The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume], February 20, 1877, Image 1

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OIPrOI AL iOURNAL OP THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
OL II--N) 02. NEW ORLEANS. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1877. PRICE, FIVE CENT'.
tLOUISIANA S.FE.
or Sons Will be Patienti a
'While Lonbger.
t WIll ot Intett',re In Favor
. - the Packard Government.
SWoOuld Hayes bo Desirous of
~s lng Burdened with lPalkard.
(lSpeIoal to tie N. o. D1tmnerat.J
- Sf ltxetlox, Feb. 19.--The President
b.aM heard two delegations in ciuounetlon I
W.hiLh Louisiana affairs to-day, repre
Sttnig the situation there, nr1d both I
iSg1that Packard be not recoanized. I
S teeilved both dle, etions cordially I
4d listened to themn attentively. The I
aast bears out the predlietions sent- I
lI. tde in these dispateche,.
'I4eL President will not reoognize
I am informed thirt thils de
0@ IS mainly due to lReputbltlan in
. , The friends of Mr. Iayes
that they do not want his adminis
burdened with the helpless
government for the next four
as Grant's administration has
,with the Kellogg government for
M. 4ast four.
RWrlideet Grant is in a position to ap
-. to this feeling, for he has had to
the chief part of the Kellogg dead
i lht himself, Congress having in
bly shown a disinclination to help
u.it in time of trouble. For these
the President is inclined to let
whole matter rest in staiu quo dur
the remainder of his term, if posel
and thus transfer to his successor
privllege of adopting a Southern
@ to suit himself.
Nothing short of a violent outbreak
SLZ.ialsiana could induce the President.
'L thteftere now. This suggestion need
gli spire Packard and company to
uaoture an outbreak to order after
Sashion of the assassination pro
e the other day, for any such
e would be instantly detected
and would fall flat. My pur
in making the suggestion is
al0m the excitement of your
ple, and to exhort them to
patient a few weeks or
S, longer, because their fate
Stfour years may depend upon
,it fortitude at the present time.
lterefore, I say that nothing short of
a·Attempt on the part of the people of
5.atilana to destroy the Packard fraud
lViolence could possibly give it any
Suuntenance at the hands of the au
Shogitle. here. The President's position
SOlast impartial and manly, and he is
ued with the most worthy motives
a. M the people of Louisiana, while
frien.e of Mr. Hayes are altogether
to any policy which would result
la saddling the new administration with
~tburden of sustaining a fraudulent
te government in defiance of the will
Stthe people.
. tesr the last four years' experience,
ImaTy seem almost mockery to ask
people to be patient yet a little
r; but that is the word, neverthe
Itgas and in it is embodied your salva
tio. 1UliELL.
STIHE DEIOCRATIC VAUCUS.
t Itevt not to Filibuster, butn to
SIrote t.
will Appeal trou the Action of the
Iribunal to the Country.
!Special to N. O. Demoerat.)
W'asfrnevoN, Feb. 19.-The caucus,
4hs an uneventful session, adjourned
Wtout action until after the Oregon
shall have been decided. It is be
that no extreme filibustering tao
will be adopted, and that the Dem
after a formal protest against
actien of the Tribunal which they
as unjust, will leave events to
their course. The aggregated pro
sts of the House will be addressed to
Scountry in the report of the caucus
mittee of five, consisting of Hurd,
t, Lynde, Singleton and Gibson,
upon that report the Democracy
appeal from the Tribunal to the
y. Bu.LL.
THE JOINT NES.ION.
adlsy and Signing the FrotesP Against
the Trlbunal's Decision.
- The Policy of Delay Abandoned.
[Speciali to K. O. Demcerat.]
~ 'AmxNelros, Feb. 19.-The two houses
bled this morning in joint session,
the protest of the House of ]3epre
tives against the decision of the
rat Tribunal in the Louisiana case
iead, and is being signed by the
tO.
will be no organized tactics of
the Democrats as a party will
hutatwoa; the court will pro
s Drmali a i the lj ob8
Bit.UGHTI HiO'EM AIREAD.
