The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-06-10
THE GENERAL, ASSEMBLY.

crossed much more smoothly since the
yexatious lottery question has been dis
posed of and number Of bills have been
acted upon in both houses Of the General
Assembly since our last report. Among
these are measures prescribing punisl-
nent for extorting money or illuminating
by malicious threats, letters or pnblica-
tons; furnishing the crime Of bigamy by
imprisonment at hard labor; requiring
banks to publish sworn quarterly state
ments of their condition; authorizing
the Auditor to warrant upon the levee
and drainage fund in payment Of expen-
SEES incurred for relief of overflow suffer-
ers prescribing the manner in which
special elections shall be held in towns
and parishes for the levy of taxes for
works of public improvement; enabling
planters, merchants and others to pledge
and pawn cotton, sugar and other pro-
ducts by transmission of bill of lading
or carriers receipt; providing for joint
committee to investigate alleged viola
tions of law in st. Martin and Iberia
parishes; providing for similar COM
mittee to inquire into the proceedings of
the Board of Engineers and the con-
struction of levees in West Baton Rouge
and Point Coup6e; providing for joint
committee to examine the baby bond
coupons; to protect life and prevent ac-
cidents OH the railroads of this State ;
relative to appoinement of curators ad
hoe for vacant Suggestions; making it u
capital offense t. shoot, cut or stab any
person while lying in wait to commit
rape, arson, burglary or robbery; requir-
ing Notaries Public in New Orleans to
bind their acts; prescribing the order in
which cases shall DO tried in the State
courts; amending article 90 of the Civil
code, relative to issuance of marriage
licenses; relative to admissions prosecu-
ting attorneys are required to make
when accused parties apply for contin-
uance on ground Of absent witnesses;
amending article Ills code Of practice;
providing for collection of notes given
for school lands; furnishing prize fight
ing; amending article 1919 revised stat
utes, relative to indemnity bonds;
relative to public roads and bridges !;
concurrent resolution requesting our
congressman to secure removal of the
raft in Bayou Pierre; providing that
persons within the degrees of consan-
guinity preventing marriages who shall
cohabit may he punished by life impris-
onment at hard labor; providing pm
ishment for resisting peace officers
providing for payment Of the salaries of
employees of the parish prison of Orleans !;
providing for sale Of old machinery in
the State penitentiary; furnishing the
compounding Of felonies.
The following bills and resolutions
have been indefinitely postponed, finally
rejected or laid OH the table: Proposing
a constitutional amendment abolishing
lotteries; establishing o State Normal
| School; calling new Constitutional
Convention providing for . committee
to investigate the charges against the
officers Of the New Orleans Insane Asy-
lum; providing for the purchase of
stationary for judicial and other officers
out of the judicial expense fund rcqnir-
ing physiology and hygiene to be taught
in the public schools; requiring con-
victed persons applying for pardon to
publish the grounds of the application in
their parish paper; relative to admissi-
bility of certain evidence in criminal
cases, summoning witnesses living out
side the parish and challenging jurors !;
relative to revision of the criminal code !;
prescribing qualifications Of jurors !;
amending article 241 code Of practice,
relative to attachments.
There seems to be a preponderancc of
feeling in favor of the Sunday law in
the House of Representatives,, and Mr..
Hathaway's bill will doubtless pass that
branch of the Assembly. An effort is
being made to have the parish of Orleans
excepted from its provisions.
The revenue bill has been prepared
and reported by the Way and Means
Committee of the House, and the gen
eral appropriation bill is about ready.
An alteration between Senators Wal
ton and Robertson on the street, and
| another between Representati>e Robert
son of Baton Rouge and Judge Bossier of
the Mascot at the State House produced
considerable excitement, but both affairs
were adjusted. The Bourbon and Lib
cral factions Of the Assembly are resting
| on their arms, but the "cruel war" is
by no means over.
Only nine miles of the New Orleans
Pacific railway remains to be constructed
and it is expected this gap will be closed
by the LIST of July. Through rail con-
nection will TINS be established between
New Orleans and San Francisco, and by
the LIST of August, unless some unforeseen
obstacle is encountered, trains will be
traversing the entire line on regular
schedule.
The main ground of Postmaster General
Howe's recommendation to Congress to
abolish the postal charge for transmission
of newspapers and magazines through
the mails is, that tho people doubtless
obtain more information concerning