The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-08-02

the service done to promote sounder tone
on this subject by the .: Anti-Dueling As
sociation," of which the lamented Bishop
England was conspicuous and active
member, having for co-laborers the most
eminent men Of chivalrous South Carolina
Let something of the kind. be done here
make the practice infamous, and then hon
orable men will shrink from it, as they
would from moral leprosy.
LE9IsLATlyE.-An act has been intro
duced into the Legislature legalizing lot
teries. Many years were spent in an en-
deayor to arouse the people Of this State
to sense of the immortality of the lottery
system. After a desperate struggle it was
abolished, and now again it is to be re-
vived, under the pretext of promoting
home interests and6ostering charitable in
situations. The capital stock is to be five
hundred thousand dollars, and the privi-
lege to extend twenty-five years.
Gov. Warmoth vetoed the resolution
calling on Gen. Grant for troops for Louisi-
ana, on the ground that the President was
the proper person to apply to, as COM
mander- chief.
RAILROAD Acc1DENTs.-These are not of
such rare occurrence as to cause much sur
prise. What in other circumstances, and
under different forms of government would
rouse the public to such sense Of iase-
curity as would compel a change, has no
other effect on us, after a passing exclama-
1fh
investigation, which would seem to have
for it's object how best to divide the re-
sponsibility, and so shield individuals and
corporations from accountability. The
heart-rending scene at the P0ntchartrain
Railroad Depot last week, seems to have
left but the usual evanescent impressions,
and SO, instead of such an investigation as
would at least prevent the recurrence of a
similar catastrophe, the subject appears to
have already passed into oblivion-except
on the minds and hearts of the bereaved
family, whose loss is irreparablc.
The obvious remedy is, to remodel the
old, or construct new platform. The
present one is altogether too high, being
on level with the floor OF the cars-the
distance between the depot platform and
the body of the cars varying from three
feet to two feet and half. 1t will readily
be seen that the stride to be made to reach
the car is altogether too great for children
and ladies. Will the Company hesitate to
incur an expense that would render casu-
alties of this kind almost impossible In
Northern and Western depots this object
is accomplished. 1t is to be hoped the
Pontchartrain road will adopt precautions
which have proved etfectual elsewhere.
1t appears from the statement of COM
petent judges that the arrangements for
the egress and ingress of passengers at the
depot of this road is quite defective.
Surely there must be authority somewhere
to compel a greater regard to human life
on the part of corporations. It will not do
to say that the fault lies with the people
themselves who, in blind and inconsiderate
haste, jeopardize life and limb. People
must be protected from themselves, in the
same way that poisons are forbidden to be
unfortunately placed within the reach of
all who may demand them. Corporations
are proverbially torpid in moral sense,
but preternaturally active in providing for
dividends. 1t would be reasonable to sup
pose that prompt measures would be taken
to remedy defect so palpable as the one
which caused the sad result above alluded
to. So far from this, however, similar
came near happening few
days subseQuent-arising from the same
cause. Criminal apathy rests somewhere
we are not sufficiently posted to locate it.
NEW PUBLICATIONS.