New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-21

for such purposes as are provided within
the scope of the constitution.
Now, sir, could you do that in bill such
elton two provides that. the location
shall be that indicated by the report of the
engineers.
Section three says that the Secretary OF
War shall cause it to be located within the
lines indicated in the report OF the engin.
GERS.
Il seems to me that with these three
prOvisos that the canal bill was pretty well
fixed, provided that the bill passed was
practicable, and that q practicable route
should be found.
Section five goes on to stipulate, and
here was our embarrassment, that no ex-
penditure shall be made or authorized till
q valid title to the lands for the site shall
have been procured, including strip OF
land not less than 1000 yards on each side
Of the canal. To make the bed requires
300 yards-that would make about
mile and quarter. Now, there
was most excellent opportunity for
those gentlemen who had stepped forward
as the guardians of the United States and
stood ready, as there was some intimation
that there must be an excellent opportunity
to make known to Congress, or, at least, to
the Senate committee, that they did stand
ready to cede this property to the govern
ment. But some doubling Thomas in the
House of Representatives interpolated the
bill, unfortunately for this project, and put
in q prOvisO. provided that no part of the
5000 900 shall be used for the purchase Of
lands" ,.
Could / on the thirteenth of June, the
day reported that bill, when only seven
days OF the session were left 60 forward
with such a proposition ss that! Would it
have been possible to carry it? Would it
have been possible at that day to induce
Congress to take it up! That principle
sovereignty within the limits of the State7
Yet if hAd made minority report, it's de-
feat-its absolute strangulation was inev-
liable and you would have gotten nothing
at all. Gentlemen who 60 to Washington
and are 40 conversant with the neces-
sary legislation that is required and that
is practicable, might find 1t an easy task;
but have labored pretty earnestly in the
matter, and didn't see any way to &C.
complish anything there. The attempt to
do it would have left you without even .
survey of the mouth Of the river in the
coming year.
But there was more than that. Here was
a contract to be let out for $4,000, 000
Mayor Howell in his estimate says pos.
sibly; it can be built for $4,000, 900, or
somewhere about 81 ,000, 000."
The engineer board who revised his es-
innate, ignored his figures ind said that
the cost would be about $10,273OO0. The
chief engineer, in one Of his revising crit
1cisms. puts the prospective cost of the
canal at $l3,000,000.
Mayor Howell is the only officer that ever
said that that canal could be built in three
Nah a1n al hot
position, and the most eminent engineer
of the board-who dissented from the ma
jority-said that it would take ten years to
puild it,
Now, here JIG a proposition to let out con-
tract in one solid lump to one man for
$4,000, 900 for a work that couldn't
be done in less than from ten to thirteen
years-and to do that in three years
when the weight Of opinion is that it
would take at Least ten years. But how is
it to be let! Is the dredging to be let to
one and the contract for furnishing timber
to another! Was the granite to be brought
from one section of the country! No, some
great COLOSSUS of q contractor was to get
the contract from the United States. 1t
would have ruined the project forever. In
the language of the bill, the Secretary Of
War on the receipt Of the survey was to ad-
vertise for proposals, and in such news.
papers as he might think sufficient.
Now, don't suppose the Secretary of
War wanted any such extraordinary temp
tation put in his hands. But what was the
object Of the man framing this bill and en-
it! What was the object Of
provision that the mere advertisement for
hours in parish newspaper
be was competent to receive bids for
$S, 000, 0O0l
l ask the president of the Levee Comps-
nv. whom l see present here, whether that
is the way in which he lets out contracts
for work I! If he had eight millions of work
to be done, would he confide to some ex-
ecutive officer the discretion to advertise
in a newspaper and at such times as he
might see tit. Then what is he to do? He
is to let out the contract 20 the low.
est and most responsible bidder.
Every man familiar with contracts
knows what that means. That is an
man can make a bid of
81 .O0O. 900. and a responsible man one for
Sc, 0OO, 00O and it is entirely discretionary
with the officer which bid he will accept.
Would any man of business put such pow
ers into the hands of any one officer, no
matter how high his estimation of him
And this great bill, that has been glOriied
as one to open the mouth Of the Mississippi
river contains, such clause.
Now, one more fact in connection with it.
1t provides that no bid shall be received
except the bidder has deposited the sum OF
$l5, 900 as forfeit. Fifteen thousand dollars
forfeit on contract Of SS.00O,000! Why.
sir, take p. j. Kennedy and he would put
up twenty straw bids with that forfeit, and
buy up the contract.
That is the kind of legislation that you
expect me, as Senator, to sanction DO
you want me to imperil this enterprise
When the canal bill passed the House l
knew nothing of its provisions. l said
then: "Give us any measure to give water.
have no prejudices. lay them all upon
the altar of my country. want water at
any price"
Now do you hold me accountable that
could not give my sanction to such an
abortion as that Then am told to amend
it. We all know, fellow citizens, with what
magnanimity and generosity the people Of
the North responded to our appeal for help
when the great Father of Waters subjected
your homes and your plantations to devas-
You knew how readily private individuals
responded to your call. You know how
Congress did it. But you don't
know this fact that one single narrow
minded man in the Senate OF the United
States had the power under the rules to rob
10000 citizens of the bread that was pre-
pared for them.
l only mention this matter to show you
how easy 1t is to accomplish nothing IN
Washington. From the very first hour
that knew of your troubles, directed my
attention to their alienation. l coilated
information; l telegraphed and I cores,
sponded; presided over the delegation OF
the South, and appeared before the House
oo,nvn;+faa of opprcDr,atiODa
They gave us 100000 more, after once
appropriating $4,000. Let me say this
here. was ably assisted in those efforts
by the honorable gentleman who presides
over your deliberations tonight. He gave
me such assistance when he came to Wash
In r4on 4hat I would likA to have such gen