
ages whose duty it is to protect the
public against unnecessary waste
= New Orleans Times.
-% s<>e
HANNAH De RorHscHILD, Lord
Rosebery's intended, is going to set
tie $4,000 year on the lucky No !