New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-06
GREELEY, LEvEEs AND THE TIMES.

GREELEY, LEVEES AND THE TIMES.
with what measure We mete it shall be meas
| ured to You agan."-MArTHEw.
Mr. Greeley, with his characteristic
habit of inquiring into and forming al
opinion upon all matters of importance
| inquiries and observes for himself as tt
the levee system which has prevailed
along the Mississippi river for so many
years. As the result of his investigations
he finds fault with that system and doubts
whether it can be relied upon to protec
the adjacent lands from damaging over
flows. Straightway the Times discovers
that he is still mantled with CHOSE mar.
now and sectional prejudices which have
so injured his journalistic reputation"
We respectfully submit that this charge
of sectional prejudice comes with poor
grace from a section of the Union where
Mr.. Greeley's person would hardly have
been safe from violence ten or eleven
years ago. While it may be true, also,
that Mr.. Greeley has prejudices, it is not
to be forgotten that Southern people have
never given him occasion heretofore to
love them. 1t might be difficult to find
an editorial written for any Southern
paper, not Republican, and six months
old, which mentions him in any other
than reproachful or contemptuous terms
Perhaps no other Northern journalist has
been so thoroughly and invariably de-
nounced by the Southern press and peo-
pie, some of them at least forgetting or
failing to see, that he has exhibited a
charity commensurate with his prejudices.
If it is suggested that Mr. Greeley's de.
nuneiatiens or criticisms of Southern
men aud principles provoked the feeling
which might have jeopardized his per-
sonal safety here in other years, the an
swer (without stopping to put in ''gen-
eral issue" and demand proof is no
of such denunciation or criticism
of the most unwarranted and unprovoked
character could constitute an excuse even,
much less justification for the existence
of any such jeopardy; while it is equally
true that there was at the same time quite
as much bitter censure of Northern men
and principles in the South. Yet any
where in all the North, at any period
prior to the war, the bitterest man in the
whole South would have been and was
entirely safe. In fact, almost anywhere
in the North, particularly in the section
more especially hated by the Southrons,
New England the people would have
rallied to listen to his sharpest censures
and have given to his chapter of grievances
a respectful hearing.
Not yet can brother journalist here
treat Mr.. Greeley quite fairly. Though
the Times publishes his views, yet, COM
menting upon them, he is misrepresented
Mr.. Greeley may think and say that it
would have been better years ago to let
the Mississippi loose at Cairo; he may
think that ''in the long run" it might be
better now SO to do. He may think that
evees can not be relied upon to keep that
mighty stream within its banks 1t is
till true that he expressly discIaims pro-
posing any alternative for the levee system.
let the Times represents him as proposing
he substitution of the former for the lat
er system, and characterizes his props
ition as nonsense
Again: 1t may be that such civil engin-
ers as Humphreys and Abbott, and the
Times, differ with Mr.. Greeley. He may
re able, nevertheless, to maintain his
osition with the mighty river, its history
nd its doings on his side. He says 1--WE
o not quote his words, for neither his
etter or the Times comments are before
s. 'levees can not be relied upon to pro-
ect land adjacent to the Mississippi from
veraow. In spite of them crevasses will
ccur such as mock the efforts of man to
ay their devastations" When to con-
'adict him the experience of the last fifty
ears is appealed to, we can almost mag
lie the Great Father of Waters replying,
when in the last fifty years have 1 not
ade your levees my sport at will?
ak of the testimony of the practical
anters of Louisiana Has there been
season in the last half century that they
ave not stood in fear, not merely of my
sistless freshets but of my persistent,
sver-ceasing, wearing, wasting away, and
lently undermining their most formida-
e distractions ?"
If the Mississippi was without a bend
ON Cairo to the Gulf, though it would
en- have current that would defy the
'wer of steam, perhaps our difficulties in
e way of keeping up levees would be re-
owed. But so long as there is a sharp
rye here to send its powerful current
ainst the bank over there, so long will
be true that the best of artificial earth
lbankments must, sooner or later, be
ept away. Such, it seems to us, are
me of the obvious teachings of the river.
e trust it is not necessary to ''disman-
}" that of marrow sectional prejudices'