Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1859-08-27
LEVEE WIS.
The local Ievee laws hastily adopted

The local Ievee laws hastily adopted
at the las, session OF our Legislature, ar
meet ng Il fierce oppositio" on the par
Of a large body Of planters. The inc
qualify of lI'e lax levied to meet The ex
|e"sr "t Tie r. = 'irs ot til. disasters pro
~.tucc,i 10y tie late flood in Carroll par
ISL, are 50 maui'rst ~ to j.upo,d thei,
c'II"cl,on. From the statements put.
l'>h,d il appears that the objections tc
the laA are well founded.
The I"Iic. jay, or The Swamp Com.
nr>>lot,e's ul the district, have the power
" aSs"sS Il pro rata tax upon the district
v'"!a';"eu 10y Il flood, to repair the bro
ken Ievcvs. But this burden, in reality,
falls almost entirely upon the swamp
planters who, in CASE Of AL overflow, are
-'rrclrievat'|v ruined Tor the law gives
Tie planter who suffers by a crevasse
only partial loss, levee scrip in payne t
Of the Labor of his negroes upon tie
Ievee during the period Of danger. The
scrip received proves to be more than
sufficient to pay the river planters por-
ton OF The tax, leevi"g the burden of
reconstruction Of the Ieyees entirely upon
tue swamp planters. If this statement
OF the case be accurate-and we RELY for
the correctness Of it on the journals Of
Carro!I-it is not surprising that those
who have been completely drowned out
the pas. winter and spring should feel
disposed to- resist the i"jus,ice-an injus-
t'ce almost rs ruino's as the devastation
Of the food itself.
The fact here developed in regard to
the operation Of a law hastily adopted
for the benefit Of a single district Of the
State, is an irresistible proof Of the cor
rectne<s OF the position which we have
from the beginning assumed, that no
partial, no hastily patched up Ievee law
can operate for good in this State. In
deed We are more and more convinced Of
the necessity Of careful investigation Of
facts, thorough development Of scientific
principles applicable It the question, and
u collection Of the experience Of years, as
the preliminaries Of any law f. ON which
much good can be anticipated. For this
reason a convention Of the entire river
districts, not only Of this but Of adjoin-
ing States, was early urged AS the only
mode of inaugurat'ng a movement that
was necessary for success.
The law adopted by Mississippi last
fall proves in operation quite as obnox-
ious to q considerable number of planters,
as that in force in Carroll parish. The
fact begins to be understood that the
projection Of the river districts of Tins
great Mississippi valley is a labor of such
magnitude as to rank among national
works. The whole system Of Ievees must
evidently be changed. Their distance
from the river, their height and base,
their mode Of construction must all be
altered Z; and it is equally clear that no
mere local officers can faithfully superin-
tend such a work. Upon Ievees the
country must rely, Grit must he abau-
doned. Under such circumstances, the
iinpoftance Of The convention Of river
ppaaanters, which has been organized,
willzbbesunders,ood throughout the West,
and adeeper interest will be felt in its
meetings than has been manifested.
We cannot but believe that Tue re-
river States should bear some Of
The expense Of the great works that must
be soon undertaken, and the remainder
of their cost distributed over the Whole
benefited just in the proportion
cfaihe benefit 0: security received.
Every day tends to convince the peo-
pie that the question Of river protection
n the Southwest promises to become
mere exciting than any other which has
come before this public. 1t will override
he issues bosh Of State and national
; and it behooves those who shall
epresent the people in State Leyis|a
ures, as wei! as the authorities OF ali our
''t'es aud towns, to prepare to meet the
ssues that must inevitably be presented.
v. 0. Picdyume.
LEGISLATURES OF TENNESSEE. The