The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-04-23
Hon. y. q. C. LamHr's hk"SOi"i1o"S-
The bRecIama tiOn Of the 1S"s-
tom Regions Of the MtsSiSS'P-
nj River and its Erabu
rarHe=.

Mr.. Lamar, on leave, introduced the
following jgint resolution:
Joint Resolution Providing for the re
clamation Of the delta Of tine MISS pPI
River ~,
Mississippi river, Liable to inundas'on ny
its floods, extends from Cape Glrirdeau
10 Missouri 10 the Gulf Of Mexico, ana
has a length Of SIX hundred milcs an
latitude. by an average width OF sky
three miles IN longitude, and contains an
area OF thiry-eight thousand SIX hundred
and seven square miles OF the most IeF'lle
and productive land on earth; ana
WHEREAS this large extent OF territory
was. prior to the erection OF leVees, ire
ouentlv a single delta-sea OF great dep'h'
every acre submerged; and
WHEREAS under the tragmentary
levees built by individuals, helghbor-
hoods. counties, and ultimately states,
during a period covering a century ana
half of struggle, one tenth Of tins area
was reclaimed. and another tenth made
available for further reclamation; and
WHE -EAs the interruption Of labor
and vigilance upon the said leyees, ana
their destruction, has greatly diminished
the amount of the reclamation, suomerg-
ed and depopulated large areas formerly
inhabited and cultivated; and
WHEREAS. as shown by statistics, the
struggles of an impoverished people, with
an expenditure in single state lLouis-
lanai Of more than thirteen million dol
lars since the said war in attempts to
restore the levees have proved aboruve,
their fields and homes being now raVaSed
by foods and crevasses; and
WHEREAS the caving OF the river
banks back to low land has made it
necessary to build higher levees year al
ter year; and
WHEREAs the States of ArkEusas and
Missouri have made but little attempt since
said war to effect a levee-system, AMI the
effort of Louisiana and Mississippi IN that
direction have proved almost trullless,
and the great work is now beyond their
control; and
WHEREAS the Mississippi River is ma
tional in its character, Is fed by over one
thousand five hundred streams, and
drains the watersheds OF a whole CONT
nent, reaching, through It's Tributaries,
twenty States and Territories; and
w HEEEA5 al Improvements 4ppNlh-5 t'
the reclamation of the delta Of such q
river must conduce to the general well
fare Of the whole Union, and should be
undertaken aud accomplished by the
general governments and
WHEREAS all systems for the radamp
ton and protection of the alluvial lands
Of the Mississippi should be general and
uniform in their character, and embrace
the whole valley Of the river; and
WHEREAS no such system has ever I
been proposed or adopted: Therefore,
ResoLueA by the Senate and House of /
Representatives Of the United States Of f..
America in Congress assembled, That .
the President be authorized To- appoint a (
mixed commi ision, three of whom ut
least shall be civil engineers and ac-
quainted with the alluvlal basin OF the
Mississippi River, who shall report 90
this Congress at its next session fixed,
uniform, and permanent plan for the re-
clamltion and redemption OF the said
aIluyial basin from inundatiou; the chair
man Of the commission to be appointed
by the President
SEC. 2. That the Committee ON APP
be, and are hereby, instruct
ed to prepare and report TO this House n
bill appropriating the sum of--dollars
for the purpose Of carrying into effect the
above resolution.