National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-23
THE LyUYDATIoyIgLoUIsLAN

THE LNUNDATT0NN L0 ULSIANA.
The condition of the people of Louisiana
who are now driven from their homes by
an overflow of the Mississippi river and its
tributary streams is truly deplorable, and
appeals to the sympathy and good feeling
Of those Of their countrymen who are in
situations of comfort and prosperity. The
calamity which has overtaken this afflicted
State has not been brought upon 1t by any
fault or negligence Of its inhabitants, but
on the contrary is chargeable to the indIf-
ference-may we not say the criminal
neglected. our National Congress. This
fact constitutes Just and irresistible claim
on the part of the people of Louisiana who
are SO distressed, not only upon the General
Government, but upon the citizens of every
State in their individual capacity who have
1t in their power to come to their relief.
Urgent appeals for such assistance have
been forwarded by the authorities of the
State of Louisiana and the mayor of the
city of New Orleans to the cities of Boston,
New York, Philadelphia and other centres,
as well as to the President Of the United
States, and we ore glad to say that these
appeals have been responded to instantane-
ously and in a large and generous spirit.
Already has Boston sent to New Orleans
draft for ten thousand dollars, and ere
these words can reach our readers contribu-
tons will be telegraphed from other cities
u to our suffering brethren of Louisiana. In
this mission Of mercy and brotherly kind
ness Washington must not allow herself to
be outstripped, and we hope not day will
be lost in signifying her sensibility to the
distress with which mysterious Proyi-
dence has seen fit to visit the community
! for whom we make this appeal The ex-
tent of this calamity ian be imagined from
the brief statements which have been trans
mitted by telegraph. The mayor Of New
Orleans tells us that the inundation covers
an area of ten thousand square miles, and
that twenty-five of the fifty seven parishes
(counties) of Enthusiastically half of the
State-are, more or less, under water; that
is to say, about two millions of acres Of
which three hundred and fifty-seven thou
sand are IN cultivation. The number Of
towns already overfiowed are seven, and
the people who are partially or totally ruined
cannot be less than twenty-five thousand.
There are no means of estimating the losses
of many hundreds of small proprietors in
, the way Of gardens, fences and cattle. But
VIC shall not exaggerate in estimating that
: one million of bushels of corn, one hun.
dred and fly thousand bales of cotton and
twenty thousand hogsheads of sugar will
e be lost by this inundation, because, aftel
the water has receded, it will be too late
. 20 Lake another crop this season Those
! Yho have never seen an overflow Of the
Mississippi river can have but faint idea
of the destruction of properly which I
: brings with 1t. and Of the peril in which L
i places even human life. At the presen'
J stage of water nearly all that portion of the
State which lies south Of Red river anG
! down TO the mouth Of the Mississippi il
: lower than the surface of the water by sew
eral feet The land is low and fiat ant
{ there are no high places near at hand tc
4 which the inhabitants can retreat The
: destruction of live stock must be very greai
! IN these circumstances In large part o
: the oyerfowed districts the people ar
! actually surrounded by water several fec
deep.
r 1t cannot be necessary to remind on
: readers of the already impoverished condi