The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-25
A DREARY PROSPECT.
New York Sun, April 18th


The unfortunate people Of Louisiana, after
having been numerically plundered by the
spurious government imposed upon them at
the poiut of the bayonet by President Grant
are now suffering from floods which are de-
stroying vast numbers Of animals and IN
flicting incaculable damage upon the grow
ing crops In fact the ravages OF these
floods are but a consequence of the corrupt
government inflicted upon the people OF
Louisiana against their Will
The work of building and repairing the
levecs in Louisiana was lntlusted 10 pfl-
vate company by the negro and carpet-bag
Legislature of Ell, under terms which indi-
Gated a stupcndous job in the transaction.
The Louisiana Lcvee Company, as it is
called. for undertaking to protect the lands
in the State subject to overflow, were to re-
ceive the proceeds of certain specified tax
alton upon these lands and the products
thereof. which would afford a revenue amply
sufficient to keep the works IN the best pos
sible condition. and afford very great profit
besides. The operations OF this Company
are conducted Under the direction of three
Commissioners, who are appointed, one by
the State, one by President Grant, and one
by the Company. The present Commission
ers are Gen. LOngstreet, Gov Hebert, and
Mr.. Van Pelt. These select the places where
the work Of the Company is to be done, and
determine upon its details.
Of course this Levee Company contains
a ring arranged to absorb large share of
the revenues collected as levee taxes, but
the taxation for this purpose is SO heavy
that they could make enormous profits and
yet do the work assigned them faithfully.
But the Kellogg Government, with charac-
teristic dishonesty, has failed to remunerate
the company for work actually accom-
pished, and thus afforded them valid ex-
cuse for leaving much undone that they
ought to have done. Since the first day OF
last October the company has built 63
levees, for which they have not received one
cent of pay, while the State owes them
about 81 100000 on account Of work in pre-
vious years.
In Africanized Mississippi, owing to the
bad management and dishonesty Of the au
thorties, the levee system has likewise been
permitted to 90 to destruction, and the in
habitants of that State have also suffered
terribly in consequence. In the two States
hundreds Of thousands of acres of the iich
est and most productive lands are now sub
merged, and their crops totally destroyed
1t is almost impossible to conceive the eX
tent of the misery which will grow on. of
these disasters. Great numbers of enter
prising planters and small farmers will be
utterly ruined, while trade in New Orleans
and the interior towns must almost cease on
account Of the general distress.
The worst suffering, however, will fall
upon the negro population. Thousands and
thousands of colored laborers, with their
families, are entirely dependent for the
means of living upon the owners of the
submerged lands; and now that these have
been overtaken by calamity, it is difficult
to see what is to save the negroes from alb
solute starvation. The distress among this
class will be terrible indeed. Under the in
flnence of carpet-bag politicians they have
been led to support for office a most venal
and corrupt set of knaves, Indifferent to the
evil results which their rule would entail
upon the white property holders, who have
to bear the great burden Of Nxation. Now,
the consequences are likely to fall, with |
crushing weight, upon themselves.