The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-09-10

we may be pardoned by both political parties if
we point out to them the extreme Importance Of
selecting candidates Of ability and experience.
The fact that the next Legislature meets at
Baton Rouge will make it difficult for US to find
competent persons who win give up their business
IN the city and devote two months entirely to the
public welfare. Hitherto New Orleans has been
pretty well represented, because man could attend
to his legislative duties without at all negecting
his private affairs. But the next session, held as it
is in the depth of winter, when city business is
most urgent and pressing, will require our Orleans
delegates to 60 into the country at time when
their attention to private matters in town may be
most needed 1t becomes then very serious re-
quest to ask man engaged in active and lucrative
business to give up his own concerns for TWO
months; and hence the danger Is that we may be
obliged 10 eonfds our interests to those who, hav-
ing nothing else do, are glad to earn four dollars
day and mileage by taking up the avocation Of
Senator or Representative.
If there were not some very important measures
to be brought before the next Legislature, it might
not iniure US exceedingly to send to Baton Rouge
novices in legislation and men of shallow knowl-
edge and capacity. In ordinary sessions young
men, whose political information is confined to
vague generaliies, or mddle-aged gentlemen who
have no particular business of their own to attend
to may, under the guidance of few experienced
leaders, perform their legislative functions without
public disadvantage. The city of New Orleans
will, however, find it necessary to have at the CAPT.
tai next winter, not only men of capacity and
knowledge, but those also who are well skilled in
the management of men. Country preiudices and
sectional interests will have to be concilated in
order that the city Of New Orleans may have itg
prosperity, present and prospective, secured from
The foods and crevasses which annually threaten
us. Last springs experience has taught us that
our town requires some additional defence from the
incursions of the river And we think the subject
will be more proper for State than for municipal
action. Though the interests of New Orleans are
those chiefly involved in any measures which may
be taken for controlling the course of the river in
our neghborhood, still there are Others as anxious
as ourselves for protection. The neighboring
parish of Jefferson, with the growing town of
Lafayette, and the thriving villages beyond,
claim that they shall not be left to the tender
mercies of the Mississippi Besides this, one of the
most effective plans offered for the citys defence is
that of drawing OFF portion Of the rivers waters
into the lake some distance above. If this course
be considered the mosr secure and proper means Of
protecting New Orleans, it does not lie within the
sphere of municipal authority. The magnitude Of
the interests stake, The nature of the plans pro-
posed, the requirements of places beyond our parish
boundaries, all demand that the works for the
management of the Mississippi should be devised
and executed by the State rather than by the
parish or municipal authorities.
IT, then, this intensely important subject is to en-
gage the attention of the next Legislature, it be.
hooves us to send delegates to Baton Rouge who
are capable of something more than spoutng few
| fine phrases, or drinking any amount of brand,
| juleps and gin cocktails This swallowing sort O
hydraulic knowledge will hardly enable them t
| decide about the course and consequences of cur
rents, the strength Of materials, or the nature an
character of any plans for directing the waters Q
/ the Mississippi into other channels than they ma,
! chance to take. A man who talks prosily abou
" law and order, or rants incoherently about thu
"rghts of the people" may be very good in hi
way; but he is generally poor hand at the prac
teal details of legislation which require positive
knowledge and a capacity for applying knowledge
| to the concerns of the community.
There are other important measures besides tn
protection OF New Orleans to be brought before tn
! Legislature, involving great principles of govern
ment, and calling for some tact in the managemeI
of them, We, in common with the other either
Of Louisiana, are interested in having such met
sures as the election of judges by the people carrie
out and rendered practical. But the protection
New Orleans is Of more particular interest to on
selves. We are not anxious to have another Sauy
crevasse and another inundation of month Or 81
weeks. Therefore we hope our good citizens wi
exercise all their discretion in the Senators an
Representatives they may send to Baton Rouge.