Year: 1872

: struments instead, than to take on,
step backward in the course whicl
the Legislature and the State gov
) ernment have adopted for the pro
lection of that class of the peopl,
to which you, sir, belong, and which
has elected us as Republicans here
l refer to that class of Legislative


measures which the excitement and


the riots and the danger through


which we passed at previous period.


made it necessary for this Genera


Assembly to enact, in order to throw


its protecting arm around the


colored people of the State. Il


George W. Carter and his cocoon


spirators intend to play into the


hands of the revolutionary Demo


Gratis, as I believe they do, in wip-


ing from the statute books all those


laws which were enacted for the


protection of the colored people, in


order to throw them back into the


condition in which they were when


this Legislature first met here. /


say, let the consequences be what


they may, that 1 will never take a


step backward, nor aid them in the


execution of their designs. I am


glad to learn, as I do to-day, that some


persons high in federal position here,


have said that they withdraw from


this conspiracy; that they are satisfied


that MIR. Carter means the betryal of


the Republican party and the betrayal


OF the colored people into the hands


OF the Democratic mob (not of the


Democratic party and that they will


have no further lot nor part in the


matter. If they continue much long


er in their revolutionary action, I be-


leve that the eyes of all will be OPEN


ed to their designs. To sum up brief
ly, l repeat that every reform that


Will lessen In any manner the expendi-
ture of the public money, every re-
form that will prevent corruption.


every reform thai will tend to tighten
the load of taxation upon the people,
every reform that will protect them
from the abuse of any law, 1 am
pledged to support; but I am opposed
to any conspiracy which under the
pretense of aiming at. the reforms


aims at the destruction of Republican
ism here, and the trampling under
foot OF all the safeguards which the
law has thrown around the colored
people of the State.


Mr.. Lynch-Mr. President. I
think it proper that some action
should be taken by the seventeen
Senators who are meeting from day
to day, to make known their views
in reference to the present condi-
ton of affairs-not to make pledges
and promises, but simply to express
what are our designs, or what we
have in view. The resolutions which
have been introduced seem to have
three objects in view. They first re-
fer to the absent members of the
Senate, and condemn that absence
because it prevents from doing that
which it has been proclaimed by the
mob it was their desire to do. We
are here, sir, ready to act and enact
laws that will reform any abuse that
mey exist, or correct any evil that
hasty or improper legislation may |
have created. We are here, I say,
to act, but our hands are tied by
the absence of these Senators, who |
have seen fit to break the quorum
Of the Senate, thereby preventing |
us from giving the State the benefit
of any notifications that we might |
make in laws which may be consid-
cred unjust or unwise. The action
OF these Senatorsin absenting them
selves from their seats merits the
greatest condemnation at the hands
Of the people of Louisiana. I am
not prepared to condemn them all |
without hearing; I do not say that
some of them are absent without
any good excuse; but 1 do say that
an expression on our part of disap-
proval OF their course is eminently |
proper. If these men desire reform,
II they wish to modify any obnoxious
laws, let them take their seats here |
and act with us, and not keep
themselves as they are now doing,
out of the jurisdiction of the State.
SO that we cannot even enforce tbe