The weekly Louisianian., 1874-06-06
COMPENSAT7YE O o

! COMPENSATE GOOD.
In the providentaaI econom,
there are few evils, especially phys
lea, that aflict mankind that ar
not Offset by some attendant goo
Ia good that could not, humanl
speaking, have either accrued, o
been appreciated, unless it had fol
lowed this antecedent distress
This doctrine Of compensation, 81
perceptible to the thoughtful minf
in the affairs of life, seems about t,
be illustrated, in the instance of th,
distress and suffering of our people
incident to the deluge and overflow
OF our State. Immediately, oul
losses were referable to incomplet,
and insufficient ~levees, but the trotl
is we have demonstrated, by man,
costly failures, that no single State
Of the Mississippi valley, is compe.
tent in either authority: or means.
to maintain and police a system oi
levees adequate to give the protec:
ton that life and property demand
therein. We have never learned
our own weakness sufficiently be-
fore, nor have we been able to i'm.
press the National Government
with our i~mpotency in this direc-
ton, SO far as to secure either her
fair consideration for our needs, or
help therein. But the terrible dis
asters that have overtaken our peo-
pie lately, the great distresses that
teach more impressively than words,
our weakness and our wants, have
had the double effect, to convince
both the people of the valley, and
the Federal Congress, the necessity
OF Matchmaking the levees of the
Mississippi and it's tributaries
that the work is of such importance
and such magnitude, that the Gen.
eral Government must not only
construct and maintain, but police
the same, in order to the conserva-
ton of the most sacred rights of
the citizens, and in furtherance of
the growth and prosperity of the
most fertile and desirable portion
of this great country. Congress-
man Smith, of Louisiana, has intro
auced a bill looking to the initiation
Of this great question, and the des-
pitches inform us, that President
Senator Morton and other
prominent and influential leaders,
arc favorably disposed in this mat
Ter. Again the industrial distresses
Incident to the breakage of the
evees, and the overflow of the Mis-
'issippi, have not only diverted the
attention of the Republicans and
from the bitterness of
PARTISAN strifes and the seldshness
# personal aims, but have united
hem, in common efforts to relieve
he common distress, and thus by
community, not only of suffering
Of charities, have produced a
:indlier and healthier public senti-
aent. Still again, the misfortunes
hat afhict, have furnished the ne
essities that supply the spur of .
igorous, honest toll, and the suf-
ering classes feel that the slowth s
nat breeds vice, and that the very s
'uitfulness of our land allows and
ncourages sometimes, cannot now ,
nd in. this emergency be afforded
r INDUCED in; and work, which is q
otter than gifts or rations, is bring {
g its bene6cent results of physi- +
i and mental health, and the. con- Il
'quent hopefulness, that inspires i
BOD will and kindly deeds. AS a
as we have suffered, if the s
'ods should issue, as they now b
:omise, in Matchmaking our l~evees,
inspiring kindly feeling, by first +,
occasion for kindly acts, =,
ID a healthier and more independ- -
t effort 70 build up. on q substan- :,
i basis, the prosperity of the o,
ate, We shall yet refer to the great al
as not without it's accom- h,
nying good, and shall realize that =,