Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1859-06-25
PLANTERS CONVENTION.


The project OF a general Convention
OF. the planters Of the Mississippi valley,
We have advocated before, and at the
proposition Of the New Orleans Plea.
yune, recently, for the holding Of such
= convention, We endorsed the idea in 2
short editorial. Since then an informal
meeting Of planters has been held IN
Vicksburg, and the result is, a ecom
incubation by them. that 4 meeting Of
the planters from st. Louis to the BaIiz-.
be held in Vicksburg, on the second
Monday Of July next, 10 consult to-
gether for their mutual benefit and pro-
lection.'
As the subject Of levees is the most
important now occupying the attention
Of the public, we doubt not, but that it
| will form the Chief business Of the con-
vention, and hope that . general ~interest
will be excited, and a strong representa-
ton be sent from each State, county and
parish within the bounds before-men,ion-
ed. And We en,reat the citizens Of Con-
cordia and adjacent parishes, who are SO
deeply interested 10 the matter, to be
strongly and ably represented. The
'ime''s sufficient, and no excuse can be
offered, Il. l6s interests Of this parish are
not represented BY its abIest and most
experienced men.
The loss Of property. of life, the anx-
iety and distress Of mind brought Oh, BY
the late disastrous overflow, read a les
son to the proprietors Of and dwellers
upon the ~alluvial lands, hat should pre-
cipitate immediate. and decided action IN
the matter. Let the business OF rotec-
ton b. delayed until the subsistence of
the water, and then, much of the inn
preston caused by the disastrous effects
Of the food will have been effaced ; in
action viii: be the consequence, and ou
land, stock, houses and homes, left 4,
prey to the next overflow, which may
occur within the period Of another tw.l
ve~montt. Now is .hsstime to labor
to gain strength and be prepared for an
other like event now is the time to put
IN action the teachings of a bitter expe-
renee, and s,'ive to attain perfection by
Ignoring the i'unp.rfections Of the past.
The plan by which t" ecu the pro-
lection Of the ~alluvial lands, unhappi!y,
BY reason Of ito momentousness and Pc
cuIiarities, has never been clearly deter
mined, and hence, a diversity Of opinion.
In such a dilemma, how can the inter
ests OF the whole DO better served than
by a mass convention? In such a body,
learning and experience can unite their
powers, and in the combination, { if no
new facts are revealed,) a concentration
can be effected upon some course of ac-
ton that shall 'u!iy test the practicable
1x- Of tia -naGeE. iasaa4t~e n a1a~ to ggarcn+
out, and establish the proper means
whereby to secure the protection desired.
1t is commended by SOME, that it is
impossible to confine Ill the water Of the
Mississippi at a time Of flood, within the
confines of ~levees, and conduct The rush
OF water through one channel to the sea.
We admit that under the present sys.
Lem OF Ieveeing, the scheme has failed.
But 1t does LOT follow, that, with a cou-
lhuou line of levees on both sides of
Tie river: Of colossal Dimensions, and Of
substantial make, tue result could not be
ELECTED. This, Of course, will involve a
large expenditure a first, tut, 10 the end,
prove more economical than the present
levee structures.
I'M I
The making OF cut-ofs, and the OPEN
ing OF new outlets to assist the Aowape
OF the water at such high stages, have
been proposed, and these propositions
have their friends and opponents. Even
those most versed in scientific lore, differ
on those prints. To use.an old and tr;te
expression, who shall decide when doc
tors disagreed? The only hope of effect
ing anything. is BY unanimity-by fall
ing upon some particular plan Of opera
TONS and prosecuting it. It is for this end,
We desire a commission author zed
by the State, to plan and construct our
d%efenc+s, rather than have the authority
vested IN SO many corporations as now,
These. and kindred matters, will inev-
ltab'y be discussed in the convention At
V ,cksburg, and We heartily desire that a
representation may be there. In
uch a representation We should have
|a'th, end entertain for their decisions
Inc highest respect oncordiia LnteNi-
AN4 / ma Hood IN I N Ns-- "A