Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-02-04
DECISION OF THE BALLOT-BOX.

DECISION OF THE BALLOT.BOX.
It appears, from all that WI can understand,
the Legislature will allow the decision of the
ballot-box on Crosse Tete to determine whe.
ther that section Of country shall continue to
belong as it ever has belonged, to Iberville; or
whether it shall become the property of West
Baton Rouge, claimed upon the clause Of an
old law, saying that Crosse Ttte shall remain
a portion of Iberville "until there is a good and
practicable road leading from Bayou Crosse
Ttte to the Mississippi, within a mile of the
Court House in West Baton Rouge'--but
does not say that in such case, Il shall erer be-
long 10 West Baton Rouge!
Although we are pleased that the people
themselves Of the disputed district will be al
lowed to settle the question, we cannot see up.
on what grounds any such favor slo'.ld be
shown West Baton Rouge as to allov. her the
privilege Of a vote being taken in our territory
to see if that territory is favoro.,le to coming
under her jurisdiction. That teri tory alluded
to has made no such petition to the Legisla.
ture: and where is that So ood and practicable
road'-that fimsy pref which West
Baton Rouge bases Ter right to such proceed
ings in her behalf? Much as we are friendly
to the Plank Rrad--to its speedy construction
to Its ORIG majors (for they are among our
best ~cltlzens) and to all works of the kind
yet 1t IL no. orious that that road is very far in
deed from being a "good and practicable road
SO far, indeed, that, if we are not misinform.
ed it is scarcely possible at present to travel
UPON it at all.
But, let the vote be taken-and if the inha.
btants of Bayou Crosse Tete conceive that it
will bette: their circumstances, and be more to
their advantage in every respect, to leave their
old parish, in which are the associations of
their youth-where their friends and relatives
reside--where the deeds to their property are
deposited, and the laws Of which they are con-
versant-if they, we repeat, under these and
many other considerations which we could of.
fer, are DESTROYS still of leaving old IberviIle,
why then, We must part with them, but it will
be parting with them in sorrow.
As far as any preferences or wishes that we
may have, as the editor of their parish paper
pledged in honor to vindicate the rights and up
hold the interests of the psrish, we are per-
fectly satisfied that the ballot box should de.
eide the question. We shall not pretend to
say what would be the result; but it seems to
US, with the advantages the citizens of the
Bayou have Undoubtedly known to al) by re.
naming in the parish, over those which would
accrue to them by voting to 60 to West Baton
Rouge, would make it a unanimous vote to
remain where they are. Unless their interests
are identified with Crosse Tete becoming a
portion Of West Baton Rouge-who, pecuni-
arily, socially or politically. will be benefited
by the ehange-what inducement can there be
for making it? On the contrary, nine-tenths
of the Inhabitants of the Bayou would be
worsted in every respect by seeding from h.
e~rvilie; and We cannot believe that they will
hesitate a moment as to the manner of casting
their votes.
Through this town and this parish the pro-
duce, &C., of Crosse Tets, as also that of the
M%afangouin, must find its way to the city for
a long length of time to come. Besides the
benefit of navigation from Plaquemine for
nearly forty miles up Bayou Crosse Tete, the
inhabitants have likewise the benefit of an ex.
cellent road, being built by the parish and now
nearly finished, which, being above the over
flow, can be travelled at all times-thus, by
land or water, affording egress from the most
distant plantations on the Bayou to this town
and the Mississippi, within the space of five or
six hours!
1t is the duty of every man who owns land
and who cultivates it for his support and pros.
perity In life, to do what he best can, not only
to secure but to advance its value-and in this
case, it is to be expected that the voters on
Crosse Tete will vote to remain or leave h.
e~rville, in accordance as it will favor the inter-
ests of their property. Let property holders
then on the Bayou ask themselves the question
viii it injure or advance the value of my
land by going to Baton Rouge, or will my tar-
es increase or decrease by the CHANGE This
is a plain and simple way to consider the ques-
ton.
Politically, the matter is unworthy Of con-
sideration. No man should be so
"Cabined, cribb'd, confined,
Bound down."
with political shackles as to lose sight of every
other interest in the inquiry, what would his
party gain or lose by Crosse Tete remaining