The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-02-13
THE LOTTERY ~AMENDMEAl
WITHDRAWN.

Ill II SpflbS OF 1850 1 Was, at diner
ent times, approached by IL number Of
prominent Democrats of Louisiana, who
urged upon me the propriety, in the in
teEestof the finances OF the State, Ofsub-
uniting to che Legislature a proposition
for q constitutional amendment, which
would grant TO me and my associates q
lottery privilege for twenty-Gveyears in
cons defatiun OF a license sufficiently
high to be Of mlteri Il assistance to the
State. Ii was u,gci upou me by these
gentlemen that my associaos and /
should be willil g to give to The people
Of Louisiana an opportunity of obtain
ing, proportionately. rs great q niaieri-
al benefit from Ii, proposed charter as
the holders OfIAe existing charter have
obtained from the current one.
/ was assured, moreover, that the
propositioH wSuIl meet with Ii tile, If
any, op3osition und, r such conditions,
for the opposition t. the present char
ter WAS SAID to be based mainly upon
the factthat the dlno int Of license paid
was N rely inadequate ia the light of
the needs Of the people to the proven
ton Of Increased taxation, or to the re-
duetion Of present taxation by prOvid
ing for charitics schools. l~evces, etc.
These Suggestions prompted me to au>
nUunee to the people Of tie State OF
Louisiana thatI would apply for such
a charter, and would give tho sum Of
S50O,U0O per annam AS u license tax.
Uuul 4 had announced that / would
make such il proposition in tlfeStcd to-
ward Tie continued existence at a lot
terry in houisima.
After 1 had publicly submitted ny
otfur to the people, and had committed
my self 20 its terms, to my surprise
some Of the prominent men who had
approached me on this II sbject and WIN
had urged me- 70 make sucl i p~rorosi,
ten, hecame opponents ii the project,
aud AIDED m%orgauizills public hostility
against it
At the solicitation OF "a number Of
gentlemen who still favored the pro
position and whose property had suffer
ed from oVerh ~ OF tlr Mississippi
river, 4 Increased the amnunt tlIat /
had originally offered to pay as a
license tax for the p,iviIedge # il new
chatter 60 sl.OUO. 400 This latter
amount was increased still further is
the Leg stature to $I.25a,GaO per an
nan and IN this condition the amend
lnent W > ordered to be submitted TO
the people by the requisite two ebirds
votrsSoi each branch 81 the Legislature
Then legai i riasa,lc on he part OF
those opposed u the pro j,sit ioa IN
erie and outside 81 The STATE TO, the
purpose Of preventing the adoption 81
Tie Revenue A nen,tinent, aud ol max
ing the mana senrnt q il lottery as
objectionable TO lie pr ople OF the
United ST. ties as pas inie. The fac
that tile sf,25D 900 per annnm .lcrnse
Tx which a to be paid to the Sine
Of Louisiana wouhl be derived from a
business which would come from pthee
States and fsreigo cnuptries, brough
the enactment ht Congress o.
what is now commonly known as the
Lottery Postsl Law 1t was
10 all times hat il was my
to have the Revenue Amend
msnt passed by negro votes against
the Wishes and desires Of i majority st
the white people of The state Of L0ni
yet, on III occassioas. 1 had
strongly urged That The amendment
should be- submitted to the white peo>
vie at q primary rlectipu. 80 thar they
so4id pass upon the QUESTION whethet
tley waited the amendment adopted
Or not, as | had % desire iti.b q con
neeted With the proposition uuless il
received tue approval ofa decisive ma
jorisy d sis white people Of the State
Of Louisiana.
Aver the passage by Congress Of the
"AnssLotserg Postal Lawn J. was ms
formed hy = number Of eminent aud
able attorneys. whom | consulted. that
ibis law was a violation Of The rights Of
State, aud Of the freedom Of the
press, and such would be, in tEeiropi1e
.oHS the decision of the Supreme Court
II the United States.
Accordingly test eases on the guess
ion were made mp ana suDnitfsl 10
hat court for determination. From
institution Of the test cases naI
The opposition to the Revenue