New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-08-24
THE .rIssIssrppI PASSES.

r1on at.rler Mathews 81 8. District Attorney for
~. slse,n 1udIcal District Of Ohio, has just fled
hill 81 The o. s. District Court, 10 benaH Of sne
r5nited states, arainst Richard N. CorWin, Jonn n.
Corwiu ana william Wiswell, Jr., on 2 bond exc
cute ~ waldo r. Craig and william Russell Fighter
Il the renal sam 81 $75 900, dated November ID,
1856 The defendants gave security in this sum that
they would open straight ship channel at the out
lei of ne Mississippi river through Southwest Pass,
snd ID i liks sum that they would open second
channel through Pass lOutre, for the recovery Of
which similar suit was commenced at the same time
and before the same tribunal es above. The defend
ants bound themselves to open channel twenty feet
deep, three hundred feet wide, and to keep it open
Tor period Of four and half years but they didn't
do it, and hence Uncle Sam very properly attempts
tomulct them in the sum of $l50, 900 forfeit.
The amount Of the bond ought to b. recovered,
but We hope 1t will not be. We wish the sum were
Eve millions instead Of $50 OOO and chat not cent
Of il could be recovered for it would be loud and
telling lesson which would or should have whole
some effect in suggesting to Administrations the
improperly Of triing with the most Important inter
ests which are entrusted to federal care Here were
the interests, not only Of this great CITY, Out o.
vast extent Of interior country more or les depeno
ent upon the navgabe condition Of the NOUN Oh tne
Mississippi the gateway Of their commercial connec'
lions with all the outer world they we're peried Dy
the obstruction of these Passes, and the strongest
representations which could be made were urged upon
the Government at Washington prompt and enecuve
action WAS most vitality necessary es IVES maae SUM
cieuty apparent to the sense Of all even OF sne dal
lards of the decentralization Office" OF the District,
and after an inexcusable delay they arrived Of the
long foregone conclusion that something ought to be
done. They undertook to do that something, and
how9 Instead Of at once employing engineers and
approprating money for the immediate commence
ent and prosecution Of operations they esk for pro-
posals from contractors with the audabe object OF
having the important work half done and saving q
few dollars by such bad economy, that they might
have more to waste in Japan expeditions, useless jobs
OF public printing and in fattening favorites in all
the various ways that they contrve to get at the pub
lie crib.
Proposals are called for and spectators with per
haps half an idea Of what they undertake to do
not wanting to submit them, entirely willing TO give
security for the lfllment of contract obligations
they are perfectly aware that not in out of
hundred does the United States succeed in recovering
the amount Of forfeited bonds multfarous are the
methods Of slipping through the meshes Of the Law
when they are not watched and guarded by wide
awake individual interest. Well, the contract is
awarded to the chosen bidder or bidders and in the
course Of time an attempt is or is not made to carry
il ont, but whether it is or is not all this while the
public are suffering through the criminal delay
entaied by the mistaken policy Of their Government
which, when rromptitude and energy are mos
demanded, least displays these qualities.
We hope that not cent Of the bonds will be rscov
ered and that Government will continue to lose th
foreits, and to enttle itself to the oboquy Of tn
public just so long as it mismanages this matter
operations on the bars of the Mississippi with it
penny wise pound foolish policy It waits until tn
months are INSTRUCTED, instead Of preventing thei
obstruction, and then, in place Of taking the work
once in hand, follows up the round about programme
glanced at above. How long will it be before cot
ton ships outward bound and the ships inward bount
laden with the cargoes Of importers, again stucl
for weeks or months in the mud Of the Perses