Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1858-02-10
Ehe Road and .1evee. 1aws.


The Road and JIevee, Laws.
If there is one particular province connected
with the duties of d country editor or news
paper; it is that one which requires that he
should pay due attention to all subjects of a
parochiaf character, alike important to and bear.
Ing upon, the interests of the inhabitants Of
The parish, in their individual capacity, as upon
the parish in its public character, as represented
by the Police jury. j2s.
81 Putting, or attempting TO put, ouFseIf, then,
in the position which we thus allude to, we
beg leave to suggest to our p%arochial authori~
'(ies-to the honored and respected members Of
our Police Jury--that there may possibly be
some errors that require correcting, which at
present; exist in ouE. Road and Levee Laws,
and that a revision of those laws be had, and
such corrections made of errors which have
come to light III The trial of those who were
presented BY TIE Grand Jury for non~fulflment
Of the duties assigned them by the Road and
Leyee Commissioners.
There is something evidently wrong in an
ordinance which, at each term of the Court,
causes a number of our best citizens, who are
known for their respect for the laws, to be
brought up upon a criminal prosecution.
One of the parties indicted at the last term
of Court, averred that he was not aware that
anything was the matter with his levee he
thought it was a 9 good one-as good as any
levee but the FIRST thing Ire knew, there was
a warrant against him for not attending to his
leyee as advertised. He was never Informed
of what particular spot required repairing
didn't know of any spot that did require it, and
din't believe that he ought to be forced to take
tie paper in which such an advertisement oc-
CURED, and to be. punished for not happening.
to read it. Theseear however debatable points
of public policy. atl g.aa5aaa u
I 1t seemsto us that the commissioner should
be required to- Uniform the proprietor himself in
writing If he resides iii the parish, what work
is required of him to do, and that, in the per-
foarmiancei Of This work, If the said proprietor
ome as nearthe performance of i, as TO have
a safe leyee and a good road, the requirements
Of the law are fulfilled.
Iawssare made not to annoy and punish
but for their benefit and protection.
There is no doubt ia our mind that many a
good road and good levee is made, that does
happen to come up exactly tothe directions
of the ordinance. In such cases, if a commis~
siouer should have an iIl-feeling against the
proprietor of land in front of such road or
he has it in his power TO persecute him,
when, were he his friend, such commissioner
conceive that his work had been as prop
erly done as the ordinance. required. We do
not say that there has been such a case, but we
mean there is room for it, when too nice a CONS
pIiance with the law is req uired.
On Grand River, if what we learn is true
districts Of land are suffered 10 remain
without a road or leyee, while others are COM
PEELED to make them. On a stream like that,
a levee or road is of little use, unless it is a
continuance one. One gentleman informed as
that he went to an expense of near three hun"
bred dollars a year or two ago, under the levee
ordinance, to build a Ievee in front Of his little
patch Of land on the above stream, while all
him has been suffered 10 go without any.
What good did his levee do TO anybody? This
year he refused to make a road unless there
was a general order to all to do so who owned
land below and above him, and the consequence
was that he was condemned to pay a ine of
one hundred dollars. while others. he said, were
allowed 10 60 ascot free" How is this? We
trust we have said enough, to induce our en-
lightened and public spirited Police Jury, to
at least take the above subject into their serious
consideration, and TO make such improvement
or alteration in the Road and Levee Laws, as
will cause our roads and levees to be properly
kept up, without the bringing up and furnishing
at each term Of the Court, a large number of
most useful and respected citizens.
PROBABLE SCARCITY OF IcE.-The ice dea~
lers Of Philadelphia are seriously alarmed
about the present condition Of the weather.
the rivers and their tributaries are as free