Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-07-14

Courier. The importance of the subject matter of the communication cannot be over-estima. ted:
 The Mississippi and Outlets.
 The question simply is: How are we to re- claim the inundated lands of Louisiana? How are we to bring into safe cultivation those i'm mense swamps and low lands by far the most productive lands of the State? How are we to protect the upper parishes without ininring those lower down? And how are we to seeure the lower sertions without prejudice to the un- per? In word. what means must We adopt to protect and reclaim the S'ate at large without injury to any portion of if? This is the nrob- lem to be solved. Can it he accomplished hv levees? For local and temporary purposes le- wees will answer, but as forming a general and permanent system they are defective. Tn addi. ton to great and constant exnerse the oro- d'nl eleuation of tae bed of he riaer is tle ir. e1vfabte consequence of confnjng 'ts turbulent 'oaters betWeen leuees. This operation. of course increases he danger of inurdation. Experience has proved this wherever it has been applied. The most superficial observer must have no. ticed this effect upon the Mississippi river The characteristic danger of this operation is, that it is slow. almost inperceptillo in its pro- gress, hut certain and fatal in its effects The bed of the river is inallv raised to point where there is no remedy hut the demolition and de- struction of those very levees. constructed at so great cost and loss of time. General inunda. ton is of course the consequence: the waters resump the old or make new channels and the main body of the river returns 70 very near its eriqinal state, with the exception of it's bed, which remains elevated The situation nf the country is therefore way improved by the final resnlt on the contrary. we find the diff cnlfies of protection and draining greatly and permanently increased. To this state of things arc apnroarh;rg, qnl to the fatal conseunen- res are we rapi,llv bringirg oursete tes. if we per sist in leveeing the Mississippi, and at the same lime close it's nqtural outlets. There is no fancy in this. It is the inevitable result of existing causes T. is IS certain and true as that the waters of tho Mississippi contain matter to de. nosit. ard that these waters will seek their own level Can we fix upon better system? The question is easily answered if we consider the formation of the country through which the Mississippi flows.
 The upper strata of the Mississippi at high watar-hv which mean those above the lcvel of the lowest low lands on either sida-how apparently along the crest of ridge. (Here I do not, of course refer to the Mississippi in its whole depth, as must he evident to any ope
 hut plainly to the surplus waters-the inunda- fln% pnrtnn, which t is onr object 10 dispose of) | ihlS ridge bas two slopes or irclinatiors-one ln the direction of the general course of the rlvcr, and one at rieht angles to it Every one ls aware of this, Can we desire or meet with d case where the mode and means of drainage and protertion are so clearly rointed and so easy application? Take a similar case on a small scale upon the land of platter of or'li- 1 nary intelligence small bayou. subject to overflow during heavy rains runs throuoh his rian'ati0n: the land falls in the direction of and falls from the havon on both sides. How would he permanently protect the banks of this
 havor from innndation iwitlout an embark ment? Naturally by throwing the surplus wa
 fer upon the low gr0unas on either side throuoh ontlcts or canals leading from the bavou. In thls way the object is immedae and easily acconnplShed
 Now. suppose that, after increasing inc fa ciilties Of discharge of the stream itself at its
 mouth, we should along the lowest lne of the ! adjacent low grounds. which line will be nearly l parallel to the course of the stream. extend
 these Iateral ca"a'S to the lake or resevoir into l which he havou is discharged
 ls 1t not plain that in this manner the whole T. banks n i the lnvon completely srcured, and thp very ad. | iarnnt low grounds ard swamns. drained ard reclaimed. down 'o the lowest level of tho lalo l or gulf into which the waters ara discharged? i Is mt this almost self evident? Is it not rrac-
 ti"ahle, no matter bow immense the quantity of
 water to he disposed of?''
 < Clearly it is The 0nestion then becomes ono 1 If expense, not of truth Any country can be i drained any river brought within its banks and
 rodnced to its Led al highest food, no matter
 how extensive the one, ar how high the elnva-
 iion or great the quantity of water of the othor. 1 The very waters assist in this system hv wash { irg ont their own channels. In most ca-as f. would he sufficient to commence the wors .rl i leave the balance 10 be finished by tho vo ...., ' "f the water. Sn that water, row to ue m q L. menf of ap~trnction becomes the etror ros' d i most oirrtivc agent in th- system
 "Thjs k tho sv-tem to he applied t. -'... '-'-- eiSs'pni. A firmly arl l co, vincrl of l-
 'ic'hil;+v ard ncre-~fdl operation as am of inc
 'ruth "f the r'parp>4 mat eaati~a' demonstra 1 fi"r. Tho water rfn he TO lura4 fo resr tbp l 'evs' of the Ga'f of M .v'cn. and every foot of 1 land above hi ,h tilc h-orgbt ito safe and sno-
 oes4fni cultivation. Of t'.iS rherc ia not par ! ';"'e of 'ioul.. Stall we d. ;-? S'an we I adopt a-d vig,rou iv rro.pcnto aY enlarg"1 s,s- ! 'em calculated tn dcr"'"p. th"rsanafol1 ihe 1 YH~t resoor""s of 'hi< Seta. regardless of loca
 and plrticnlar i";e-o.is a~i rrav.eI hv the
 rac' i+rle of thc pr"ir~'? Nature has com
 nr"co1 thr work twill it he left nnfnished?-.
 Vnto,d millions ie corocal ,d in the ho,iS of our
 Swamrs shall we lay them bare? The world 1 offers n" countrv more srsrepiib'eof improve
 nc,t:rone where it k more needed; none where l if can b" accomplished at so little outlay: nnue
 where the result can be as grand aol as Neoef- i citl, ?. O. HEBERT.