The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-22
STATE IssUEs,-Federal politics have of Ia

! our own State From the filing of deput
. postmastership to the office Of an attorney
+ general, the only question asked, is, whethe
: the candidate is true to the federal adminstrf
ton Equally -pervading is the inhuenc
: of national questions, when State legislator
and State offices are to be chosen. The cue
f taken from Washington city, instead of on
citizens looking at home for reasons to Cover
the popular choice. "A species Of centraliza
ton is thus virtually effected, and home inter
ests suffer from sheer neglect
J, State issues should be predominant in ever
State canvass. The people need only light
the management of State matters. The on
question is how can we best subserve the inter
ests Of Louisiana in our choice of men to f
State offices. Every other subject should b
entirely subordinate. There is sound phloso
! ply as we'll as practical sense in this. Let tn
Legislature of the State BIZ such as will promote
its peculiar interests and add to its prosperity
and, the whole Union will feel the beneficial
results Nor can it be expected, if we do no
in our local elections act tor ourselves, that an,
other State, or the whole Union will do wha
we neglect.
There is one interest quite as important a!
any other in Louisiana; to which we woule
particularly call the attention of the reader
We allude to the agricultural interest Of the
State. For dignity and value it excels all 9th
ers. The commerce of the commonwealth is
| dependent it. The wealth of the people
is invested in this species of industry. And
what has the legislature ever done to foster and
cherish it? Has it ever taken the trouble tc
collect statistics in regard to it? or.adopted any
means to add to our great staples, or to i'm
prove modes Of cultivation? Has it done any
thing tending to give more value by improving
the quality Of stock? or in any way acted 50
as to give the impression that agriculture is a
leading pursuit Of our people? We can en-
phalicaly answer, mol Absorbed in federal
politics, a great portion Of each session, must,
of course, be devoted to the consideration of
the state OF the Union; windy discussion must
be heard in regard to Cuba, or some other re-
glon, and abstract resolves adopted which new
err become the foundations of any practical ac-
ton. These things might not be amiss if the
great interests of the State were not neglect
ed-if practical matters concerning every plan
ter in the State did not give place to theoreti.
cal questions whose only object was to endorse
some national party or to provide a ralying cry
for the next federal election.
Each year. in the appointment of commit
tees, an agricultural committee has been ap-
pointed, and the session has passed by without
report OF any inquiry on the subject of agri-
culture. Agriculture in other States has now
become subject of permanent Importance
The establishment Of effective agricultural so.
cieties in almost all the States of the Union is
in great measure due to legislative reports
and encouragement in the way of premiums
and the influence of such societies upon the pro-
1uction of the country is beginning to be felt
BY increased harvests, better modes of tillage, |
he introduction of new plants, and the increase
If the resources Of the farm, forest and mine.
Ii is time to attempt reform on this SUBJ
ect. The relations of our State to the Union |
tself demands that we should begin to look to
he higher development of our means of wealth.
Gould the citizens of Louisiana for a time for
ret the exciting subject of: Kansas and escape
he vexations of the eternal question of slave
y; could its Legislative assembly forget that
here was such city as Washington, or COM
ne presidential election; could politicians who
make issues to acquire power by the fever of
he public mind be thrown overheard, and
ubc attention be directed to measures for the
xtension of the culture Of cane and the i'm
rovement OF the tlllage of cotton-the in
rease IN the value and quantity OF grains and
'ults and the Improvement of stock-a change
ould be produced which would astonish the
onest planters who have regarded politics as
lie natural element of legislation TCreole.
''lon," the Washington correspondent of the
altmore Sun, thus writes on the 9Th:
The intelligence to which I referred in my
st of the declared policy Of the British gov
'nment to acquire no more territory on or near
lis continent, is fully confirmed 1t is the
ost important declaration. in connection with
II relations with Great Britain, that has ever
cen made, and one that will 90 far to promote
e amcabe adjustment Of such questions as
e now pending between the two governments,
relation to Central America. The disclaim-
OF an intention to acquire any additional ter
ory in this hemisphere is. however accompa- i
ed with another declaration, that the govern
ent of Great Britain will not with her assent,
excluded from the free use of the interocean- {
communications which Central America af-
rds. 1t would be very bad policy on our ,
rt to attempt to engross these transits to the
clusion of other nations. And the United
ates, while endeavoring to induce China to
'andon her exclusive policy, will hardly I'M ;
rtake to adoptit for themselves. 1t was the a
m belief of the late gov. Marcy that Great {
ltaln was about to withdraw herself, in
eat measure, from the affairs of this continent,
d seek an enlarged domitiion in Asia The -,
cent declarations on the part Of the British !
velnment, to which / refer, goes to confirm
is view. f
WHAT DO THEY MEAN?-The Chicago Press, v
the Goth ult.. contains the following singular c
"When the agent of Mr.. SIidell n
ote him the other day that he could buy lands d
Missouri of equal fertility with those of Hi
is for about one-fourth the price of the latter, a
d warmly advised that the Missouri lands be u
zen, Mr.. Slldell replied, Buy in Illinois" l.
:. Toombs comes all the way from Georgia c.
buy lands in Minnesota and Wisconsin; COL L
Il Orr from South Carolina to purchase in P
VA and Nebraska; Mr.. Breckenridge from ?
ntucky to Superior City and the beautiful a
ster of islands in the lake of the same name, te
own as the Apostle Islands Mr., Douglas y
antlc speculasions are confined mainly to W
icago. 1t is only dav or two aoo that we a