For Nichollk and Louisiana-
Breakers In Front of Packard.
L Grant's Positive Assurance and
"the Sacred Promise of Hayes.
r Wells and Anderson in Despair.
WAR.INGTON, Feb. 19.-The Louisiana
delegation, with E. A. Burke, called on
r the President this morning and was
well received. Assurance was given by
(ten. Grant that he would not recog
nize the Packard government, but
would leave the matter to be settled by
t layed, whose poliey will not be embar
1 rassed by any action of Grant,
Leading Rlepublicans have induced
1 the ]'resident to keep his hands off the
Mouthern States, and have agreed, on
y behalf of Hayes, not to interfere with
the Democratic governmnents in Loulsi
ana and South Carolina.
The protest against the action of the
Electoral Committee in Louiselana case
was begun to be read in joint session.
Kenner, Kennedy and Maddox will
s testify to-day before the House Com
mittee.
a Wells and Anderson now despair of
r Louisiana. They say that the accept
a ance of Hayes by the Southern Demo
crate means the recognition of Nicholls
and Hampton. E. L. J.
- *---~e -
..... . ------ . .. ....
CONURtENM,
The Houce Adjourns by a Majority of 11.
I he Smallness of the Majority Attributed
to the Influence of the Ttxas
Pacfle Rallroad.
l[peclsl to N. O. Democrat ]
WAsmINoTOW, Feb. 19.-The House
adjourned till to-morrow by only eleven
majority. Some say that the Demo
crate who voted against adjournment
have surrendered ; others attribute it to
the Texas Pacific Railroad interests,
which wants to proceed with regular
business. I think it is a little of both.
BITUELL.
TIlE LOUISIANA CASE.
Fall Text of the Tribunal's Decision as to
the Vete of Louisiana.
Its Excuses for its Action.
tpecial to N. O. Democrat.]
WAmRn1uTov, Feb. 19.-The following is the
full text of the decision of the Comm:eason in
the Louisiana case:
WAsum.cToN, D. C., Feb. 10.
To the President of the United Siatees nate,
pre iding:
In a meeting of the two houses of Congress
under an act of UOngress entitled an act to pro
vide for and regulate the counting of the votes
for President and Vice President, and the do
cision of the questions arising thereon, for the
term commencing March 4, A. D. 1877. approved
Jar. 29, 1877.
The i t.ctoral Comtiselon mentioned in said
act having ruled certain oortifloates and papers
purporting to be certificates and papers accom
painying the electoral vote from the State of
Louisiana, and in connection therewith submit
ted to it, under the said act, now report that it
has duly cosidered tie same, pursuant to the
said act, and. by a malorny of votes, decided,
and do hereby de,.ide, that thelvotes of William 1'.
Kellogg, J. lenry Burch, Peter Joseph,
I,1onol A. b oldon, Morris Marks, Aaron
B. Levissec, Orlando II. Brewster, and Os
car Joftron, named in the certificates of Wil
liam P. Kellogg, (G vernor of said State, which
votes are ceiltied by the said. persons, as ap
pears by the certificates submitted to the Com
m sldon as aroresaid, narked Nos. I and 3 by
said Commission, and herewith returned, are the
votes provided for by the Constitution of the
United States, and that the same ate l[wfully to
be counted, as therein certified; namely, the
votes for Ki. I. Hayes, of Olhio, for Prssident,
and the votes for W. A. Wheeler, of New York,
for Vice Presideat.
The Commission has, by a majority of votes,
has decided anti does hereby decide and report
that the persons first before-named were duly ap
pointed electors in and by the said State of Lou
isiana. '1 e brief ground of this decision is that
it appears upon such evidence, as by the consti
tation and law named in the said act of Con
gress, is competent and pertinent to the consid
eration of the subject; that the before-mentioned
electors have been lawfully appointed electors of
the I'resident and Vice President of the United
States fbr the term beginning March 4, 1877 of
the State of Loub4iana, and that they qualified as
such at the time and in the manner provided for
by the constitution of the United States.
