398 



LOUISIANA. 



rendered, two of the criminal cases came on for 

 trial. In both these the Auditor was acquitted, 

 but in one of them the verdict was regarded 

 by the judge as so palpably in defiance of the 

 facts, that he dismissed the jury with a rep- 

 rimand. The remainder of the cases were dis- 

 missed by the Attorney-General on the ground 

 that a constitutional ofiicer could not be tried 

 by a jury until after impeachment. Thereupon 

 the Governor withdrew his opposition to the 

 possession of the Auditor's office by Mr. 

 Wickliffe, and gave the key into his hands. 

 The matter did not, however, stop here. On 

 the assembling of the Legislature, on Jan- 

 uary 4, 1870, the Governor submitted a spe- 

 cial message to that body, in which he 

 said: 



It becomes my duty to communicate to your 

 honorable body grave charges against George M. 

 Wickliffe, Auditor of Public Accounts. His offences 

 against the constitution and the laws of the State 

 have seriously embarrassed the government, and 

 rendered it difficult to pay the interest on the State 

 bonds. He has been guilty of numerous acts, involv- 

 ing extortion against individuals, and against the 

 charitable institutions of the State ; also involving 

 fraud against the Commonwealth, and collusion with 

 evil-disposed persons to defraud the same. He has 

 extorted sums of money from the creditors of the 

 State as a condition precedent to the issuance to them 

 of the certificates of indebtedness or warrants to 

 which they were entitled by law. 



He then proceeded to give numerous in- 

 stances in detail to support these charges. 

 After giving an account of his attempt to bring 

 the Auditor to punishment through the criminal 

 courts, he closes with these words : 



Love for your State and fidelity to the people 

 whom you represent demand rigid scrutiny into the 

 conduct of the officer herein complained of, and 

 prompt punishment should follow if it is ascertained 

 that guilt exists. Permit me to say that the mortifi- 

 cation I feel as the Executive of the State, in view of 

 the criminal conduct of this officer, is increased and 

 aggravated by the fact that the offender is a member 

 of the party to which I belong. No party is worthy 

 the confidence of the people, or can retain the same, 

 who will permit such conduct to pass uncensured 

 and unpunished. I submit this matter, gentlemen, 

 to your grave, candid, and immediate consideration, 

 and request that such action be taken as the ends of 

 justice and the public interest require. 



The subject was referred by the Legisla- 

 ture to a special committee for investigation, 

 whose action forms a part of the history for 

 1870. 



The commercial progress of Louisiana and 

 of the port of New Orleans throughout the 

 year can hardly be regarded as satisfactory. 

 There are two works of public improvement 

 intimately connected with the commercial pros- 

 perity of the State, which have been much 

 discussed but about which little has been done. 

 These are the construction of an adequate 

 series of levees on the banks of the Mississippi 

 River, and the removal of obstructions to navi- 

 gation at the mouth of that stream. These are 

 both works which will require a large outlay 

 of money and be a decided benefit to the corn- 



LUTHERANS. 



merce of the entire West. They are indeed 

 regarded as national works, and assistance is 

 expected from the General Government for 

 their accomplishment. A State loan was pro- 

 vided for in 1868 to raise funds for the rebuild- 

 ing of the levees, but the bonds have not been 

 so readily disposed of as was anticipated; 

 and, although contracts were made for a large 

 amount of work in this important department, 

 it was not carried out for want of the neces- 

 sary means. Important soundings and surveys 

 have been made in the passes at the mouth of 

 the Mississippi, and preparations made for 

 deepening and widening the channels, provi- 

 ded appropriations for the purpose can be ob- 

 tained. 



The credit of Louisiana has been somewhat 

 injured by the financial embarrassments of 

 her treasury, and the feud existing between 

 the Governor and Auditor. Although the 

 bonded indebtedness of the State at the be- 

 ginning of the year was less than $7,000,000, 

 no adequate means was provided by the last 

 Legislature for the payment of interest, and 

 the State bonds have materially depreciated 

 in value. 



The State charitable institutions are nu- 

 merous, and have in the past held a high rank. 

 There is need, however, at present for re- 

 newed attention and care from the Legislature 

 in order to maintain their high character. The 

 following is a list of institutions in or near the 

 city of New Orleans, including a few which 

 are supported wholly by private benevolence : 

 The Insane Asylum, 175 inmates ; the Charity 

 Hospital, 650 ; Poydras Asylum for Girls, 125 ; 

 St. Mary's Male Orphan Asylum, 380 ; St. Vin- 

 cent's Home for Boys, 65 ; St. Elizabeth's Fe- 

 male Orphan Asylum, 170 ; the Orphans' Home, 

 125; St. Vincent's Infant Asylum, 150 ; St. 

 Joseph's Orphan Asylum, 215 ; German Or- 

 phan Asylum, 16; St. Anna's Asylum, 76; 

 Southern Hospital Association, 50 ; Childrens' 

 Home, 75; Louisiana Retreat, 45; the "Widows' 

 Home, 100 ; Asylum for Destitute Orphan 

 Boys, 75; St. Oroix Asylum, 80; Home for 

 the Aged and Infirm, 50; Marine Hospital, 

 360; New Orleans Orphan Asylum, 220; Or- 

 phans' Home Society, 103; Jewish Widows' 

 and Orphans' Association, 90 ; House of Ref- 

 uge for Boys, 106 ; House of Refuge for Girls, 

 32. 



The lessees of the State Penitentiary have 

 within the last year placed 200 looms in that 

 institution for the manufacture of cotton and 

 woollen goods. The schools of the State have 

 not yet reached a high degree of prosperity 

 under the new system, and it is probable that 

 a substitute will be adopted, or at least some 

 important modifications made in the present 

 law. 



LUTHERANS. The Lutheran Church Al- 

 manac, for 1870 (published at Baltimore), 

 gives the following statistical view of the Lu- 

 theran Church, in North America, in the year 

 1869: 



