New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-02-13

call special meeting for Wednesday, the
twelfth instant, at $50 2. M. to discuss the
total repeal of the bankrupt law
FREDERICK CAMARDEN.
w. f. SEYMOUR,
l.. II. GARDNER,
E. A. SUMMERS,
JOHN NJ SANDIDGE.
And others
The president j. II. Oglesby, Esq called
the meeting to order, and stated that the
matter before the meeting had been agitated
for some time, and that about a year ago,
on motion of Mr.. Kennard, committee had
been appointed to prepare memorial to
Congress asking the repeal of the bankrupt
law, but nothing further had ever been
done in the matter.
Mr. L. Fl. Gardner favored action BY
the chamber tonight. A bill repeating the
law had already passed the House OF
Representatives. and va. nov in the Sen
ate awaiting action.
Mr.. l.. II. Joseph submitted the following
resolutions. which. on motion of Mr.. +. A.
Haber. were adopted. and on motion of
Mr.. Gardner ordered to be transmitted to
Washington by telegraph by the secretary
az once:
Reso'red, That it is the deliberate opinion
of this Chamber of Commerce. that
the act, OF Congress. and those
supplemental thereto. and which are known
as the bankrupt law. have survived their
usefulness. and in consequence should be
repealed.
ResOiued. That a copy OF this resolution
be transmitted 10 our immediate represen-
tatives III Congress, under the seal of this
chamber. with the request that their best
exerlions be used in Congress to secure the
repeal of the act.
Mr. Oglesby read a petition from P. n.
Lapice, Esq. asking of Congress an appro.
priation Of $4,000 and the use of govern
ment vessel. to purchase and transport
hither such sugar cuttings as may be OBJ
tanned in the West Indies and elsewhere,
suitable for the soil.
The chamber Endorsed the memorial of
p. NJ. Lapice, Esq., praying that Congress
will make an appropriation of $4,000 and
place at his disposal national vessel for
the purchase aud transportation of sugar
cane cuttings from foreign countries for
distribution among the sugar planters of
the United States, with the reservation
that it does not indorse the personal appli.
cations of Mr.. Lapice for an allotment OF a
portion Of the cuttings as compensation to
himself.
A communication as TO the classification
OF sugar was read by Mr. Putnam.
General Bussey. in behalf of the special
committee appointed at the last meeting Of
the chamber, submitted the following:
The committee to whom was referred the
matter of memorial to Congress respecting
the cotton tax have the honor to report the
following preamble and resolutions:
WHEREAS, Certain resolutions were pass
ed by this chamber favorable to the refund.
ing of the cotton tax collected from the
South during the years 1865. 1866 and 1867:
and.
Whereas, Subsequent reflection and in.
vestigatiOn have convinced the members of
this chamber that this would be difficult, if
not quite impracticable, and caused re.
consideration of the resolutions and memo.
rial to Congress; and,
Whereas, This chamber still is impressed
with the unequal, oppressive and unconsti.
tutiOnal character of the tax on cotton
which exacted near seventy five millions of
gold from our people. while the products of
the labor OF the victorious. n0n-COttOn pro
duc!ng States were tree from this or any
analogous tax: still, from the impractical
bility of refunding to the proper hands the
taxes paid by second, or fourth. or tenth
parties III its progress to market, this cham.
Der would beg most respectfully To change
the nature of their prayer for resti-
tuition into form which, as they believe.
will, If sweled. give general satisfaction
and be received by the people "a an
ultimate beuetactiOn to the whole region
thus laid under contribution. and materi-
Ill 10
every part of our whole country.
Therefore we would respectfully petition
the Congress of the United States to make
liberal appropriations for the great works
of improvement so urgently demanded by.
the cotton States, and that these approrri.
atoms be equtabIy distributed in such
manner as to alleviate the overwhelming
debt necessitated by the war and to de-
yelop and construct such works of a Der.
manent and general character within those
States as shall rebound to their prosperity
somewhat pro rata to their cotton tax paw
ments, and as will amount to a sum equal
to the total cotton tax collected. While
this Chamber of Commerce, REPRESENTING.
as we feel assured, the aggre gate opinion of
the people of the several cotton States
whose productions find egress through this
city, would not undertake to contine their
prayer specially to certain works of i'm.
prOvement. there are those which we ven
ture to specify as OF too permanent
and general a character and too vital
to our future demands TO be over
looked or long postponed. We would.
therefore, name the certain great leading
matters as having a national Importance
sufficient alone to merit the appropriations
we ask. but upon which we would gladly
receive and impute as credits upon the
claim which will never die unpaid. the cot.
ton tax of 1850 1866 and 1867
These subjects are rs follows:
]. IN the interest OF the commerce Of the
Mississippi valley with the Gulf OF Mex
ico-the establishment and support Of lines
81 steamships between New Orleans and
Mexican, South American and other foreign
rorta. carrying the mails.
.. The Improvement OF the navigation OF
al Southern rivers and harborz
3 In the interest of the great staples that
control the exchanges of tie world Of agri.
culture over n large area OF eXhaustless
fertility. in the interes: Of American wealth
and civilMIti0u-the reclamation OF the
Mississippi delta from inundatiOn BIZ ievees.
1. In the interest of broad national JUS.
tice and cquity-tAe assumption of the
State debts contracted since the war for the
reconstruction Of The evees destroyed dur
ing he war It's military necessities.
d. In tie interest 81 the commerce of the
Calf oi Mexico and the Mississippi river.
the construction of The Fort ST. Philip
canal.
These. with other objects Of great neces-
sity to our struggling people. we most re-
specttUliy commend to onr Senators and
Representatives in Congress. a. justly en-
utle6 to natl 'na' aid. in recompense and
reimbursement for moneys earned by our
half paralyZed industry, and long since eN-
acted from Us. when we had no Voice ot Ie-
monstralcc in the national councils. And
Us IN duty bound your Iue.poriaists viii
ever pray,
Respectfully submitted hr The New Ok
,.JIS t';I.n1 h.:. a.. Cnnrr,nrcp