The Commission thus, by a majority of votes,
decided and does hereby decide, that it is not
competent, under the constitution and law, as i,
existed at the date of the Passage of the said act,
to go into evidence outside of the papers openled
by the President of the Senate in tne presence of
the two houses, to prove that other persons than
those regularly certified to by the Governor of
the State, according to the determination of their
appointment by the Returning Otlicers for elec
trons in said State, prior to the time required for
the performance of their duties, hat been
appomnted electors or, by couunterproof, to show
that they had not or that the determination o'
said Returning Odflcers was not in accordance
with truth and fact.
lihe O.mmission, by a majority of votes, being
of the opinion that it is wituin the jurtadic iot
of the two houses of Congress assembled to
count the votes for President and Vice Presi
dent, and to enter upon 'trial of such questions
as might arise, and also being of toe opinion
that it is not competent to prove that any of said
persons so appointed electors as aforesaid herd
ffices of trust or profit under the United states
at the time when they were app.inted, or that
they were ineligib;o under laws of the State, or
any other mat:er ffere: to be proved concern
ing 3aid o roficates and papers.
thie ,ommltsion is also of the opinion, by a
majority of votes, that the returning officers of
el otion who canvassed the vot:e of the election
for electors in Louisiana were a la;fully consti
tuted body by v.rtue of a constitu iooal law, and
that a vacancy in said body did not vitiate its
Th Comission has also decided and does
htreby decide, by a majority of votes, and report
Sa consuemcseo upon the foregoig, and upon
the la nnl bam 4 t!dtt+at the papaer Prport
ro ofS~rD ~she erlseetl~ts o
tion of the United States, and that they ought
not to be eoented s poehb.
Done at Washington the day and year first
above written.
Bigned by: SAMUEL F. MILLER,
W, tSITtNG,
JO,8. P. BRADLEY,
GEO. F. EDMUNDA,
0. P. MUlTUlN,
F F. '. FRIELINtHUYSEN,
J. A. GAIRFIELi),
G. F. HOAR.
After the readin# of the decilsion, the Demo
oratic prote.t was entered. The Senato retired
and voted, 41 to 28, to sustain the decidion. The
House, without any action on the ilnesdon, took
ecess until to-morrow.
1 TlE PItEIDIENI'.
YIlls Views of the Loulilana aunl Mouth
lt Ci aroll a Co'azst.
Slie will l.eive l'Them to 1114 r'Mcessor to
|I l m~,,tr inho
WASHINOTON, Feb. 19.--In regard to
Louisiana, toe President will not under
take to decide tas betweenl Pakcard iniff
Nicholls unless he is compelled 10o do so
in consequen( O of siome oell Ideln(oll
stration against the peace. lie believes,
however that Packard's government,
could ornly be sustaiined by the presence
of troops and that, as there remained
but two weeks of his administration, lie
would hardly feel justifled in taking any
action, for his successor might not enter
tain the same views asbto the use of the
military in support of State authority ;
The President, in speaking of the po
litical status of South Carolina and
Louisiana. said that the cases were ex
tremely dissimilar, and could hadly be
treated under one general link of action.
In South Carolina the contest has as
sumed such a phase that the whole
army of the United States would be
inadequate to enforce the authority of
Gov. Chamberlain; that the people of
that State had resolved, not to resort to
violence, but adopted a mode of resist
ance much more formidable and effec
tive than armed demonstration. They
have refused to pay their State taxes,
and it would be useless to sell out their
property, as no one would buy it, and
unless Chamberlain could compel the
collection of taxes it would be utterly
useless for him to expect to maintain
his authority for any length of time.
This state of affairs must inevitably
result in the abandonment of all efforts
by Gov. Chamberlain to maintain him
self in the exercise of gubernatorial
functions of the state of South Uaro
lina.
------ -*** ------
COIC4-'RE$*.
