The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-01-25
Inaugural Address of Governor
VIM. p. Kellogg. .

Inaugural Address Of Governor
- VIM. P. Kellogg. 4.a4.
Delivered at Mechanics Insitutey New
Orleans, January l3th, le70. sna
! In assuming the arduoust duties
which deyolve upon me as the chief
executive officer Of the State, I 'd6 10
under profound sense Of the magni-
tude and Importance of those duties,
| as well a. the grave responsibilities |
am to incur in discharging them. It
is my purpose to devote my best ef-
forts and Whatever abilities may
possess, to perform faithfully all the
duties and obligations imposed upon
me by the constitution and laws of the
| State.H aI!ssaeT BgsF.aFas ~ ts }h5Ats,
A retrospect Of the history Of Lou
isiana during the few years that have
elapsed since the termination of the
late civil war presents much that af-
fords no qualification to the minds Of
her people, It is not to be concealed
that no effective means have been
adopted to supply the greatest needs
Of the people, or to restore the State
/ to it's legitimate condition of progress
and prosperity. Possessing abundant
| ly all the elements necessary to agri
cultural and gconlmercial wealth and
Independence, the State, nevertheless,
languishes in all her material inter
ests. With impaired credit, diiniil-
ished commerce and accumulated tax
alton, the EN- barrassments are serious
and call loudly for relief. 80,
Immigration to our borders has been
slow and inconsiderable, notwith-
standing all the advantages of soil,
climate, staple products, cheap lands
and facilities for commerce. Our great
mart Of commerce, the natural outlet
of trade from the vast valley of the
Mississippi to all countries Of the
earth, is weakened in it's capacity to
control its legitimate business, and is
forced into competition with cities of
the interior less favorably situated for
commercial competition, yet more
blessed with material prosperity. Cap
ital from abroad is bat sparingly in
troduced here, where, under more
favorable circu umstances, it would be
highly remunerative to its holders and
would be freely supplied. With these
facts palpably before us, to what shah
we attribute our stationary, If not
retrograding condition Political agi-
tation may, and doubtless has, con-
tributed in 10 small degree to this
state of affairs, but this can by no
means be assigned as the .pfincipal
cause. The question forces itself up
on us, have the resources OF Louisiana
been properly marshaled and her en-
ergies judiciously directedf A mega
tive answer, think, must be. given.
Improvident and unwise legislation,
not to cllaraoterize some Of it by more.
forcible terms, has been chiefly in
strumental in involving the State in
it's present financial embarrassments.
What are the remedies to be resorted
tot They are plain and obvious. Rigid
economy in expenditures, the aboli-
ton of useless Offices, a strict account
ability 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 individual.
Honesty, industry and economy-upon
these principles the people of the
State demand, and they have q right
to expect, their servants to act. This
demand, so far as the executive de-
partment and it's influence extends,
will be strictly complied with.
oo,, ~ In ~, kh:c <>o,o
sion that all topics Of public interest
will be treated in detail. A fuller
consideration of the proper objects of
legislation will be more in place in
communications / may hereafter have
to make to the General Assembly.
NEW ORLEANS. sq e#
There is no subject of greater mo-
ment to the people of this State than
the prosperity Of the city Of New Or
leans. As the metropolis of the State,
the entrepot of the valley of the Mis-
sissippi, it's interests are the interests
Of the State, and its credit 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 portions Of our State, to which
it is by right entitled. This great
purpose it will be the duty of the leg
islature to foster and encourage.
Prompt action should also be taken
to remove from the city many oppres-
sive burdens imposed upon it by the
Legislation Of the past. The city
should have the control of it's own f.
nances, and not be compelled, as it
now is by legislative enactments, to
incur annually heavy and unnecessary
expenditures, much beyond its current
resources.
INTERNALaMPROvEM
regret that we do not find more
that is encouraging in the progress of
internal Improvements in the State