New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-12-23
What Has St. Mary Done.

From the Planters ts Nary PARISH Banner 10Th inst
What our parish has dona to protect itself
against an attack on our coast might have been
accomplished earlier in the season, but the delays
and sluggish movements of the enemy in their at
tacks upon the ports and coast of the Gulf of
Mexico have rendered these preparations on our
part just as valuable as they would have been had
they been completed earlier. But had they at
tackled US in October or early in November, we
would have been in bad condition to receive
them. Now, knowing the real strength Of our de-
fences, and the opinions OF military men in regard
to these defences we say to the Republican pirates,
come on whenever it is convenient to you. Our
lamps are trimmed and burning, and we have oil
in them. =, ~ a 5nAzs- 4 F.-r =
We now feel proud that St. Mary has practically
endorsed and carried out nearly the entire pro-
gramme which insisted early in the season ought
to be carried out. And though an effort was made
tOnjure our paper on account of the resolute sup
port which we gave these measures, time has
proved that the Banner, in these respects, was all
right, and its prosecutors were all wrong. Our de-
fences have been completed, and nobody in our
parish has been hurt on account of our defending
them. as..-g s....- :
.And what has 81. Mary done that is worthy of
record? Let us see. Her Police Jury have ap-
propriated $4,000 for the defence of her rights
and her SOIL She has bestowed a large amount of
slave labor in the construction Of forts and other
defences which we have knowledge of, bat which
we do not choose. to describe. She has fitted up
gunboats, kept up coast sentines, and contributed
a large amount Of beeyes and provisions to our
soldiers on duty in the parish, and to the Free
Market in Franklin and New Orleans. se al II
And the ladies of st. Mary have sent off an
amount of clothing, bedding and hospital supplies
for the army that would astonish u.s. could we see
the aggregate quantity which they have furnished
thrown together in one huge pile. And our plant
ers have donated large amounts of suga' and mo-
lasses to the Confederate hospitals besides loaning
an immense amount of produce to the Government
And most of our citizens have contributed money,
in the aggregate large amount. to aid independ-
ent companies at home and in New Orleans, aud
for various other purposes connected with the de-
fence Of the South.
Upon the whole St. Mary has done much, and if
she had not taken, in great measure, her own de-
fence into her own hands, we now would be in an
alarming condition. Neither the Confederate Gov
ernment nor the State has done much for us; our
own parish has, by her own energy aud means,
done it nearly all herself. Time may prove that
these labors and sacrifices she has made will save
millions Of property aud numerous valuable lives of
her citizens. We hope aud trust that our Police
Jury and Coast Defence Committee will still watch
carefully the interests of all sections OF the parish,
and If they find weak points throw around them all
the protection in their power. 1t is desirable that
ample justice be done to every section of the par
ish, and we have no doubt that our men in author
ity will look carefully to the interests of every
ton over which their authority extends.