The Objections to the Tribunal's Iecl
sion iln he Louisiana Case.
WAsHmNOTON, Feb. 19.-The House
met at 10 o'clock. At 11 the Senate en
tered and the decision of the commis
sion delivered. Gen. Gibson presented
a remonstrance signed by all the Dem
ocrats. It recites the proof proposed
by the Democratic counsel, and the
proceedings of the commission, with
full details.
The House will separate when the
reading is concluded. Further progress
of the count is improbable to-day.
THE OItEGON C'ASE.
The Democrats Prepared to Argue It
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-The Demo
cratic counsel have nearly completed
their preparations of the contest over
Oregon. They say they will win there
or utterly disgrace the commission.
IiOWI.'4r LOUISiANA COMIIITTEF.
It Will not Report Before tihe End of
ite Week.
WAsmNwoTON, Feb. 19.-Howe's Louis
iana committee, upon which the Repub
licans base their hope of Packard's
recognition, have work before it which
will occupy the week. Gov. Palmer, of
Illinois, will be summoned in connec
tion with Littlefleld and Vernon parish,
and Secretary Honoro and his papers
must be examined.
Fires.
JAMEsTOwN, N. Y., Feb. 19.-The Pres
byterian church on West Third street
wts burned last night. Loss $10,000.
HARTFORn, Ct., Feb. 19.-The store of
Loomis Bros. and HIillyer Hotel, in Gra
bury, burned yesterday. Loss--Loomis
Bros. $10,000, hotel $60,000.
A New Grand Vizier Appointed.
CONSTANTINOPLE, feob. 19. -- Edham
Pasha has been requested by the Sultan
to appoint another (lrand Vizier.
The dismissal of Edham Pasha seems
to be a fact, and Mahmoud Nedhim,
brother-in-law of the Sultan, became
Grand Vizier, with a policy aiming at
the abrogation of the constitution.
Edham Pasha will continue to assist
him, as the new Vizier is ignorant of
any foreign languages.
Russian Engineers Preparinf for War,
LoNDoN, Feb. 19.-It is stated that
8000 Russian Engineers are altering the
gauge of the Roumania roads to con
form with these of Russia. The work
will be completed in twenty days.
The Cervian Envoy at Constantinople.
. LonDoN, Feb. 19.--Christics, the 8er
vian Envoy, was honorably received at
Constantinople. Reported crisis is im
minent at COdnstantinople. A new
Grand Vizer has been appointed.
The Turkish Army on the Frontier In
creasin;x.
LoNDON, Feb. 19.-A Router dispatch
from Rutsehutt, Bulgaria, says: The
number of Turkish troops quartered in
villages along. tne Danube has in
creased from 60,000 on the 31st of Janu
ary to 75,000. The garrison or Rutschutt
numbers 120,000.
The Next Pope.
LONDON, Feb. 19.--Avic:es from Rome
say it, has been concluded thrat the new
Pope m'iy be elected without regard to
nationality.
Washlngtoi's Ai nniversary.
Company A of the Continental Guards
will celebrate becomingly the anniver
sary of Geor.ge Washington by parading
through our principal streets on
Thursday, February 22, After the
parade they will entertain their friends
at a grand bail at St. Patrick's Hall.
The route of the procession will be as
fellows; From the armory to Poydras
street, to St. Charles, to Canal, to C~am
part, to E lana4, to Bonel, to Du
10Ktjanc ~
A IlEICtHlANI'S VIEWS.
Philosophical Analysis of the Political Sit
nation by John Bl. Lalltte, Esq.
