The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-22
LIEUT.. GOV. Witt.
HIS VISIT OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO
THE CITY OF BOSTON.

THE CITY OF BOSTON.
ne says what He KNOWS About AFFAIR
In Louisiana.
[Boston Post
Lieut.. Gov. Louis A. Witt of Louis
lana arrived In the city yesterday anC
| is stopping at the Parker House. Fol
! ten years he has been almost constantly
engaged In public affairs, and though
still q young man he has filled with
credit and distinction the Offices of AL
derman and Mayor OF New Orleans.
Speaker of the House Of Representa-.
tives, and he is now Lieutenant Cover
nor of the State. His arduous and
continuous duties In connection with
this latter office, together with
those OF vice. president OF the State
National Bank and president OF the
Senate, have impaired. his health, and
he has been compelled to take q brief
respite from his active labors for reore.
alton and relaxation. Taking advan-
tage. OF the opportunity, he has been
visiting his friends in tho North, and
came to Boston more especially that he
might return his thanks to the city and
Its citizens Tor their generous contribu-
ton Of fifty or sixty thousand dollars
In 1879, when large portion OF the
State was devastated by terrible over
flow OF the Mississippi. What he has
to say In regard to that subject, as re-
lated to q reporter OF the Post last even
ing, will be of peculiar interest, and is
as follows:
MY principal object in visiting Bos-
ton was to return thanks In person to
the Mayor Of the. city, Mr.. Kfdder, and
those citizens who assisted Louisiana
In her hour OF distress, because / feel
that these men have done as much as
any In the Union to bring together the
Southern and the Northern people.
You see my meaning. I mean by the
assistance they have given us, the
brotherly feeling they have shown us,
and the aid they have extended to US,
they have done much to heal up the
sores that the war had created. A bet
ter feeling never existed than that
which came with the assistance we re-
ceived from these parties. 1t was such
kind acts that made our people feel as
we do toward the Northern people, and
in the Union. I wished to show the
people, through my visit to the Mayor,
to Mayor Cobb If he had been present,
and to leading citizens of Boston. how
much we appreciate what they have
done for us.
THE RETURNING BOARD INDICTMENT,
The reporter requested an interview
upon the political situation in New Or
leans, and especially asked for the
Lieutenant Governors opinion of the
Indictment against the Returning Board,
but he declined to talk upon these SUBJ
jects, saying that little 10 said OF politics
In Louisiana to-day, and the Indictment
against the Returning Board, IL such
there was, had been made since he left
home. He knew nothing about 1t except
that before he came away tie Judge of
the Superior Criminal Court had charged
the Grand Jury in connection with the
matter. He heard nothing more about
it till he reached New York, and knew
no more about it than what he had seen
ing to speak on other topics, and the
statements which he made are SUBJ
mitted below.
A SOUND FINANCIAL BASIS.
Since our government has been fully
established our prospects are very
bright indeed Our bonds had adj
vanced from the tlfties to as high as
cents on the dollar; they
have since declined, owing to the fact
that the advance was. 80 rapid that
holders of the bonds out OF the State
who had bought them on speculation
sold them at this high rate, thereby
flooding our market. The bonds will,
however, come up very near par be-
tween this and next year, for the rea-
son, first, that our assessments will be
and justly raised, which will
enable us In the future to punctually
meet our interest, as 1t has been met
since our government has been in pos
session. We have but two or three back
coupons to pay on our bonds, and these
into, the treasury belonging to that
made perfectly secure, as far as
the holders OF these bonds are con-
cerned, by a constitutional amend
ment, which provides also for the
levying OF tax sufficient to pay the in
terest on the bonded debt. There Is
now question pending between the
Board and the holders Of GER
tain bonds called the levee bonds. If
the decision of the Supreme Court be In
favor Of the bondholders, and the
Board should be compelled to fund that
debt, the whole debt Of the State will
not be more than $11,000,O0O. The as
sessment of the property OF the State Of
Louisiana is now $170,00O,O00. It will
NJ lhl2Ou w BAVVsuuusVuu, tuCl0- |
by showing that the State Is fully able
not only to meet her interest, but her
debt. The property Of the State has ad-
vanced fully thirty three per cent, and
will continue to advance. The prospects
Tor the sugar, cotton and corn crops are
agnificent-better than ever before
the weather being exceedingly favora-
BILE. There can be no doubt that peace
will continue to reign in Louisiana. the
present government, from all appear
ances, having the entire confidence Of
The people OF the State. The best Of
feeling exists between the white and
The colored people in the State, all
together to recover our lost
fortunes.
COMMERCIAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Our people are working very hard to
construct railroad that will connect
Texas with Louisiana and New Orleans.
The work of removing the distractions
1t the mouth Of the river and deepening |
The channel by the jetty system is, in
The opinion of most Of our people, a sue
cess, and these two improvements will
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