The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-01-25
Gov. KeIIOgg's Inaugural Adj
dress,

ucNOlN0 upon me us the Cll1et executive
officer of the State, LIDO 50 undera pro-
found sense Of the magnitude and i'm
pOrtance OF these duties, as we'll as the
grave responsibilities | am to incur in
diScharging them. It is my purpose to
devote my best efforts and whatever of
ability | may possess, to perform faith
fully all the duties and obligations im-
posed upon me by the constitution and
laws of the State.
A retrospect Of the history of LOuisi-s
ma during the few years that have
elapsed since the termination of the late
civil wal presents much that affords no
qualification to the minds of her people.
1t is not to be concealed that no effect
i've means has been adopted to supply
the greatest needs Of the people, or to
restore the State to its legitimate con-
ditiOn of progress and prosperity. Pos
sessing abundantly all the elements ne
cessary-tO insure agricultural and COM
mercial wealth and independence, the
State, nevertheless, languishes in all
her material interests. With impaired
credit, diminished commerce and acCu-
mnlated taxation, the embarrassments
are serious and call loudly for relief.
immigration to our borders has been
slow and incOnsiderable, notwithstand-
ing all the advantages of soil, eli
mate, staple products, cheap lands and
facilities for commerce. Our great
mart of commerce, the natural outlet of
trade from the vast valley Of the Mis-
sissippi to all countries Of the earth, is
weakened in its capacity to control it's
legitimate business and is forced into
competition with cities of the interior
less favOrably situated for commercial
competition, yet more blessed with ma
terial prosperity. Capital from abroad
is but sparingly introduced here, where
under favorable circumstances, it would
be highly remunerative to it's holders
and would be freely supplied. With
these facts palpably before us, to what
shall WI attribute Orr stationary, if not
r~etrOgrading condition? Political agi-
tatiOn may, and doubtless has, contri-
buted in no small degree to this state of
affairs, but this can by no means be as
signed as the principal cause. The
question forces itself upon rs, have the
resources of Louisiana been properly
marslaled and her energies judiciOusly
directed? A negative answer, I think,
must he given. lmprOvident and I'M
wise legislation, not to characterize
some of it by more fOrcible terms, has
been chiefly instrumental in involving
the State in its present financial EN-
barassments. What are the remedies
to be resorted tO9 They are plain and
obvious. Rigid economy in expendi-
lures, the abolition Of useless offices,
a strict accountability enforced against
all public agents; in short, the adoption
in the administration of public affairs
OF the same appliances necessary to
restore the fallen fortunes of an indi-
uifJ13oI Qnnnc4u 11,1,4c+rrr o1,l 1aooo
my-upon these principles the people
of the State demand, and they have a
right to expect, their public servants
to act. This demand, so far as the exc
cutive department and it's influence ex-
tends, will he strictly complied with.
ltcannOt be expected on this occasion
that all topics of public interest will be
treated in detail. A fuller c~0nsidera-
ton of the proper objects Of legislation
ton will be more in place in commune
cations I may hereafter have to make to
the General Assembly.
NEW ORLEANS.
There is no subjectOf greater moment
to the people of this State than the
prosperity of the city of New Orleans.
As the metropolis Of the State, the en-
trep0t of the valley of the Mississippi,
its interests are the interests Of the
State, and its credit is the credit of the
State. The great need of the city is
railroad connection placing it in closer
relations with the vast trade of Texas,
as well as the trade Of the distant por-
lions of u own State, to which it is
rightly entitled. This great purpose it
viii be the duty of the Legislature to
foster and encourage. Prompt action
should also be taken to remove from
the city many oppressive burdens i'm
posed upon it by the legislation of the
past. The city should have the control
Of its own finances, and not be con
PEELED, as it now is by legislative enact
ments, to incur annually heavy unne-
cessary expenditures, much beyond it's
current resources.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
| regret that we do not find more
that is encouraging in the progress of
internal Improvements in the State.
On this subject there can be no diver
sitY of opinion. Before the war the
policy Of the Southern States seemed to
be not.to seek appropriations from the
federal government for internal i'm
provements. Hence a comparatively
small portion of the money appropriated
by Congress for this purpose was ex-
pended in the South, while large appro-
priati0ns went to the Northern States,
where they were eagerly sought. and
did much to develop works of great.
benefit to the commerce of tlOse'States.
SINCE the war, however, many of the
Southern States have in this regard re-
versed their policy. To Louisiana .es-
peeially the national government has
extended aid with a libeIaIhand. Large
appropriations have been made by
Congress for the Improvement of the
mouth of the Mississippiriver, of Bayou
Teche, the Atchafalaya, the Tangipa-
hoa, Ouachita, Tchefunta and Red riv-
ers. One half of the estimated requis-
ite appropriation for the removal
of the raft from the Red river
sion of Congress. All these improve
ments, I am glad to say, are in progress
or about to be commenced. Congress
also appropriated q large amount Of the
public lands to aid in the building of
a railroad from New Orleans to Shreve-
port. 1t is believed from present indi-
cations that at an early day the work
viii be entered upon and pushed to a
satisfactory conclusion. Every effort
should be made to secure the compile
tiOn of this most essential work. The
Legislature of the State during the past
four years has largely subsidized a pro-,
jected railroad from New Orleans west
ward to the Sabine. The early com
pletion of this read and of the road to
Shreveport is essential to the prosperi-
ty of New Orleans and the State at
large; no effort must be spared to bring
about this result. Legislative action
is likely to be asked in regard to
the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas
railroad. Time, il is understood, is re-
quired and viii be asked for by the
company to enable it to fulfil the con-