Editor Democrat-If, in your opinion,
any good can be accomplished by the
publication of the accompanying com
mnnication, written by one who has de
voted forty years to mercantile pur
suits, only taking such part or interest
in political affairs as behooves every
American citizen; who never has been
and never expects to be an aspirant for
public office; who counts among his
best friends many members of the Re
publican party; who has experienced
sufficient of both prosperity and
of adversity to be no longer
elated by the one nor depressed by
the other; who has reached a time
of lifoe when the fires of personal ambi
tion burn dimrly, and the passions wait
upon judgment; who, entering upon the
decline of life, can view tihe nearer
approach of the final close without a
feeling of dread ; who lives less for him
self than for his children anAt his ohild
ten's chilrren: wholenl t.lhifLt Al firsat
duty now is to transmit to them unim
paired the preioous inheritance of freo
domn he received from his progenitors;
who loves his whole country with an
ardent love and Whose sole object is to
do what in his power lies to promote the
welfaro and prosperity of that country;
you are at liberty to publish it.
Truly yours, JNo. B. LAIITrT.
Tile Situation, and Our Duty to our
State and Country.
At no previous period of our history
has the political situation been more
critical, and it is painfully evident that
the very existence of rejpubllean institu
tions is seriously threatened. A slight
retrospect will show that the present
situation is the natural r of the de
fective elements of our m of gov
ernment, brought into to force by
f the late war between the States.
It is unnecessary to refer to the
causes that led to that war, except to
say that the lack of a proper under
Sstanding by each section, of the prin
ciples and fixed resolve of the other,
r was the main obstacle in the way of a
1 peaceful settlement of the difficulties
a that then existed, and a similar misun
' derstanding at the present time may lead
i to a similar result. At no time have
the actions of our political leaders been
y characterized by such purely partisan
a motives; therefore, it is eminently
- proper that the mercantile and other
1 non-political classes should exercise
all their influence to avert the dangers
that threaten us.
After the close of the war the control
of the government naturally remained
SIn the hands of the party that had car
ried on that struggle to a successful
termination. The then situation re
Squired that those in charge of the gov
ernment should have been imbued with
the purest patriotism and endowed with
statesmanship of the highest order,
which alone could have restored real
peace to our suffering country.
Unfortunately the assassination of
President Lincoln removed from the
chief magistracy the only man who
could, at that time, have restrained the
passions of his subordinates, and real
ized what he often declared to be his
sole ambition, to wit, to be the P'resl
(lent of the whole country. By that de
claration he surely meant that his am
I bition was to be the President of a
r united people.
3 At Mr. Lincoln's death the chief mag
istracy passed into the hands of a man
distrusted by the victorious section,
I owing to his being of Southern birth,
and despised by the other section for
what they deemed his treason to his
Sown State. The strifeo:which had ter
s minated in the field was renewed in the
i halls of Congress, and from that day to
t this the dominant party has striven to
retain power by stimulating and per
Spetuatlng sectional animosity by every
s species of falsehood and villfication.
A remorseless band of plunderers was
turned loose upon the South to prey
upon an impoverished people and con
sume the small remnant of their former
wealth. Not daring to treat the South
ern States openly and avowedly as con
quered provinces, and ignoring the self
evident proposition that under our sys
tem States can only exist as co-equals,
they endeavored to exercise over them
a despotic rule under the forms of re
publican State governments.
Such a policy could lead to but one
I result, the consolidation of the South
ern States as a unit against the party
s that oppressed them, and this has, un
Sfortunately, given to the late presiden
e tial eleetion much of the character of a
t sectional struggle. The result of that
election shows a solid Southern elec
t toral vote in favor of the opposition
f candidate, with a sufficient number of
other States tesocure his election.
History teaches us that a party corn
t ing into power under such circum
3 stances as placed our government in the
- hands of the Republican party, and
n maintained in power for so long a period
and by such measures as they have re
Ssorted to, has seldom, if ever, been dis
placed without a bloody revolution. To
t every intelligent and unbiased mind it
Smust be evilent that Mr. Tilden was
· fairly elected President, and the action
of the Republican pairy leaders would
seem to indicate l hat such was also their
conviction. To defe;it the poPl)Ular will,
and retain the control of the gover:n
Sment, they discardld the method of as
e certaining the result of the election pre
" scribed by the constitution, and, profit
ing by the timidity of their otoonents,
have enacted the now famous Electoral
Law
It is dificult to say what phase this
qluestion may present at the time this
article may appear in print, but at the
hour of writing, eithvr one of four re
sults may ho rehched. First, the elec
tioa of Mr. Tildeti, which would re
store peaco and cnifiience, and, as a
natural sequence, prosperity to our
suffering count ry.
