Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-01-26
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
FeAow. Citizens of the Senate

Acknowledgements to the people for the high
trust which they confded to me and which |
am now about to surrender. 1t belongs to
them to decide whether their confidence, tem~
pered by the indulgence which is due to the
imperfections of human nature, has been en-.
tirely misplaced or undeserved. This only |
shall claim to say, that [ have endeavored to
discharge the duties which they imposed upon
me with an eye single to the advancement of
their best inteaests.
1t is with deep modification that / am COM
PEELED, by an imperative sense of duty, to call
your attention TO certain features Of the. poll
teal history Of our State during the passyear.
1t is almost needless for ne to say that | refer
to the scenes of intimidation, violence and
bloodshed which marked the late general cleo.
tions in the city of New Orleans. They are of
too recent occurrence, and too notorious, to re-
quire that | should describe them anew, end
display them before you in all their hideous de-
formity. In my humble opinion, the Legisla-
ture would disregard its plainest an most OBJ
vious duties to the honor of the State and of
our republican institutions, if it did not exert
its utmost powers to prevent the repetition of
outrages which tarnish our national character
and sink US to the level of the anarchical gov
ernments of Spanish America. The evil must
be crushed at once and before it has taken
root, by the most pointed and energetic means.
Before the late general elections, no one would
have admitted even the possibility that a blood
thirsty mob could have attempted TO Overawe
any portion of the people of this State, in
the exercise of their most valuable rights. But
what would then have been denied, even as
a possibility, is now an historical fact. These
crest public crimes were not only committed,
some in midday light and in the presence Of
hundreds of persons; but they have thus far
escaped punishment. The question is-ShaIl
a repetition of them take pIace?-which in
wolves the further queslion-If the corporation
of New Orleans is unable or unwilling to pro.
tect the citizens of the State, living within its
limits, in the exercise of thier political franz
chises, is it not The imperative duty of the
State to extend that protection? ] shall not
stop to inquire what class of our citizens has
suffered from these acts of violence. Their
effects reach beyond their immediate objects.
Crime is no distinguished of persons. The
assassin of a political opponent at the polls,
will soon become the assassin Of any other of
his feIlow-citizens. The bands of ~ruffians who
drove one class of our citizens from the ballots
box two months ago, may this year or the
next, deprive another class of their franchise,
if their interests or the interests of their en-
ployers should require it. | commit the en-
tire subject to your wisdom and patriotism, as
perhaps the most important in its nature and
general bearings which can engage your atten-
ton.
During the past simmer, our fellow~citizens,
in commo with those of several of our sis
ter States, were subjected to the desoIating or.
deal Of the yellow fever, originating in New
Orleans and spreading from there TO the most
remote parts of our territory. The system of
Quarantine established under the law passed
by the last Legislature, could not, it is clear,
affect in any manner, The course or spread of
the disease. But the question of its utility to
prevent the Introduction from abroad of that
or any other malignant and contagious epide-
mics, such as small pox, Chagres aud ship fever,
is BY no means determined by the experience
| Of the last year. The expenses of establishing
and organizing the system have already been
betrayed: it will remain for you to decide whe.
ther it should not be continued upon an
economical footing and with such notifications
as experience may have indicated and the free
dom of may require. Ny own
opinions of quarantine laws are well known;
but my suggestions to the Legislature upon
the subject were dictated by the desire to SUBJ
lect to actual experiment the views of a large
and intelligent class of our fellow citizens. IN
til this has been fairly applied, and during a
sufficient time to produce a general conviction
of the ineffciency and inexpedieney of the sys
tenn, it will perhaps be wisert to maintain it a
few years longer, than to run the risk, by too
hasty action, to'haVe to renew it.
Turning from the consideration of these un-
pleasant topics, am gratided to have it in my
power to state. that at the commencement Of
the term of Office of my distinguished success
scr and of your Legislative session, the condi-
ton Of the State is one in which the elements
of prosperity largely predominant. The great
works of lnternallmprovement undertaken du-
ring first year of my administration, have been
steadily advancing to completion, and have al
ready realized some of the advantages which
were expected of them. The New Orleans,
Jackson and Great Northern Railroad has been
pushed beyond the limits of the State. The
New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western
Railroad now unites Algiers with Tigerville,
over a distance of s~ixty~six miles. In two
months, at the most, it will meet tide water
navigation on Bayou Beuf, by which its use-
fulness and the so urces of its profits will be
considerably increased. | have no official in.
formation concerning the progress of the
Shreveport and VicksbuTg Railroad; but | am
assured that several sections of that line have
been placed under contract. and are being
vigorously prosecuted. When these main
trunks shall have been completed, it will be
easy to perfect, at comparatively small ex-
pense. the means of cheap and rapid intercom-
munication throughout the State, and to place
every portion of our territory in convenient
proximity to the capital and the metropolis.
The refusal of the last legisla ture to pass the
necessary appropriations for the swamp Land
Board left the Commissioners no other duties
during the past year than to complete the work
already contracted for or commenced. II is
not for me to inquire into the motives which
prompted the Legislature to adopt this course
of action. III the Administrators had forfaitad