The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-10-07
THE LEvBE CONVENTION.

iourned on Saturday last after harmonious
and interesting session. Louisiana was re-
presented by forty-one delegates, among whom
were many distinguis she'd engineer There
we're three delegates from Missouri, two from
Arkansas, and fourteen from Mississippi.
There were few speeches and all brief. TIE
substance of prevalent opinion was condensed
in seven short resolutions, which were
adopted as follows:
Resolved, That the Mississippi River is
national in its character, and as such, the
care of it belongs to the General Government.
q That all Improvements upon the Mlssls-
sippi and all works necessary for the recama-
ton and protection of its alluvial basin,
should be made by and at the cost OF the
General Government
3. That these works of improvement
should be based upon the accurate and ex-
haustive report and recommendations made
by the United States Commission OF Engl-
neers to Congress at the last session, and the
improvements should be uniform in their
character, embracing the whole valley OF the
river. :.
4. That owing to the impoverished condl-
ton of the riparian States they can no longer
protect themselves against inundation; they
therefore earnestly appeal to the General Gov
eminent for material aid.
5. That this Convention appoint commit
tee of twenty persons, composed OF three
delegates from the State of Missouri. five
delegates each from the States of Arkansas
and Mississippi, and seven delegates from
Louisiana, whose duty it shall be to procure
all the information and statistics necessary to
bring this subject favorably to the notice OF
Congress, and to use all proper means to
secure the adoption by Congress of general
and uniform national levee system.
6. That this committee be chosen by the
delegates from each of the States respectively
represented in this convention. The COM
mittee shall select its chairman, and is fully
authorized to take such action as may, by it,
be deemed best to secure such public cooper
alton, and this committee is further author
ICED to go as delegation from this body to
Washington City for the purpose OF urging
upon the next Congress the passage of such
laws as may be necessary to the END IN view.
T. That we respectfully request the Mayors
of the cities Of Vicksburg, Cincinnati, Louis
Vile, Cairo, st. L ouis, Memphis Vicksburg,
Natchez, New Orleans, St Paul, Quincy, Keo-
kuk, Davenport, Minneapolis and all other
cities which may deem that they are CONNER
cially or financially interested in the protec-
ton and prosperity of the Mississippi Valley,
each to appoint one person to act in copJunc-
ton with the committee appointed by this
Convention.
The delegates to Washington are:
ARKANsAs-Gen. D. Il. Reynolds, Gen. G.
@. Tapman, Col. T. G. Flourney, Major VIM.
Startling, Col G. W. S,ppington.
Missouri Hon. E. o. Stanard, John nj.
Bofinger, Geo. w. Carlton.
M1ssIssIppI-E Richardson, E. Jeffords, F.
A. Metcaf, w. 2. Pittm an, Charles Clarke.
Alternates-R. NJ. johnson, }. w. Wick, W. A.
Haycraft, E. D. Clark, J. II. D. Bowman.
LOUISIANA. o. Hebert. w. L. McMillen,
D. F. Kenner, G. G. Waddell, 81. r. Lucas,
w. w. Blackford, Edgar D. Farrar.
The first three of these resolutions set forth
the claims of the Mississippi to the care and
protection of the general government, as they
have long been admitted and urged by the
public speakers and writer's of the West and
Southwest. 1t has become quite evident that
without such help the levees along the great
river and it's aft uents can not be maintained,
because the profits on agriculture under the
existing system are not adequate to the vast
expense of such work.
The lands which should be protected from
overflow produce large proportion of the
exportable products On which imports are
based, which importsps the duties by which,
in part, the Federal Government is supported
In effect, it is the same as if the cotton of the
planters of the Mississippi Valley was d.
rectly taxed for the same purpose, as we have
often and sufficiently demonstrated. The
million or more bales of cotton raised IN that
section pay an annual indirect tribute OF tif-
teen or twenty millions of dollars into the
United States treasury, in gold.
This is a strong claim for which the inhabl-
tants of that prolific but always threatened
region would be satisfied to receive one-half
of the amount which they contribute. Even
if complete general levee system should
cost fifteen millions at the outset and an an
nual outlay of three, four or five millions, the
Government of the United States would in
twenty years be gamer by the operation.
A wide expanse of land of the most produc-
tive kind would be reclaimed for cultivation,
population and wealth would be much in
creased, and the capacity to contribute to the
support of the government would be enlarged
in the same proportion.
The committee selected to lay this just
claim before Congress will encounter much
sectional and partisan opposition. With all
their ability, their industrious researches, and
their persuasive eloquence they will meet
with obstacles hard to be overcome
Before Congress is moved to do justice to
the Mississippi Valley, our hopes may be
often sickened by delays, and our patience
exhausted by ignorant and prejudiced oppo-
nents. But we have faith in the final achiev-
ment of this great purpose.