Secoonlly. the election of Mr. Hayoe.
Tllis would b,' lwda-trousi to the
commercial and fl:anc al interests
of tihe country, and would event
uate in civil war, or the overthrow
of Retpublican institutens. Not only
the Democrats, but tena of thousands of
honest Republicans, would feel that
the seating of Mr. Hayes was the re
suit of fraud, and his administra
tion_ w ld-- fail t -o t-) command
the respect and suppert Ot
Y who sustained him at the
A government .Wk.io
of offiee is tainted by fraud Would, of
necessity, seek to strengthen and per
petuate its power by every weans at its
command. Constitutional festrietions
would weigh as naught against political
expediency and party necessity. One
by one the barriers would be broken
down and before the expiration of its
four years' term of office our govern
ment would have assumed the charac
ter of an irresponsible despotism. Our
Northern and Western fellow-oltitens
may deem this the exhalation of a fe
vered brain, or the rhodomantade of a
disappointed croaker, but the people of
Louisiana know, by bitter experience,
that slch may reasonably be ex
peoted to result from the seat
ng of Mr. Hayes. History constantly
repeats itself, and the condition of
Loutsiana to-day will be the condition
of the whole country four years hence
unless the inevitable despotism should
be successfully resisted by force of
arms. It must not be supposed that
this would be an easy task. The ad
ministration would strengthen Itself by
multiplying offices; peculation and ve
nality would extend their baneful in
fluenee, and thousands of sturdy re
cruits woudtt look 1_ -Ats eniport
from both political parties. We
cin correctly forecast the conrition
of the Unitel States four yearn
hence by comparison with the
Spectacle presente I by Loulsiaena to
day. Here thbo honest and intelligent
tmen of all the old parties, whether
Whigs, Democrats, Republilcans, Know
Nothings, or Roman Catholics, are
leagued against the officeholders, back
ed by the ignorant and deluded masses,
Then you will lind the honest and in
telligent men of both parties opposing
the usurpation anti confronting the
venal and ignorant of all parties. It
must not be supposed that this is in
tended to reflect upon the character of
Mr. Hayes as he stands to-day. He
may be, and, probably is, an honest
man, a liberty-loving and law-abiding
citizen, but the very necessities of his
position will force him to adopt this
course, regardless of his better in
stincts.
Thirdly, the election may be thrown
into the House of Representatives, se
curing the election of Mr. Tilden as
President and Mr. Wheeler as Vice
President. This seems more improba
ble than either of the two first, though
it may be adopted under the misnomer
of a compromise.
Fourthly, no decision being arrived
at by the 4th of March, a new eleetion
would be held. This would involve the
whole country in fresh strife, business
would be paralyzed, and no man can
foretell what would be the result.
The electoral bill was offered and ao
cepted as a compromise to secure the
peoacefal solution of a vexed and dan
gerous question. Like all compromises
of principle, and all actions outside of
the organic law of the I4nd, it may
prove to be the reverse, and lead us to
results that make one sick at heart to
contemplate. A wise statesmanship
may yet avert the threatened danger,
but every true lover of his country
should calmly but resolutely review
the situation in all of its bearings, lest,
lulled by a false sense of security, we
may drift upon the rocks that now
threaten the ship of State.
Such being the situation of our na
tional affairs, what is our duty ?
No eitizen of Louisiana of ordinary
intelligence doubts the fact that the
vote of this State was honestly cast at
the polls for Tilden and Hendricks;
that result has been certified to by John
McEnery, the lawful Governor of the
State. A similar certificate has
been issued by the usurping,
but de facto, Governor, William
P. Kellogg, to the Hayes and Wheeler
electors. The solution of the question
as to which set of electors shall cast the
vote rests with the Congress of the
United States, and our only duty now is
to uphold the right by our moral force.
