The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-06-20
HOW IT WAS DONE.

One Of the most intelligent and respect
able assemblages that we have seen since
vention, recently held in this city. 1t was
composed Of planters and gentlemen inter-
ested in the reconstruction and maintenance
of the levees of this State.
The disastrous overflow, the impoverished
condition of the people, and the hardness
of the Levee Company in taking
the necessary steps to avert the
crevasses or to attempt to close
them, after their occurrence, created great
dissatisfaction throughout the country par
ishes, and aroused the indignation OF those
planters whose property hau been destroyed
through the negligence Of this company.
Public meetings were held throughout the
overlooked district, and resolutions adopted,
duct Of the Levee Company. A General
Convention was called, and delegates ap-
pointed, to take into consideration the fear
ful condition of the country, and to devise,
if possible, some means for the relief of the
people.
The Convention assembled last Saturday,
and after session of one day adjourned
until the 25th of July without having ac-
complished anything further than the adOp-
ton of resolution pledging the Convention
to cooperate with the Levee Company, and
give it every assistance in the work Of re.
constructing the levees.
How such result was brought about,
when the sentiments of nine-tenths of the
this course, naturally excites the as onish-
ment of the uninitiated.
But we happen to know how it was done.
So anxious were the delegates to secure
something towards rebuilding the levees
that they permitted their indignation to be
Modified in a great degree by the very
plausible and insinuating statement made
by the spokesman of the Levee Company,
Col. ID. +. Kenner. When he informed the
Convention that his company had spent on
the levees more money than it had received
from the State, and went on to say that he
had made contract for the rebuilding of
all the levees, and that work had actually
been commenced on some Of them; and
after putting in strong light the danger
of destroying the Levee Company without
having some other system to replace it, the
Convention seemed to be completely cap
tured, and was paralyzed for any action adj
verse to the position assumed by Col. Ken
per.
Again. the Committee on Resolutions was
composed of several gentlemen who were
known to be friends of the Levee Company,
and it just happened that these members,
except one, were from the city Of New Or
leans, and not authorized to represent the
parish, except by the invitation of the Con-
vention itself. The gentlemen to whom we
refer are Mr.. Cranwell, who was chairman
Of the committee; Mr.. G. w. r. Bayley, Mr..
Effingham Lawrence-the only bona fdt
delegates on the committe being Col. Louis
Bush and Mr.. Doherty.
A series Of resolutions, reported by this
committee, were submitted to vote, and on
q motion strike the preamble and first
resolution, it was lost by vote of IL yeas
to ID nays, the impromptu or unaccredted
delegates voting in the negative. This is
the way the whitewash'ng preamble and
resolutions were adopted. A large majority
of the legitimate members of the Convention
favored the adoption of resolution con-
demning in the severest language the past
conduct and administration Of the Levee
Company. But observing, by the test vote
already had, that the New Orleans members
would vote against such a resolution, it was
deemed best not to offer it, and to let the
resolutions of the committee go through
without further opposition.
The Convention adjourned to meet again on
the 25th of July, and by that time, if the
Levee Company has not given satisfactory
evidence of ability and intention to com
plete the work they have undertaken, they
will not escape SO easily the censure they
will SO juctly deserve.
An old French shoemaker who hoaSfad