New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-14

can speak from their hearts.
1t was agreed that this convention would |
send committee Of five to Washington.
The chair then appointed the following |
committee on resolutions: Messrs. Gran |
well, J. Dougherty, L. Bush, E. Lawrence !
and G. w. r. Bayley.
The convention then adjourned for an !
evening session. After adjournment the |
members gathered in the hotel rotunda and |
freely discussed the questions they are to
act On.
EVENING SESSION.
The body met in the evening at seven
o'clock, President F. S. Goode in the chair
and Captain Thomas S. Winder, of La
fourche. acting as secretary.
There was not much done at first, al
though there was much discussion. Sew
eral resolutions were proposed and re-
jected.
Colonel Claiborne, of Pointe Coupee,
made a powerful appeal in behalf of the
Levee Company. He defended it from the
blame that had been hurled upon it on ac-
count of the late disastrous food. Colonel
Claiborne showed by series of logical re-
marks that the Levee Company was in no
way responsible for the late disasters. The
Levee Company had striven to preserve the
levees intact. Disaster. which no one conld
foresee, had swept away the safeguard of
the farmers and flooded the plantations.
General Gibson spoke at length in violent
opposition to the Levee Company.
Mr.. Oglesby then spoke. not as an apollo
gist for the Levee Company, but to avert
condemnation of its action.
Mr.. Walsh succeeded He spoke of the
Hickey crevasse, narrated how destruction
bad come upon a community in default of
the outlay of few dollars. Mr.. Walsh
made strong case against the Levee Com
pany, and denounced it in no measured
terms.
Further debate brought out other speak
ers, but the end of the whole matter was
the adoption of the following resolutions:
ResolceG, That the chairman Of this con-
vention appoint committee OF five mem
| bers, with instructions to proceed at once
! to Washington and appeal to the federal
| government for aid to reconstruct the levees,
| which the impoverished condition of our
| State and people renders it perfectly i'm
! possible for them to rebuild.
| ResoIred, That the said committee be in
| structed to telegraph to Washington to the
| Speaker Of the House, the presiding officer
| of the Senate and the President OF the
| United States as follows:
| greater portion of the fund OF S50O,0OO
| appropriated by Congress for charity can
| be effectively used by employing those who
! are in want upon the work OF rebuilding
the levees, and thus securing them not only
| employment, but at the same time sure
| guarantee against a repetition OF the over
| flow next spring, consequent famine. and
| still more imperative demand tor charity.
! The following gentlemen were appointed
committee to go to Washington in the
| interest of the levee matters: General r. L..
| Gibson, ex- Governor Joshua Baker, H. C..
| Minor, Captain 7. Tupper and John F.
| Wyche.
| Colonel N. III. Rightor, of Terrebonne,
| moved that the State Auditor be requested
| to attend the convention and give state
mcnt of the amounts paid by the State to
the Levee Company.
The convention then adjourned to meet
On the twenty-fifth of July next. A resolu-
ton of thanks was passed to Messrs. Rivers
AID Lonsdale for the use of rooms.
LIST OF DELEGATES.
From Lafourche-John Williams, Louis
| Bush |. d. Moore, Lewis Guion, A. Drous-
seau, j. X. Jourdain.
Terrebonne-F S. Goode. T. j. Daunois,
RABBIT Hare, William A. Schatfer, K. L..
| Gibson, II. C. Minor. Edmund McCuilom,
| N. II. Ryder, w. w. Blackford.
East Baton Rouge-H. Ii. Walsh.
Iberia-J. +. Wyche.
Plaquemines-E. Lawrence, Captain
Sawyer.
Roy.
Burke Joseph Dougherty, James l.. Lob
| dell.
Iberville-J. B. Lovert, Ed J. Gay. Jr
| Ascension-John A. Stephenson, +. n.
| Assumption-Desire Leblanc, Stephen r.
| Garrett, William B. Ratlitfe, j. b, Whit
tington, w. w. Pugh.
Orleans-William X. Mills. E. H. Ango-
mar, Walter Pugh, Samuel Cranwell.
| Ouachita- H. Brewster.
| Pointe COupee-F. L. Claiborne, octave
| Hopkins, C. w. Allen.
! st. Mary-Ex Governor Baker, Thomas
j. Shafer.
St. Martini. 7. Tupper.
The following resolutions, submitted by
| the committee, were unanimously adopted ::
| WHEREAS, This convention has assem-
| bled to consider the exposed condition OF
| the State of Louisiana by the destruction
| of its levees, and to adopt measures and
recommendations for present protection
and future safety; and
| Whereas, The board of the louisiana
Levee Company, through the Hon: u. r.
| Kenner acting president, has in this con-
| vention expressed their fixed determination
| to use every possible effort and to expend
| their means to the fullest extent OF their
| ability in the reconstruction OF the levees
| in Louisiana in such manner as to give
| adequate and sufficient protection to the
| people; and -.
Whereas, No change or modification of
| our present levee system, if such should be
| deemed necessary, can be accomplished pc
| fore the meeting of the Legislature OF this
| State next January; therefore be 1T
| Resolced, That we deem it expedient and
| our present duty to CO operate with the
| Leyee Board for the purpose of obtaining
| the reconstruction of the levees of the State
before the next annual period OF high water;
Droyided the Levee Company will give the
| various overtlOwed sections OF the State
tair represen tatives in the board.
| Resolced, That we earnestly and respect
| fully appeal to Congress to take into Ia
yorable consideration the important ques'
tion of making the levee system OF the Mis-
sissippi river q national work, and that
| they adopt measures to thus effect as early
| as practicable, in view OF the great inter-
ests involved, extending not only to the
State of Louisiana, but affecting all the
| States of the Mississippi valley; and In
view of the inability OF this State, or any
State subject to overflow, to control the
| action of another, we deem it highly proper
and imperative upon the national govern
ment to take charge of the levees OF the