Here our duty, so far as concerns this
national question, ends. Should Mr.
Hayes be declared elected and be in
stalled in bhe presidential chair, it will
be our duty to accord to him the same
obedience as we would yield to the can
rlitlntl nr nnr nholon.
Sdidate of our choice.
The situation as regards our own 1
State, and our duty to our State, re- 1
mains to be considered; the paramount
importance of that subject, and the
length this paper has already attaided, E
renders it necessary to devote to it a
separate article; but, as the air is i
already tainted with reports from 1
Washington of another compromise, a
word of warning cannot be deferred.
Compromifes have led us to our pres
ent deplorable condition, and how can
any citizen of Louisiana, worthy to
bear the proud title of American citizen,
consent to any more bargaining away
of our lights ? Imagine, if you can, the
t effects that must flow from a cempre
mise engineered by William P. Kel
logg, the usurping monster that has
fed upon the vitals of the State and
trampled upon your dearest rights for
four long years, and who now de
nounces you as a band of assassins,
whilst, in his own person, he fur
nishes a living proof of his
own mendacity. Far better that
every man, woman and child within the
borders of our State should seek shelter
under the branches of the fatal Upas
tree and wake up in eternity than
listen to any offers of compromise. The
time has arrived when you must staid
ready to maintain your rights at all
hazards, or, forfeiting your title as
American freemen, consent to be hence
forth the willing slaves of your oppres
sors. Jio. B. LAI'rTE.
.. -- -- - pa- -
Tihe nter-Oceanic Ship Canal.
[ pecisl to Cincinnati Commercial.)
WAsaIN.TON, Feb. 16.-Signor Adan
Cardenas, Special Commissioner of the
Nicaraguan Government, has aban
. doned all hopes of a successful consum
mation of the Inter-Oceanic Canal
r Treaty, and will start for New York in a
few days, and will take a steamer early
next month for Aspinwall. He has been
3 at Washington tour months, without
* being able to secure a final and success
ful conclusion to his important mission.
r Notwithstanding the interest of the
President in the successful inauguration
f of this great project, constant delays
t there delayed the negotiation, the prin
- cipal plea at the De artment of State
- being that the politeal situation ab
i sorbdi everytb g -
LEVEES.
Report ,f te M House Committee on
Lands and Levees.
A Propeoal to Pay and Do Away with
the Louisiana Levee Company.
The following report was submitted
by the Committee on Lands and Levees
in the House yesterday, and received by
that body:
booMs OF COMMITTEE ON
LANDS AND LEVEEs,
Odd Fellows' Hall, Feb. 19, 1877.
To thle floorableo peaker and Memb -re of the
II!oteo of 1.6 ,preseoIativYes:
C(Gentlener--In obedience to a resolu
tion of your honorable body, of date
January 11, to us directed, and in con
formity with the requirements of law
your Committee on Public Lauds and
Levees beg to inform your honorable
body that they have examined the
affaire of the Ioulstana, Levee Com
pany, and ask leave to submit our fol
lowing report, to wit:
First-Tho Inoisiana Levee Company
i coi - 3` ?'s L c raio-n rgan4ize und__a ec-r the
general laws of the State, by notarlal
I act, passed on the 11 th day of February,
1871, before Chas. Covillior, a notary
public of the city of New Orrle-ns, and
duly recorded in the ofoice of R.,oorder
of Mortgages of the parish of Orleans,
in book t, folios 247, 248 and 249, on the
same (lay.
Second-- That a contract for the con
structiou, control and maintenance of
all the levees in the State was entered
into by Act No. 4 of the Legislature of
1871, between the State of Louislana
and the Louisiana Levee Company, the
t State being represented by the Jover.
nor thereof, and the company by its
proper officers. Said Act No. 4 was ap
proved Feb. 20, 1871, and the contract
entered into therein was ratified by Act
I No. 27 of the same year, approved Feb.
