The Opelousas courier., 1888-06-23
Legislative Knick- Knacks.
Washington Argus, June 2lst.

urleS OF the several parishes, ny
and 1vith tie advice and consent Of
tile Senate" Now St. Landry, has
two Senators, both recognized
Democrats, but it is currently
rumored, that the Governor in
intends to ignore the law, and ap-
point the Police Jurors for this
parish, by the advice and consent
of a few small fry politicians who
have accidentally gotten possession
of the party machinery, and who
seem determined to act as a sort
of Kitchen Senate to the execu-
tive with headquarters in Opelou-
sas.
Washington, one precinct in the
fifth ward, has a registered vote OF
over one thousand names, and
although the ward is entitled to
two members, and a petition back
ed up by a mass meeting, has been
forwarded to the Governor through
our Senators, requesting the ap-
pointment Of one of our most es-
teemed business men to one of
those positions, it is currently re-
ported, that an edict has gone
forth from the chief of the Kitchen
Senate to the chief Magistrate, not
to appoint the man of our choice,
as he is not in favor. with the off,
cial mentioned. Now, we have
always looked upon Governor
Nichols, as a strict construer of
the law, and we Certainly expect
of him to comply with its express
provisions, and not be governed
by a little band of local statesmen
whose only merit is, that they
happened to support him for the
nomination.
The Legislature has been in SEES
sion since the 18th of May, at ar
expense to the State of onesthous.
and dollars a day, and have passed
one bill which has been enacted
into a law-providing for the pay
and mileage of members and off
GERS and employees. Art. Al of the
Constitution says hat "the expen
ses for clerks and employees shall
not exceed sixty dollars daily 70.
the Senate, nor seventy dollar:
daily for the House." Now, the
fact is, that the Senate has appro
priated one hundred and twenty
one dollars daily for this purpose
, an excess of seventy-one dollars
and the House a still larger sum
in direct conflict with the yirry let
ter of the Constitution. We woul'
like to know how our reform Gov
ernor made up his mind to sig!
) this unconstitutional measure, b,
which the money of the people ha
, been donated to employees, Will
, there is no money on hand to pa,
= the school teachers and other hon
est creditors of the State.
The Senate, on the 18th, decid
ed the Stagg-Duson contest, seat
ing Mr.. Duson by a vote of FL t
7"1I; so the people of St. Landr
! ! will not be harassed by anoths
q election, which would have bee
= : the sixth in the District in a perio
of about eighteen months. w
5 hope our Senators will now buck
/, on..their armor and get to work
q dead earnest; aand. as they al
both intelligent and energetic, v
s expect to hear a good account
n them during the balance of ii
q session.
Auditor Steele stated to one
our ex-Senators, who was recent
= in Baton Rouge in the interest
Hon. Louis Stage, that there hi
d been a great improvement in t
~ assessment rolls for St. Lapd
- during the past three years, al
that he rated our present Assess
,'0 Adolphe Lastrapes, Esq, as o
of the very best in the State. II
" was already we'll known here, a
IL we are glad to find that.h his me
IL are recognized by the chief boo
10 keeper Of the State.
n Now that Gov. McEnery ]
er been nominated and confirm
unanimously as Associate Just
to of the Supreme Court, what ]
b. become Of the Senators who d
ne ing the campaign, accused him
ce ali the crimes in the vocabula
to and yet voted for his confirmati
20 We are of the opinion, that a n
d. unworthy to fill the Office of &
in ernor is certainly unfit to wear
ermine~ consistency, thou al
level"
al The members from St. Lane
two in the Senate and three in
':' House, were so busy with Il
~ private affairs and pickering ann
themselves, that they could