New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-08

| with what We had Mr.. Slidell, beng in
! the Senate of the United States, procured
an appropriation, and the use of the ship
Release, to go to South America, Brazil,
visited Seurenam, Jamaica, etc., and
brought here, in 1856, large supply of
worthless cane, mostly damaged, which
were distributed to the planters. These
two expeditions were made BY sailing YES
sells, which failed.
In 1861, we succeeded in making the
largest crop ever made here-4J9 4IO hogs.
heads of sugar and y so, 900 gallons of
molasses, owing to an extraordinary good
season. Then came the war which reduced
the crop to next to nothing: now we are
getting into the famine period. hope God
will advert the pestilence.
In 1912. ten years after peace, the crop
was los, 400 hogsheands, notwithstanding
all efforts to increase 1t, and 6, 504,O00 gal
Ions of molasses. This year We will not
probably reach $4,000 hogsheads.
1t is clear that we have lost since 1864, on
an average, about 100000 hogsheads Of
sugar and 100000 barrels Of molasses,
worth, sugar at six cents, and molasses at
$50 per barrel, say forty to fifty cents per
gallOn-in the aggregate round sum an,
nualIy of $780, coo, and since peace, say
in 1854, the enormous sum OF $lS0,000, 900,
estimating the crops at about 900 hogs
heads annually, and not at what it was in
1862. just think of such a deficit, and it
will not surprise you if we are now poor
apd broken down. Such a sum would
make us all prosperous and happy planters
and laborers instead of being embarrassed.
We have all advantages in our tavOr-soil,
climate, the best labOrers in the world over
which Travelled, the best domestic market
known, and the best molasses in the world,
without exaggeratlon.
There is no other way, you know, to get
the money to liquidate our large indebted
ness private as well as public debt Of the
Citizens Bank and the State. but out of
mother earth, and that requires time and
good seed. Every cultivatOr knows that
nearly all our garden seeds degenerate and
must be renewed every year. Cabbage,
turnip. Irish potatoes, etc, cannot be grown
from Creole seed. Cane is not so bad, but
can not, in the long run, escape the natural
law, being an exotic from warmer country.
France and Italy have to purchase, at an
enormous cost annually, from Japan silk
worm seed, in order to make crop.
France suffers great depredations from the
phyloxeras, an insect destroying her vim
yards. The general government apprOpri-
ated, last year, $4,000 to the Agricultural
Bureau to procure fresh seed. We have to
renew our wheat and other grain. Unless
you come to the rescue immediately, in a
year or two the sugar culture Will run out.
How then will the Citizens Bank debt be
liquidated +! She has already seized and
taken upwards of fifty plantations unable
to pay her, and she can not sell or rent
them, and the poor labOrers are without
work. Remember, the State has loaned her
four and half millions bonds, bearing five
per cent interest, which are due to foreign
capitalists. Those bonds are honestly due
and you will be called upon to pay them.
Those plantations leased by the bank
are rotting, fences. bridges, houses, are not
repaired and decaying tast-telds growing
into natural wilderness.
The tax collector hardly can sell them.
The tritling sum OF $4,000 in currency, or
$4,000 in bonds, invested immediately in
good seed cane can save the country from
utter ruin, and advert the calamity-a mere
drop in the Mississippi. Cultivating Inferior
or decayed cane. as we are doing, to defray
the expenses OF cultivation.
We look to you for aid, naturally. Private
enterprise can not supply the cane needed.
1t is too far away. If YOU will furnish the
money, our government will no doubt fur
nish good steamer from the navy to carry
the cane here, for distribution gratis to our
planters. | know where and how to get
the cane and save it from being damaged.
The situation is awful to contemplate, and
the time is pressing.
With great respect, i remain, dear sir,
your ODeGlent servant,
No. : st. Louis street.
On motion of Mr.. Ingraham the foregoing
was ordered to be printed in the journal.
By unanimous consent, and on motion of
Mr.. Butler, the following was taken up:
Senate bill No. 1927, an act to authorize
the police jury of the parish of Plaquemines
to issue bonds and to provide for the re-
demption thereof Referred to the Com
mttee on judiciary February :. Reported
favorably, February 6.
On motion of Mr.. Sypher, the bill was
fixed for the special order Of the day for
Wednesday next at one o'clock, and Or
dered printed.
RESOLUTIONS LYING OVER.
Mr. Cage called up the following resolu-
ton:
WHEREAS The General Assembly, at it's
last regular session, passed law allowing
the officers of the Senate thirty per cent ad
ditional, for the purpose OF making their
pay in accordance with act No. III OF 1872;
and
Whereas, In lieu of receiving the thirty
per CtuU WOIo ouDJOCtCu w ~ iooo Va
thirty per cent; be IL
ResoLUed, That the chairman of the COM
mittee on auditing and supervising the ex-
penses OF the Senate issue vouchers to said
officers to the amount of thirty per cent, to
cover said loss, from the contingent funds
of the Senate for the present session.
On motion of Mr.. Cage, the resolution
was adopted.
REGULAR ORDER OF THE DAY.
Mre Wharton moved that the Secretary
take up the House bills, with a view of
reference
The Chair declared the motion not in
orders but that q motion to take up the cal
endar of House bills on FIRST reading would
be in ordere
By Mr. Burch:
House bill No. 1919, an act to renew and
extend the charter of Independence Fire
Company No. 2, of Baton Rouge: for fifteen
years, from March IL, A. d. 1874.
The bill was read the first time.
The constitutional rule was suspended by
Il