476 



LOUISIANA. 



steamers into the new docks, and obviating 

 the necessity for their being loaded and un- 

 loaded in the river. In connection with this 

 Canada Basin there will be a half-tide dock, 

 covering an area of twenty acres, and having 

 an aggregate quayage of 3,070 lineal feet. 

 Northward of this will be the system of docks 

 intended for the steam-trade. The main por- 

 tion of the dock, which will extend in a north- 

 erly direction, parallel with the river, will be 

 1,500 feet long, by 500 feet wide, having three 

 branches extending eastward, of the total 

 length of 1,400 feet and a width of 300 feet. 

 The total area of the system will be 43 acres, 

 and the total quayage 10,870 lineal feet. In 

 order to expedite the overhauling and repairs 

 of ships a new system of hydraulic docks, in- 

 vented by Mr. James Clarke, 0. E., has been 

 adopted. These docks are to be 500 feet long, 

 and capable of receiving and raising the largest 

 steamers. At the northwestern extremity of 

 this dock two passages will be formed, leading 

 into the mineral dock, which will extend for 

 1,600 feet in an easterly direction by a width 

 of 500 feet toward the north. The area of 

 this dock will be eighteen acres, and its gross 

 quayage 3,850 lineal feet. The engineer has 

 also planned two graving-docks on the eastern 

 side of the half-tide basin, each 900 feet in 

 length. Adjoining these will be another dock 

 for repairing, 820 feet long, and 140 feet wide. 



LOUISIANA. The Legislature assembled 

 on the 5th of January, and continued in ses- 

 sion until March. Among the most important 

 measures passed during this period was a gen- 

 eral law prescribing regulations for a registra- 

 tion of voters under the supervision of a State 

 Registrar, a supervisor for each parish, and an 

 assistant supervisor for each of the wards in 

 the city of New Orleans, the appointment of 

 these officials being vested- in the Governor. 

 Five constitutional amendments, recommended 

 by Governor Kellogg were approved and or- 

 dered to be submitted to the people at the No- 

 vember election. These provided for indorsing 

 the funding bill and the consolidated bonds 

 issued thereunder; reducing and limiting the 

 State debt to $15,000,000, and limiting taxa- 

 tion ; devoting the annual revenues of the 

 State to the expenses of the same year, and 

 prohibiting the issue of warrants in excess of 

 the revenue ; limiting the debt of the city of 

 New Orleans, and prohibiting its further in- 

 crease ; and changing the day for the State 

 election to that on which the presidential elec- 

 tion is held. 



The State Convention of the Eepublican 

 party assembled in New Orleans on the 5th 

 of August, and continued in session four days. 

 After the nomination of Antoine Dubuclet for 

 the office of State Treasurer, the following 

 resolutions were adopted : 



The Eepublican party of Louisiana, assembled in 

 convention, in the city of New Orleans, on the 5th day 

 of August, 1874:, assumes and declares that the Na- 

 tional Republican party is a party of positive princi- 



ples and definite purposes ; a party of grand achieve- 

 ments and a glorious history ; a party of internal im- 

 provements and of material development ; a party 

 of peace and order, of liberty and law, of universal 

 and equal rights ; that it is a party capable of purify- 

 ing its own organization as well as of devising reform- 

 atory measures for the public good : therefore, be it 



1. Resolved, That its past history entitles it to fu- 

 ture confidence, and we again reiterate our faith in 

 and pledge ourselves to the support of the princi- 

 ples enunciated in its national platform, adopted at 

 Philadelphia. 



2. That we cordially indorse the liberal, enlight- 

 ened, and just policy of President Grant and the na- 

 tional Administration, both in domestic and foreign 

 affairs. 



3. That our present State government, in the face 

 of unparalleled difficulties, has achieved substantial 

 reforms, and by its patient and firm adherence to 

 the right course under an organized system of vili- 

 fication and misrepresentation at home and abroad, 

 deserves and has the unqualified approval and sup- 

 port of a large majority of the people of this State, 

 of whom it is the true and lawful representative. 



4. That we hereby pledge ourselves to the reduc- 

 tion of the expenses of the State government to the 

 lowest possible point consistent with an efficient ad- 

 ministration. We distinctly announce this obliga- 

 tion to be binding upon us, and due alike to the peo- 

 ple of the State and to their creditors ; and we spe- 

 cifically set forth our intention to secure a reduction 

 of the heavy and unnecessary expenses of the assess- 

 ment and collection of the revenue. 



6. That duty and sound policy alike constrain us 

 to nominate and support for office none but men of 

 known honesty and capacity ; and that men who are 

 unmindful of the interests of the State, and whose 

 records are a reproach to the party shall not be per- 

 mitted to force themselves upon us in any capacity, 

 under any pretense whatever. 



6. That the misfortunes of war, of floods, and in- 

 ternal disturbances, and previous maladministration, 

 BO seriously impaired the resources of the State as 

 to render absolutely necessary the passage by the 

 last Legislature of the law known as the funding 

 billj which we approve as representing the utmost 

 limits of our ability to pay, and more than the value 

 received by the State for the indebtedness now out- 

 standing : and we also declare our unqualified ap- 

 proval of the proposed constitutional amendments 

 limiting the State debt to $15,000,000 and taxation 

 to twelve and a half mills (except for school pur- 

 poses), and applying the revenues of each year to the 

 payment of the expenses of that year. 



T. That the approaching general election must be 

 a fair, peaceable, and free election, at which every 

 legal and qualified elector shall have the opportu- 

 nity to cast his ballot for such candidates as ne pre- 

 fers without intimidation and without illegal con- 

 trivances to deprive him of his vote ; and every legal 

 vote cast must be counted and credited as polled ; 

 and to this end such a selection of officers to take 

 charge of registration and election should be made 

 as will satisfy citizens of all parties that the Repub- 

 lican party at least does not expect or desire any- 

 thing else than a fair election. 



8. That we condemn the spirit of violence mani- 

 fested in certain localities by the Democratic party, 

 as being in violation of public peace and good order, 

 and destructive of the good name and best interests 

 of the State; the suppression of all violence is de- 

 manded by every law-abiding citizen in the State. 



9. That we invoke the assistance of Congress tow- 

 ard the early completion of those national works, the 

 Fort St. Philip Canal and the system of levees for 

 the redemption and protection of the alluvial lauds 

 of the Mississippi Eiver. 



10. That we declare our belief that nothing but 

 disaster can result from a conflict of the two' races in 

 this State, and we discountenance and condemn all 



