New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-06-26
MAYOR CONWAY Oh FINABCB.

and prosperity will extend TO our borders
MAYOR CONWAY Oh FINANCE.
The first formal message of Mayor Con-
way to the new Common Council is a very
remarkable document for a communica-
ton from an executive officer to delibera-
tive body. None but stole can read this
message without being compelled to smile
audibly at many of the outre sentences.
His first paragraph consisting of eleven
lines is devoted to telling the honorable gen.
tlemen whom he addresses that the whole
history of municipal elections and organ
izatons furnishes no parallel to the per
formances by which the present city gov
ernment became inaugurated. This in
formation seems to have been entirely
gratuitous, for his honor makes no practical
application, nor even refers to the astOund-
ing fact in any subsequent part of his
message.
The gentlemen are next congratulated
on the fact that both branches of the city
government represent that conservative
element which expects much Of them in
the way of reforms.
1t is not for the good of the people of
New Orleans alone that there should be a
rigid adherence to those principles which
govern just and upright men in official po-
sitions." But it is for the influence which
this great commercial emporium of the
South" has upon the outside world that
the new Council is exhorted to the practice
of honesty and virtue. " Adjacent and even
distant towns and cities, yea, States, foreign
and Southern, as well as European, are
greatly influenced by the course pursued
by city whose ships whiten every sea and
whose acts most foreign countries make it
their chief business to applaud or reprove."
Having thus carried the city fathers to
places as remote as possible, and driven
all practical ideas out of their heads by the
romantic and poetical terms employed, our
good Chief Magistrate rallies them once
again to consideration Of realities by
suddenly sounding the alarm that there has
been war and numerous pestilences, but
not to these are to be attributed the present
difficulties under which New Orleans la
bors. There has been peculetion and par
tisan legislation. Neither Of these occur
rences is related as a matter of news to
the Council, as most of the members did
what they could in the way of bringing
on the war, and few if any of them
are strangers to the legislation Of
this city and State. But they ap-
pear to be cited in the terms of admoni-
ton, that the present government may not
try again the experiment of rebelling
against the United States that they may
provide better drainage for the city, and
thus avoid pestilence and having thus
averted some of the minor evils, attempt
to steer clear of the greater which arise
from peeulatiOn, partisan legislation, and
want Of confidence in the fidelity of the ad-
ministration. Probably no Democratic or
ganization outside Of the New York Com
mon Council can practice so many of the
virtues at the same time as Mayor Conway
requires of the new members.
In all Mr.. Conway's historical reading
he has been able to find one great
and successful fnancier. Sir Rob
ert Peel was that paragon. And it
was not exactly Sir Robert either, but
heretofore unknown Samuel Jones Lloyd, a
London banker, who saved the magnificent
commerce of all England. As a reward
for so signal a service Jones Lloyd was
created baron. The legend is highly
interesting one, and is related by all the
old ladies of Stone and Fotheringay, where
the transactions occurred half century
ago. There has been nothing like it since,
but it is about to be repeated on scale Of
great magnitude. Not disdaining to take
hint from Sir Robert, Mr.. Conway pro-
poses to select not one Samuel Jones LLOYD,
but twelve of them, who are to he
chosen because they are our best
citizens and ablest financiers. But
who will undertake to make the
choice? We have abont ten thousand Of
the very oldest and most respectable citi-
zens, each one of whom is, of course, an
able fnaneier; so that an attempt to select
such dozen would lead to endless oonten-
ton, besides acknowledging that the pres
ent administration, from the Mayor down
to the last member of the Board Of Assist
ants, are totally incompetent to discharge
the duties they have undertaken, and that
they would do well to take General Blu
chanan's hint and Consult the public good
by resigning." 5ai ~s'iss