Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1844-02-03

iaHt CUH4lHiLt1Rt ~ Ihn "A auCupRslb WHICH e&-
hiblted an unerrinE criterion Of The aealthful-
ness Of Baton ItUnge. 1T was a comparative
statement given In The aD1aal report Of the
directors and warden Of tIte State Penitehtta-
nv, IN Ohio, and established the relative iatil-
ity il twelve Of those institutions in the Uni
tad States; including those a Baiop Rouge.
During the last year, the only year thtt any
ihfng approaching to an epidemic has, within
bis recollection; prevailed In tIfat town 1t
would be seen from this statement that the
unhealthy town Of Baton Rouge as II has been
represented, stands tho fourth upon the list
With regard to health lie would read thts
document as satisfactory fHfilation Of what
has been urged gs d fatal objection to Baton
konge. .us ..D.#aH.
The Number OF deaths 10 the institutions re-
iarred to as fellows :-PenlGentiary in Gun.
necticuf, | in ~: ut Long Leland, N. Y, | il
81; Ambay, ~. VI, ! IN. 45: Baltimore Md,
/ il. %; Ne@ JefaeYs | IN ~; District Of Col
umbia. I IN D.; penasYlfanla, at pbtladel ptia,
! 10 II; bnuiaiana, / in 81; Kentucky, at
Frankfort, | in b3; Virginia, | IN 10, Illinois,
IN Is; Georgia, il 3t. .
The report Of the physicians ofour peni. EN-
tiary last year, further ehOwed, that out Of 200
c~onviets, which was the aggregate nunbers
J oaly tive died during the most fatal season
known in Baton Rouge, two Of whom died Of
consumption and the remaining three of The
diseases lucIdeut to our Cllngts. This state
lament lneoutrayerIibly exhibits that while the
deaths in the PeHitenIiary NJ Phllada lphia
were In the ratio uf | in IL; Baltimore ] iD23
and IN Kentuckv / IN So, tue morality at the
| penitentiafy ia Baton Rouge was only l III 55!
Aud this loo, at season when We are told
that deease aud death were passing over Bl-
H. 81 Ff.tt..J.- l. T1L-tt-.tt--.. H..
would have had its full share ofthe pestilence
ifit had existed 70 any exlont, Thus is dis
! missed aud Is, silenced the argument Of the
untealthfuiness and insalubrity of Baton
Ronge, which should deprive il Of the seat Of
government a. @
With regard to another one Of the argu-
menta of The Senator FROM Orleans, that A
sfesotution had passed, fixing the adjournment
Of The Legislature for tile 25th Of February,
and which that Senator had cited "a EXHIBIT
inp a disposition to forward with alldne expe-
/ dHion, the public buatness, he (Alr. b had
one. remark 10 mabe. lie recnilected distinct
ly last year presenting q similar resolution at
the commencement of the month Of February,
fixing The adjournment for the end Of that
month, giving one mnnth3' notice. What be-
came Of that resolution Why IL was taken
to the House of Representatives, where it re-.
mained until within a few days Of the Sub Of
April, when it was taken up aud passed. And
what was done during the session To render
il necessary to procrastiuate tho period for
adjournment to pinaty-fre Jays! He recol
1ectod nothing that could have prevented the
Legislature from doing all their business ~
half the time.
There could be no doubt that il the Legis.
iatufe meet 10 the country making every al
! l0wance for waste time, that the public bust
: nees. would be prosecuted with greater vigori
and that more anxiety won ID be felt to short
Il en- the sessions. Here, then, was an all-pow.
: erful argument in favor of economy and we
! should not at this moment be insonsible TO il
dictates.
But it had been urged that the transfer o
the Government would entail expenses, and
+, that we should be- forestalling the action O
, the Convention were we to take any measures
! upon the subject. Now this he considered L
: be- no solid objection. II the Convention ac
: ted, why Of course the law would have no ef
|. feet and if any conflict was apprehended !
! could easily be provided in the present bill
!. that the law would o1ly take. effect in cast
: tho Convention did not FIX a place for the sea
, of governmanl; and that it would only be il
: force after the meeting Or the Convention
. The provision in the bill was not imperative
! and If It was so considered it was open t. b
: amended.
He would earnestly implore his colleagues
J az good patriots TO provide for the removal Q
The seat of government; If the period fixed b.
: considered too short for that removal, eXtent
= it TO one, two, or three years, and we shaI
7 have the pleasure ofbolding a few more ses
y sions in New Orleans; but do not let us ad
: journ without fixing a definite period for tht
: transfer of The government, where the public
business will not be retarded aud procrastina
+. ted to SO great a degree.
y We have been told, said Mr.. Bernard, that
the sources Of information are more extensive
in the city than in the country, and that if w
= quit the city we shall he at a loss to resolve
many important questions which are here cas-,
Z of solutions; and thus our legislation will b.
, less iudicious.-Now, in all candor, he would
! ask these gentlemen who gravely put thi'
y forth as an argument, how is THAT the Leg
7 i~sIatures of New York, Pennsylvania, and il
u fact nearly all the States Of the Union tina
meet in the interior towns 60 on? Is thei
: legislation less perfect than ours ! are thel
y laws worse? How do they obtain the neces
sary information 10 legIslate wisely! w
: can certainly have all The sources Of informa
: ton which books can give. We have a goo'
! State Library, and we can have as ready &C
cess to all other means Of Information tina
! may be deemed essential in the decision D
2 public questions. But the truth is, this is al
J, old and hacknipd obiection-he had heard
2 from time immemorial--eyer since he coul,
= r~ecoilect.
: 1t is true that the. citizens of the countr,
are not so refined as those of the city-thei
q manners are coarser, bat for TIE purpose o
= making good and wholesome laws the %countr,
was not more deficient 10 any essential thai
e the CITY. There would be fewer laws passe,
7 il the country than in the city; but so far from
E regarding that as a disadvantage, lie woul
consider it to be a blessing. We were cur
y sed with too much le glslation, and he echoed
t but the sentiments Of the people when he de
sired that prolific evil to be arrested.
. 1t could not be doubted thai, the member
4 of the Legislature were elected in reference
solely to the services whidh they undertook
2 to render to their constituents, and that the,
q were not chosen to come to New Orleans 4
attend to their private business. II would
hereafter, he doubted not, be made a test ques
! ton, and no man would be sent to the legis
Iature wLo did not accept the charge express
" and exclusively for The benefit of his con
stituents. For himself, he here publicl
n made the pledge that he never would vote fo
any man who would not strictly attend to tn
public duties that were confided to his care
& A neglect of those duties IN favor ofone's p~i
vate vocations might heretofore have been en-
tertaiued, but the day for that had now passe
u bv,