Louisiana capitolian., 1881-11-12
WHERE is THE CAPITAL !?

Ere grave injury is lnfllcted upon
the State, by holding an extra session
at New Orleans or any place other
than the segt Of government, we pub
1ish the several Articles of the Con-
stitution bearing on the subject; the
plain English of which certainly says
that Baton Rouge is the seat Of gor-
ernmeat, where all sessions, regular
and extra, shall be held, with the
exception of the first session OF the
General Assembly, which was con-
vened at New Orleans, as designated
in Article 1853:
Art. 72. He shall take care that
the laws be faithfully executed, and
he may, on extraordinary occasions,
convene the General Assembly at the
seat of government, or, if that should
have become dangerous from an enc
my or from an epidemic, at a differ
ent place. The power to Alegislate
shall be limited to the objects emu
merated specially in theproclamation
eonvening such an extraordinary
session; therein the Governor shall
also limit the time such session may
continue; prouided, it shall not ex-
ceed twenty days. Any legislative
action had after the time so limited,
or as to other objects than those emu
merated in said proclamation, shall
be null and void.
Art $50. The seatof government shat
be and remain at the city of Baton
Rouge.
The General Assembly, at its first
session after the adoption of this con-
stitution, shall make the necessary
appropriations for the repair of the
State House and for the transfer of
the archives of the State to Baton
Rouge; and the city council of. Baton
Rouge is hereby authorized to issue
certificates of Indebtedness, in such
manner and form as to cover the sub
scription Of thirty-five thousand dol
lars, rendered by the citizens and the
city council of said city to aid in re-
pairing the Capitol in said city !;
provided, the city Of Baton Rouge
shall pay into the State treasury said
amount of thirty five Thousand dol
lars before the contract for the repairs
of the State House be finally closed.
Art. 263. The General Assembly
first elected under this constitution
shall convene in the city Of Nem Or
leans upon the second Monday in
January next, 1880, after the election,
and the Governor and Lieutenant
Governor elected shall be duly in
stalled in Office during the first week
of the session, and before it shall be
competent for the said General AS
sembly to proceed with the transac-
ton of business beyond their own
organization.
1t will be observed that Baton
Rouge, is designated as the seat O
government, also that the term seat O
g0pernment is used in decreeing tha
the regular, as well as the extra ses
sions, shall be held there.
A faithful observance of the prOvi
sions of the Constitution would hav,
led the Executive 20 have caused th'
removal of the State Departments tt
Baton Rouge, the seat of govern
ment, Immediately after the adjourn
ment of the session held at New Or
leans, according to Article 263,.
The construction placed on th'
plain letter of the Constitution, b.
Governor McEnery, cannot be JUST
fed forthe reason that the Capit0
Building cannot be plastered in tim
to hold the extra session within it
walls.
The location of the seat of govern
ment does not depend upon the read
mess or unreadiness of any publ'
building.
The Constitution does not say tia
the General Assembly, either i'll reg
ular or extra session, shall meet q
the State-House or Capitol.
Everybody remembers that INT
the swindle was perpetrated throug
which the St. Louis Hotel became
State House, the Assembly held il
sessions at the Mechanics Institute
St. Patrick's Hall, and one body ect
0rer the Gem Saloon !
Hence, we assert that no questio
could be raised as to the legality
an extra session held at Baton Roug
with one House meeting at Pike
Hall and the other at the COur
House or the City Hall.