§ 28, 1871, said acts having been subse
5 quently amended by Act No. 43, ap°
proved March 8, 1873.
Third-The terms of this contract, in
I brief, were: That the Louisiana tevee
" Company agreed to build and maintain
a all the levees in the State of Louisiana,
or in the State of Arkansas, when
necessary to protect lands in Louisiana
1 from overflow (the co at of the said
r State of Arkansas bein gltained there
to), upon the banks of flMississlppi
1 river and its tributaries, for a period of
t twenty-one years from Feb. 28, 1871
E The work was to be done under and
B according to the direction of the Board
I of Engineers-one appointed by the
State at a salary of $6000 per annum,
one by the Levee Company, and one
3 by the United States-and no work
was to be required or permitted except
such as was authorized and ordered by
the said Board of Engineers. All work
completed by the Levee Company was
to be examined monthly by a cotn
mission of persons," one of whom was
to be appointed by the Governor, one
by the Board of Directors of the com
pzany, and one by the President of the
United States, and, in company with,
the Chief Engineer they were to make
estimates of work done and certify the
same to the company. Of these persons
the one appointed by the Governor and
the one appointed by the President of
the United States were to receive salaries
of $6000 each per annum. For all work
' done and received as above, the State of
t Louisiana was to pay at the rate of sixty
cents per cubic yard, and, after October
1 1, 1873, the price was reduced to fifty
cents per cubio yard; and for this pur
e pose a tax of four mills up to and in
cluding the year 1878, and of three mills
since that day for levee construction,
r and a tax of one-half of one mill for
I levee repairs was levied upon all the
B property of the State.
Fourth--The original charter memon
bere of the Louisiana Levee Company
were persons who were not identified
I with the Interests of the State, and their
object seems to have been one of spec
ulation simply. These persons, under
I their charter and contract, issued and
placed upon the market one million
dollars in stook, and after pocketing
the proceeds of the stock, their connec
I tion with the company seems to have
nnn o s
The stock thus thrown upon the mar
ket was bought up by the present hold
ers, who are for the most part gentle
men largely interested'in the mainten
ance of levees in the State, and a cash
subscription was at once raised amount
ing to $40,000, and with this sum work
was begun.
Fifth-A oareful examination of the
books of the company and comparison
therewith, of the reports of the Cos.
missions of Engineers and "persons,"
shows the total amount of work done
by the company up to February 1, 1877,
as follows, to wit:
8,586,060 cabi yards completed pre
vious to October 1, 1873, at, 60
cents ................ ....t2,151,688 00
3,09),699 cable yards comleted
since October 1, 1878, at 60 eents. 1,545,299 50
Repairs on levee. as ordered by En
gineers to February 1, 1876....... 99,846 74
Total amount earned........ $3,796,782 24
To which should be added:
.50,0J0 cubic yards now under con
tract for 1877, at 50 cents......... $175,000 00
400,000 cubic yards now under con
tract for 1878 at 50............... 200.000 00
Maki-g total amount earned by the
company..................14,171,782 24
The amounts paid the company by the State are
as follews, to wit:
During the year 1872.............. 400,00000
During the year 1873 ........... . M9,20 00
During the year 1874 .............. 44,200 00
During the year 1876.............. 669,80000
During the year 1876.............. 33,00 00
During the year 1877...... ....... 23,0W0 00
$2,299,250 00
Leaving the balance due the com
pany........ .................... $1,872,53 24
Or, if we consider the taxes due in
1877 and 1878, not yet paid in, will cancel
$750,000 of the amount, we find that the
indebtedness of the State at the end of
two years will be nearly $1,100,000 if no
new levee work should be ordered.
Or, if we eliminate from the problem
all work predicated upon taxes not yet
due, we have- O
3,586,000 able October 1,
1873, a. .:2, ............ ,151,68 00
2,840,699 `aobiE yardl to Ootober 1,
1876, at 0 cents...... ....... 1,20.20980
Total.
Amount pa id by.- 2 50 000P
77ji -V·