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

| Washington. The prospect was exceed
| ingly disconraging. 1t took some nerve
to meet this prospect and to endeavor to
reverse the tide.
However great the difficulties, this
| seemed to beget new vIgOr in the prosecu
| ton of my mission. canvassed the sub
| ject with members of Congress, il every
| case with apparent success.
| We succeeded in getting before the Sem
| ate Committee on Transportation, intro
| duced by Senator West The circumstances
| of this introduction, and the discussion face
| to face with Captain Eads by myself and
Governor Hebert, have been already off,
| cially reported to the Chamber, as also the
| conduct of Senator West in deserving our
cause at this important juncture. We con-
sidered the Gesertion treacherOus, and have
| no occasion now to change that opinion.
General Sheldon undertook to champion
our bill in the House, and promised the de-
| votiOn of his whole energies TO the subject.
| This resolution was kept through all the
discouragements with vigor and hopeful
| ness.
His bill was referred to the same Com
| toe on Railroads and Canals, and was placed
| on the calendar as substitute for Eads'
| bill.
1t was long before ths committee could
be brought ito report. The jetty bill was M
referred back, and the committee had both
| before it. They at last heard Captain Eads
at his own request again, il advocacy OF
his measure, in whicn Captain Eads made
many statements contrary to we'll ascertain
| ed facts in science, misquoting the great
authorities on hydraulics, and especially
| quoting and reiterating Professor Fon.
taines unfounded allegation Of literal
| current, tearing away the whole seacOast
| about and west of the various mouths of the
| river.
This speech exhausted the hour, and
| though was promised half the time, the
| committee dismissed US when Eads closed,
| promising me reply another time On my
| retiring a vote was taken at once, with a
| majority for the jetties. It was agreed.
! however, that majority report, prepared
by one Of the jet1y advocates, General
| Hurlbut, and a minority report tor the
! canal, by Hon. G. w. McCrary, chairman
| Of the committee, should both be submitted
to the House, which was done accordingly.
| Then came the preparation for real battle.
| Ali the previous fight had been shirmishing.
The sbiest men in the House prepared to
| fight the pOlemic battle.
| Their names, on both sides. are worth re-
| counting, for the contest was upon meas
ure OF the very first ma agnitude, and the
reasoning grappled with scientific su bjects,
| abstruse and technical. Any man amDi-
| tiOus OF permanent reputation might be
proud to have joined in the contest and to
have engaged the attention OF the United
| States Congress as to what must be the
method Of treating the Mississippi river to
| give free outlet to Its immeasurabls COM
merce.
General Hurlbut led in favor Of the jet
| ties, the improvement of the mouths by
| wingdams, and was followed By McCrary
for the canal. With Huribut were Stone.
Wells, Clark and Stanard, of Missouri, and
Lewis, of Tennessee, and with Nc
| Crary were Sheldon, Hawley, kasson,
Sypher, Conger and Cobb. This last array.
submit, we may well be proud
of. Science lent them It's aid, and practical
| utility gave them confidence and ultimate
success. Such interest of the whole House
| has rarely been commanded by speakers.
| Everybody understood the discussion. Light
| streamed in from every speaker; and when
| the vote came our triumph was nearly two to
| one, 146 to 80, with about twenty votes that
| avoided the last count, for the sake Of ap-
| parent economy before their constituents at
| the next election. Seeing the measure
secure they did not vote. They would have
| swelled our vote to more than double the
| jetty advocates.
The disaster to the advocates of the Jet
| ties was fully confessed and is yet recOg-
| nized everywhere. This vast majority in
the money granting House would have en-
| boIdened every Senator who believes in the
=
Mississippi valley. We needed only the
| chance at vote to carry the Senate by
| like majority. This, l believe, was ap-
parent to everybody. and for moment l
thought Eads and West would make vir-
| tue Of necessity and assist In passing the
measure through the Senate.
| It was soon manifest, however, that
every obstacle would be opposed by Eads
and his friends to its passage. West told
his friends that he would advocate it.
| Some never trusted him. l believed that
| policy, the fear of universal Odium, would
prompt him to the better course. 1t would
appear that l was deceived, for West re-
ported against the bill, and for the dis
charge OF the committee from further con-
| sideration of the subject He also reported
| bill for further surveys that should revive
the dead and buried jetties. The position
| of this Senator gave him the opportunity
| to exert great power. He had referred to
him all matters relating to Louisiana, and
the Senate yielded him his own sway.
This brought US to the heel of the session,
June 13) too late to rally from the blow he
gave us. Another ten days. and we would
have passed the bill. Had West brought in a
minority report, as did McCrary in the
House. we could have had vote, with
almost certain result for the bill. AS it is
we must await the beginning of another
session.
We have no fear of the result of sur
vey. In fact, it will have been rendered
unnecessary by the progress Major Howard
bas made in his borings and soundings, all
found in favor of good foundation for the
canal. All men who have made the ex-
aminations land they are very few, have
but one opinion, namely, that the canal is
easily practicable, and that improved
mouths, with permanence, is impractical
BILE, impossible.
Early next session, then, if we press
the matter, we expect the canal bill to be
| revived passed through the Senate, and
enacted as national law.
At the conclusion of Professor Forshey's
address, on motion of Mr.. Joseph, the
thanks of the Chamber were rendered to
him, to Governor Hebert. and to Congress
men Sheldon, Sypher, Morey, Smith and
Darrell for their efforts.
! Messrs. Forshey and Sandidge desired to
testify to the unvarying interest and devo-
ton displayed by our representatives, and
President Oglesby stated that General Shell
don was present and would address the
| Chamber.
General Sheldon then said that there
were three things that Louisiana needed:
Manufactures in New Orleans, national
protection to the levees, and the Fort st.
Philip canal. He detailed the opposition
the friends of the latter measure had
had to encounter, and stated that its present
condition was such that it could be passed
without difficulty early in the next session.
communication was received from the