The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-20
+ For the Sonfb-W Western

impairment and ridiculous lecture to the citi-
zens ofShreveport. He accuses us of a marrow
contracted selfshness, OF grovelling sentiments
and Of mercenary and grossly nvidious spirit
of hostility to the citizens of Texas!" and all,
forsooth, because the State Of louisiana, in its
wisdom, has deemed itproper to attemptto re-
claim some twenty thousand acres of the best
cotton land in the world, which is occasionally
covered with sheet of water, yclept tsCross
Lake.
If the Republican editor is acquainted with
the Typographical features of the Lakes, has
ever examined a correct photographic chart of
them, or if he knows their relative low water
level, and the physical distractions to free
passage of water between them, his knowledge
of the natural laws which govern the motion Of
fluids should teach him, that If every drop Of
ecater bich foers into Cross Lake could be divert
ed through q subte7ranean channel into the Mezi-
can gulf it aoould not disturb the navigation be-
taceen Shreveport and Jefferson. Yet his con-
temptible denunciation of our people is based
upon the presumption that s'the object of
draining Cross Lake is the destruction of Lake
navigation The charge, to say the least Of
it, is gross libel, and is totally inconsistent
with the editors character of an upright and
honorable gentleman.
The spirit of hostility to Texas to which he
alludes exists alone in his own distempered i'm
aginatlon. We all here cherish the kindliest
feelings of friendship for our neighbors over the
line, and there lives not man, woman or
child in the city of Shreveport who would cast
a pebble in the way to impede their rapid rise
to the high destiny which awaits them.
CITIZEN
Shreveport, La, October Is, 1858.
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PAUPERIsM IN PHILADELPHIA.-We find in
the North American the following report of the
proceedings in the city council Of Philadelphia:
In support of a motion, Mr. Sterling said
that he had made calculation that flour at SIS
per barrel would be equivalent to one and three
quarters of barrel for each pauper per year.
Now, inasmuch as there are a great many sick,
and a large number of them children, he
thought this very extrayagant outlay for flour
much more than is customary in the ordinary
run of families.
Mr.. Potter had made a calculation that the
paupers only cost &c cents per week. Pending
the discussion, he said that the paupers ought
to be made to work, and. to prevent pauperism,
we should adopt a more extensive system of
popular education.
A member said that some of the barrels of
flour furnished during the present year, weighed
only one hundred and fifty pounds, and this is
one of the reasons why an extra appropriation
is asked
Mr.. Gordon, from the committee on poor,
gave a lengthy statement as to the modus ope
randi adopted in getting at the items; the many
meetings held by the committee, and the scru-
tiny always evlnced by the members in cutting
down the various items of appropriation. Four
teen thousand dollars have already been expen-
ded for -four during the first six months of the
present year, and it will require the same sum
for the next succeeding six months. The
amount now asked for, being added to the bal
$4,000.
Mr.. Mascher thought that great deal of this
goes to the guardians, committees of councils,
and others going there, and feasting on chickens,
brandy, wines, &C., and very little, if any, ever
goes to the paupers.
Mr.. Gordon thought such remarks were mean.
There is no feasting at the almshouse. The COM
mittee on poor had been there three times in six
months, land neverindulged in feast. They had
one poor, miserable supper, worth about three
dollars, and this is the extent of the feasts
spoken of by the gentleman.
JOHN mitchell ON DEMocRAcT-Our atten-
ton has been called to the following extract
from late number of John Mitchels paper
the Knoxville Citizen:
''Such uxurant and temporary growth is
the national democracy; but to keep it growing
and blooming, and even bearing fruit, costs, we
find, too much. Eighty millions per annum-
not dime less-wiIl keep it alive. Withhold
the highly stimulating guano and heated at
mosphere which are essential 10 its existence
at this late season, and the fourishng plant,
instantly whitening and willing, will show the
naked sides of the black chasm that seems to
reach down to Erebus.
eve shall quit these metaphors, however
poetic and symbolic. We shall say in plain
English, that the national democracy, or any
other national party is, and must be, power
created and held together, not by any principle
of action, but solely and entirely by money, by
the expectation and smell of money; by the
tradition and tender Renaissance Of money
and that its sole use is to cover over and con-
ceal rent that yawns and shall yawn eternally.
This being the case, the question arises, does
it pay, at eighty millions? And if yea, then
whom does it pay? and who pays it?''
Of course, John Mitchell is high authority
upon democratic matters. Being ''distn-
guished patriot" he must of necessity know
all about it.
- ~-o-o-~~-~--~-~-~~~~~--
WHAT IT Has DoNE.-In his recent letter to
the Bonham dinner, governor Adams, of South
Carolina, thus enumerates the achievements of
the national democracy
''The pass word hereafter, it seems, is to be
national democracy-to which we are indebted
for the proclamation--forc bill-violation of
tariff mpromise-present tarif-applcation
Of Wilmot provso to Oregon-abotion of
slave trade in district of Columbia-loss of
nia-dismemberment of Texas-annual
expenditure of seventy milons-submisso of
constitution to the people of Kansas-the black
catalogue, in hot haste, to be enlarged and en-
bellished by the admission of Kansas with less
than ninety-three thousand inhabitants.
''WheneyerI get my consent to apologize for
the authors of such wounds upon southern in
terests and southern honor, MAY my tongue
ceave to the roof of my mouth, and my right
hand forget her cunning
Pretty good for an ardent democratic official