New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-10

parent is afflicted with q serious disease,
the offspring are sure to sympathize with it.
During the late war, and for a eonsidera-
bic time after its conclusion, agricultural
operations were either suspended or pros
ecuted under circumstances Of difficulty
and embarrassment, which paralyzed the
arm OF the agriculturist, rendered
his supervision useless, blighted his
hopes, and deprived him of his custom.
airy rewards. What could commerce
accomplish, when the sources from which
her life was derived were drained to the
dregs? What availed IL that Louisiana
possessed the finest soil, and raised the
most costly staples in the world This city
had failed to be the great market she once
! was, because the labors Of the planter had
been interrupted, aud she no longer received
those supplies which had contributed so
largely to her wealth and prosperity.
Not only we're the agricultural operations
of Louisiana checked by the war, but the
numerous States which are bounded by the
great Mississippi and her tributaries, and
which, from the time of the admission of
Louisiana into the Union, had waited over
its bosom their untold treasures, and heaped
them in the lap of New Orleans, had equally
been involved in the common calamity.
Into what state of utter hopelessness and
almost despair had she not sunk, arising
from the abandonment of those arts OF
peace, which are esser tial 10 the progress,
prosperity and happiness OF cities, States,
and nations.
Nature and the elements, during the
same disastrous period, seem to have con.
spired with the spiIit # civil discord in
spreading ruin and lesJletion over this
fertile section of our coz try / refer to
the destruction OF crops aad the overthrow
of the hopes of the planter by repeated in
uudations of the Mississippi river, breaking
through its artificial barriers and sweeping
over the fairest and most productive por.
tons of this beautiful State. Steps have
been taken to repair the extensive mischief
but so crippled is the State in her resources
by the war, it is difficult TO see how so ex.
tensive an undertaking can be accomplished
without the aid of Congress. It is hoped
that that body, regarding the repair or re-
construction of the levees 0fthe Mississippi
as a subject of national interest, will come
to the assistance of this suffering city and
State, and of thelcities and States which are
dependent on the secure navigation of
that great channel of commerce, by making
liberal appropriation for the important
object. No act of theirs, am sure would
tend more certainly to consolidate the
Union (nOw so desirable to all parties and
all sections of our common country, to
rekindle the fires of patriotism where they
burn less brightly than in former times,
anu 10 lulDdTL a new anu IeSlOIhllft luuu-
ence throughout this entire region to agri.
culture, trade, commerce manufactures,
and all other industrial pursuits which are
essential to national prosperity.
In addition to the devastating OverflOws
of the Mississippi, from which the agrcul.
ture of the State and the commerce of the
metropolis have so severely suffered, we
have had another enemy in the field whose
ravages have been nearly equally destruct-
irrA EnY. 1aVtn s,gN raa .nyf ,1.,.g...
with 1864, and extending to 1867, inclusive,
a large portion of the entire cotton crop of
this region was swept off by the army worm.
Louisiana, and New Orleans, her great en-.
porium, have suffered severely, aud their
progress and prosperity have been greatly
retarded by both of these causes.
None can realize the blighting influences
upon agriculture, commerce, manufactures,
and the circulating medium eXerted by so
great a social convulson as that through
which we have recently passed but those
WHO have personally experienced them.
Not only was the credit of this great mart
of commerce seriously affected by the ne.
cessities to which we were reduced during
the war, but it was one ofthe most difficult
tasks imposed upon us, and one which
awakened the most intense anxiety, to de.
wise the means of restoring chat credit TO
its pristine state. Besides, the spirits of our
people were greatly depressed, not only by
recollectiOns of their past misfortunes, and
by the pressure OF present difficulties but
by the clouds that lowered over their future
prospects. Their energies were paralyzed,
their ambition crushed, and their hopes at
least temporarily extlnguished. Such were
the inauspicious circumstances under
which we, gentlemen, received the appoint
ments we at present fill.
During the last summer after a period of
nearly complete exemption for several
years, the city was afflicted BY fearful Wis.
itation of its ancient and much dreaded
enemy, the yellow fever, and three thou
sand of our inhabitants, as appears from the
mortuary report of the Board Of Health,
were swept off by its sudden and insidiOus
attacks. A serious check was thus given
to every department of business in our
midst, as well as to immigration, which is
necessary to supply our wasted numbers.
Notwithstanding these drawbacks, New
Orleans has advanced beyond our eXpeCta-
tiOns, and exhibited a degree of activity
not surpassed by that of eny of her Southern
sister cities. During the past year, afflicted
as she has been by the epidemic, her pOpu-
lation has increased, and she would doubt
less have been favorite resort for capital.
lists, mechanics, artisans, and manuiactu.
rers from all parts of the Union had it not
been for the unsettled state of our ma.
tional affairs. The large number of dwelling
houses that have recently been erected ID
various parts of the city, particularly the
Fourth District, evinces the strong attach.
ment of old residents to a place where they
have so long lived, as well as the confident
hope of newcomers, who have selected
New Orleans as the future residence of
themselves and their families. When our
State shall be restored to her former place
in the Union, and her interests be watched
over by representatives of her own choice
at the seat of government, have every rea.
son to believe, Notwithstanding the wounds
inflicted by the past, that her prosperity
will revive, and that her course will be on
ward-still onward.
The city currency is a subject which has
painfully occupied good deal of our atten.
tion of late. 1t is paper eurreuCy which
represents not precious metals, but rests
solely on the credit of the city. Thepresent
city government is not responsible fer its
introduction. We found it in circulation
when we came into office. Il was the off
spring of the war. 1t originated with the
Council of 1861. 1t had It's precedent-not
a venerable one, though rather time.worn-
in the slsinplds:erS of 1s36-3T-a convenient
kind of money, but which soon flooded the
community in such quantity that the Leg
islature was compelled to intervene and
prohibit the over.issue Of It. practice,
originally introduced as was supposed by
necessity, was continued blythe force of cir.
cumstances, not by that Of flaw. The city
corporation is not banking company. 1t
has no power under its charter to issue city
notes. When / became Mayor | found a
large amount of this money n circulation
If the city had possessed banking powers,
which it had not, this state Of things would
have furnished evidence enough of the want
OF proper monetary precaRtion. No indi-
vidual in this practical, utilihrian age ought,
except on extraordinary occasions, so to
manage his affairs as TO allow his debts to
exceed his income, and thiA maxim, which
is true individuals, is especially true of a