The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-07-01


the infamy of such character!
| Our PUBLIC RoAns.-Tne public roads of the parish
have been shalnefully neglected. for three years
that they are now almost impossible in many places
and if not worked soon duringthis summer or ne x
fall will become entirely impassableto loaded wagons
1t would puzzle any man to give sufficient excuse
for this neglect of public highways Is there not
much power in the Police Jury, to compel the
working of roads, in former days? Are there not
as many hands liable to road duty in the parish There
has been considerable increase in our population
since the surrender and the increase has been princ
paly of that class liable to road duty The power of
the Police Jury that class great now as it
was. 1t as easily compel them to work or to
pay Then why are roads left unworked-the
pathways of our trade entirely neglected to
pei our customers to seek other markets, better
roads? The only and explanation to be found
are, the general decentralization of the class which fur
nishes the bulk of the road laborers But we submit
to the Police Jury, without designing to find any fault
with that body that the present impossible condition
of many places in our public roads, requires at their
hands the most strenuous efforts, to utilise this labor
for public purpose. With vigorous and exact en-
u
pontment of old and reliable citizens as oyerseers of
the road and through ordinance requiring the work
shall commence on certain day and shall continue
all the days allowed by law, sure, parish
roads be put in good order. Crops will be laid by
by the middle of July. 1Aen the work should begin
We respectfully ask the Police Jury take this mat
ter promptly in hand even if it should require an ex-
ira session.
MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.-It has been we'll said by one
of the most distinguished statesmen of the day that
State is often weakened by the exaggeraton Of the
principle upon which it is founded So, as the pre-
dominance of the Roman character was for ne-suest
and military exploits it haprened IN the course OF time
that conquest pursued for the sake of mere
quest and war only for the sake of the successful
ployment of Roman arms Hence it followed, that
with the Introduction of wealth and luxury and the
consequent weakening of the authority of the law,
military adventures sought in The means of their
own personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and in the discipline of
armies power superior TO the law to support their
own ambitious designs. Hence too, the sale Of the |
purple by the pretorian guards-a Nero, Colgula
and Domltian. Struck with decadence, the State,
weakened BY the exaggeration of its military tastes
prey to faction finally succumbed even in war to its
ess cultivated and lass warike neishbors and finally
is pershng from dryrot, it disappeared from among
he actual nations of the earth with no trace of the
ncient empire beyond the fame Of its orators its var
Tors and its artists. f. ... r.-
To the man of reflection the extension of suffrage,
without limitation qualification as to intelligence or
property, is raught with dangers to the stability of
he Republic. 1t is not twenty years since every
ate in the Union exercising its constitutional right
determine the qualification Of electors, prescribed
t least property qualifications Now, we believe.
is required only in few Northern states-while.
yer the South under the programme of reconstruc-
on no qualification other than that of age is known
hat security is left for the stability of the govern
tent, beyond the exercise of force? Surely it is time
n the great body of the American people to pause
I'd consider what momentous issues are involved in
e protuse charity of unlimited suffrage-how much !
e power and the influence of intelligent voters is .
eakened by the number of the illiterate-how imno
at in the rage Of party strife is the example of the
'od, in controlling the conduct of the vicious. and 6
fearful the premiums offered to the factious and
needy. se 80