The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-16

FIRST SESSION.
TH r SENATE.
Ninth Days Proceedings.

SENAlEs
Ninth Days Proceedings.
WEDNESDAY. January Is, ISIS.
The Senate WIS called to order at II 80 a, m
Lieut.. Gov. WiIts In the chair; twenty one SEN
ators present.
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Hon. H. NJ Llsher. State Superintendent OF
Public Education, submitted his annual report
INTRODUCTION OF BIIEs.
Mr.. Williams: An act to amend and rs-enact
section I OF act No. 40 OF 1873. Ordered to lie
Mr. Breanx: An acs to fix the salary of the
Clerk OF the Supreme Court at New Orleans. to
pr vide. for the contingent expenses Of his
office. etc. Finance.
Mr.. Merke: An act 10 Ak the com pensa' ion
OF jurors In courts In New Orleans having
criminal jurisdiction. Judiciary.
voTB ON THE AMENDMENTS.
message, from the Governor was received.
rotary OF State Of the vote on the amendments,
INTRODUCTION or BILLS.
Mr.. Breaux: An act for the relief of Mrs. l..
G.. Gallup. Claims.
Mr.. Harding; An act authorizing the ppr-
chase OF 200 copies of the Digest OF the De-
cisions of the Supreme Court, and making an
appropriation to pay for the same. Finance
Mr.. WALES: An act authorizing the parish Of
Ibervie to levy special tax. Parochial Affairs.
Mr.. Garland: An act to incorporate the town
OF New Iberia. Paroehial Affairs.
RESOLUTIONS
Mr.. Steven, by unanimous consent offered q
resolution fDStructing the Secretary to notify
the House that the Senate would be prepared to
meet the House In Joint session at - o'clock for
the purpose of going into an election for United
States Senator Adopted.
Mr.. DeBouchel: A joint resolution relative to
the reclamation and sale of swamp lands. Fed
eral Rsla ions.
Mr. HERON: A concurrent resolution provid-
Ing for the appointment of a Joint committee to
compile the votes east on the amendments at
the last election. Adopted.
ACTIoH ON BIELs.
House bill No. 22-ths constitutional eonvep-
ton bill-came up on It's third reading as un-
finished business.
Mr.. Texada moved It's final passage.
MIR. Gage spoke against the BILL He conceded
that the constitution should be am endsh. but he
was opposed to the cah OF q convention as IN
necessary. 1t would involve an expense that
would far exceed the good results that would be
attained. He saw no evidence Of either a pur-
pose or probability Of reform at all common
The convention, being superior to the Legis-
lature, would make such appropriations as 1t
saw fit to pay itself. and the Limits Of It's session
would be governed by its own di -cretion.
Pending Mr.. Cages remarks the O ERIK Of the
House announced that that body was prepared
to receive the Senate and go into an election for
Senator.
On motion of Mr.. Texada the Senate rose and
proceeded TO the chamber of the House. it being
understood that Mr.. Cage retained the floor.
AFTER JOINT SESSION..
The Senate returned fromthe Joint session at
y; 80 .. m and resumed consideration OF the
bill providing for constitutional convention.
Mr.. Gage VS. recognized by the Pr. !sident and
proceeded with his remarks in opposition to the
bill. His reasons were that the date 6xed for
the election would greatly interfere with the
planting interests, and a convention would add
greatly to the present burdens upon the tax
payers. In his remarks ne said that the Demo
cratic party was In power, and be bad no doubt
there. He warned s leahers that these re-
peated appeals to the people would weary them
OF elections and tend to destroy their influence.
Mr. Landry raised his voice-and 1t easily
filled the Senate cham ber-against the conven-
ton. He charged that the whole proposition
was Democratic partisan project, He bad
as opposed to convention; yet these same
gentlemen vote right along for the measure.
whip. As for the $4,000 appropriation this
Legislature might as well give instructions to
the convention to retain this or that officer of
the State; or to pernet9ae this or that article OF
the existing constitution. as TO say to 1t that Its
shall not exceed that limit. He
spoke Mt considerable length.
Mr.. Iacharie desi cd not to debate the o,lIes-
tionr but merely to place on record bis reasons
for favoring It, He should not rehearse his
opposing the convention at the last session.
Whatever these may have been. he believed th ut
2 Senator might well yield his Individual opin-
ions to the desires OF the people, The people
had Spok on their wishes in regaf to this meas.
ure In q way which left no manner of douht as
TO what these are. Not by, party vote ut all
the amendments had been condem ned with a |
most pronounced indication of q desire for a
convention. The Senator accepted this as the
only just conclusion that coald be reached from
the results OF the last election. He felt ID his
first and highest duty to carry out the man tfest
Mr.. Zacharie resented the charge that came
from the Republican eide OF the Senate. that
= thls Dill was being railroaded through the
had been forced by the Republican Senate
contrary to the usages of the Senate in regard
e bills coming to It from the House. to go
through all the various stages necessary to its
passage. With Its ultimate passage ass AIRED
from the beginning it had been fought Though
out with a. faetious spirit OF opposition and
OF parliamentary experience hadtbeen used to
Mr.. Stamps opposed the bill.
Mr.. Wheeler replied to the imputation Of dis
made by Senator Iacharie against the
minority In its opposition to this bill. When
the bill came up first for action Senator yexadn
moved suspension of the rules with
a yisw TO final passage. 1t would have been
silly had the minority failed to object This
msnt passed upon them unjust.
, He knew that discussion OF the merits Of the
billwas idle at this late hour. Yet he could not
avoid making the observation that at the last
session the SeDate-oenstitutsd of one half the
present Senate-voted unan tmously IN favor OF
me ams I, system and against a eonven-
Mon why this sudden change Of views He
had been told that 10 was the result Of a mani
festation Of popular will. What are your evil
uohooc VI no pOpulAT SSnlIm6ng upon this
question? Was 1t tho Baton Rouge eonyeption5
! nat was universally conceded to have been q
failure as a popular convention Numbers
OF parishes. including some of the largest and
most respectable constit lencies In the State
were not represented there A. all and others
were represented By proxies who knew nothing
81 the wishes OF the people they represented.
He knew that there was no rendin9 of gar
ments, no tearing Of hair and refusing 10 be
comforted for want OF a. convention with the
people of his section. ghe public sentiment Of
the adjoining parish of Ouachita had declared
against convention. and he could not see the
manifestation OF public opinion In favor of a
convention which Senators uEge for Changing
their views. Asins
Mr.. Ellis favored the bill, and urged its mas.
sage He denied thet 1t was partisan or that
the purpose was to make of It party convan'
ton. He wished the minority to be assured.
H., Inc great motive in urging it now was to avoid
the drawing Of party Ines which would car
ta,nly attend general election. 0o.
Mr.. Harper opposed the bill. It would bring
trouble. snt IL the convention was coming he
wanted fair representation, and no shotgun
The Senator from Cadao was very violent In
his expressions. He thought that the sUnnar
manila n 2taka