The Weekly comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1853-1855, 1855-07-15
| OuARANT,ss MArrrHs.-We have

| QUARANTINE MATTERS. We have
said very little in reference to Quar-
antine matters, during the war. Now
that it is about to draw to u close, it
is a duty incumbent upon us---to be
heard and tcit, on this interesting sub
ject;. 1t looks like madness for one
man to raise himself the full measure
of his stature, without boots. and con-
front the worlds PRACTICE for the past
ten centuries, and declare it wrong
but nothing is to be lost, when there 5
nothing to loose, aud as our reputa
ton for foresight and wisdom does NC
run very high, we feel an indepen.
dence that flakes us bold to declare
all Quarantine Laws, "barbarism, be-
longing to tbSs dark ages; imperative
absurdities that should be sent down
to the shades, to keep company with
similar things that have become obso-
lete with age. The three several
counts upon which we base our opiu.
ion are as follows : First, the expense
direct and indirect. Second the in
jury done commerce. Third, th
confict-direct with Christian prin-
cipss, and Fourth, Pc absolute ten.
de"cy the law has to increase instead
Of diminish the disease. Owe presume
there is no man who eau honestly
claim that cholera, is contagious and
ycllow fever is only so, through
fright, which Quarantine regulations,
has more to @' 9th, than anything
else. We look to the following para
graph from the Picgyune of the 10th
inst, as-in its narration of facts
striking death blow to Quarantine
this seasSn: ......
The Prometheus came up to the city
on Sunday evening, after detention
Of nearly two days at the quarantine
ground. 1t is stated that she vas re.
leased on an order from Gov. Hebcr
Possibly the Gov rnor may have adj
vised the Board OF Health to revise
their own proceedings and permit the
vessel to come up without distraction
since the recent very clear demon
STATIONS that there was no lawful
right TO stop her at all. But the Go
vernon has no authority to interfere
with or suspend the term of quaran-
tine for any vessel His functious UNI
der the law arc confined to the issu-
ing Of a proclamation, at the instance
Of the Board of Health, designating
which places are to be considered +" in.
fected. (" The Board may then fix
Lhe number Of days for whicl, quar-
antine shall be required Of vessels
coming from the infected place, which
The law says shall not be less than ten
lays. II there were any lawful pow
d. to detain this vessel at all, there is
none to reduce the term Of detention
70 less than ten days. It she came
from place lawfully declared to be
infected, . she must stay ten days,
md the only grounds upon which she
could be permitted to come up. is that
she was not lawfully subjected to
quarantine at first, and that the Go
vernon and the Board of Health have
found out the mlstnkc. The release
3f the Prometheus is accordingly n
very favorable indication of change
IF views in these particulars, and for
ell the revocation of the existing proc
amation, aud the suspension Of all the
proceedings and practices under it.
The great saving in the consump-
ion Of fuel between the coal and
wood burning locomotives, is causing
he former to be introduced very rap
oily upon the various lines Of railroad
,ravel. At Taunton, Mass. new
'oal burning locomotive was tried last
ae4k and was found to consume SIS
30 of coal. under circumstances