New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-03
That Little Speech.

The small, long voice of Louisiana has
| obtained hearing on the floor of Congress.
After repeated fruitless efforts by her rep
resentatives, to bring her peculiar griey-
ances before that august body, her claim to
| the wardship Of the nation, which had never
been seriously controverted. has been re-
luctantly conceded. That the vandalism
| OF the Father of Waters, frolicking capri
| ciously over her entire extent, and opening
highway from the lakes to the gulf, en-
titles her to subsidiary consideration, has
never been gainsayed by the most phleg-
matte advocate Of public retrenchment. But.
while the most specious scheme at moro
northern point, has preference to one IL
| which the vital interests of a sover-
! elgu State are presented, the agricui-
I tural and industrial resources OF Louisiana
! must lang aish Or be fostered and developed
! by her own people. The Congress which
| refused to defray the expenses Of commit
| tee which it grudgingly appointed, to in
spect and report the condition OF our levees,
| is not composed Of men who will ever open
| the public purse in aid Of any Southern IN
dertaking And if we would be exempt
from the recurrence of those ruinous period
ical overti0ws and crevasses which, with
steady menace, are paralyzing our State
spirit the inspiration OF a common interest
Will place abundant means for the common
task in our own willing hands. And long
before a red-tape committee shall submit
its report, the walling OF the Mississippi
shall be a monument to the energy and
State pride Of Louisiana's chivalrous plant
ers.
Upon an occasion go we'll calculated to
awaken public interest, such as the arrival
of Congressional delegation, bearing glad
tidings, the painful apathy of our leading
men was very marked. In q scramble for
some paltry public office, leaders loom up
on every hand whose patriotism is as hollow
Il l. Al.
gain is held out, and no longer, are ready
to do woman service. But at that little
dinner on board the Wilderness, there was
one who was present from high sense OF
duty, and by whom the State Of Louisiana
was faithfully and ably'represented. AL
ways bold and always right, he fearless]y
told the committee his opinion of them: OF
those " no sent them, and of their mission.
He said be looked for neither justice nor
lberality from Congress, whose muniticent
provision for a "Ku-Klux" committee was
in such striking contrast with its parsi-
moniOus treatment OF commission of H.
quiry. The moment was an suspicious one
for bringing the Mississippi question fully
before the country. And that little speech
of Governor Warmoth, full of the pathos OF
honest Indignation, shall be re-echoed from
the ll-sides of New England to the slopes
of the Pacific, before the committee to
which it was addressed shall reach the cap
ltal Of the nation. His just implement OF.
a Congress whose Southern reconstruction
policy consists mainly in penal enactments,
and which, while endowing village saw
mill, ignores the physical characteristics Of
the country, shall produce abundant fruit,
while the commOn-p place report of q commits
sion appointed in bad faith shall not merit
q consideration.
The people of Louisiana have no little
reason to be proud of their gifted and in
trepid executive. For every day furnishes
a new guarantee in his unfaltering energy
and zeal, that the ship of state shall be
steered Alright while Henry Clay Warmoth
stands at the helm. Possessing wisdom be-
yond his years, and resembling in force OF
character the prominent men ofythe early
days Of the republic, he is eminently quail
fed for ruler. LetOthers bend the knee
to those who were born great, and others
vet offer incense to those who had greatness
thrust upon them; We confess our prefer
ence for those who are truly great, and re-
serve an admiration for those who achieve
greatness, aud who from an ungenerous
world win shining name.