The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-20

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tuition declares No State shall without thu
consent OF Congress lay any duty on tonnage
Reep troops Or ships Of war IN time OF peace
other state Anything short of a uniform ol
general system would be incomplete and usa
legs.
| II Is clear that unless the general govern m on
undertakes the work II cannot be accom- plishel
| II Is Tor the Board OF Engineers to decide the
| The Federal government has full jurisdiction
over the river-it was acquired by treaty and Is
owned by the government. The fact that he
| leVees Wouln cnn1ne the water TO its channel
and thus Urevent the overflow Of its banks and
the destruction aud depopulation Of the delta
strange ms 1t may seem Is urged rather as 4
reason why the Federal government should do
| nothing for the protection Of the commerce and
trade on the river. II is true the evees would NJ
foid security 10 The people OF the valley against
| the invasions Of the river aud that IN area II
| territory greater In extent than some of the
| states OF tn g Union, SURPRISING any portion
| Of our country in fertility and capacity to pro-
| duca the grent staples Of corn cotton, sugar
| and rice, would he brought into cultivation and
aHord occupation and homes to millions Of in
Cen Abbott, United States Engineers. says
The total area Of the bottom lands Is about
" "'1 SQUARE miles, OF which q mere narrow
slip along the main stream and its principal
tributaries and hayous has been heretofore open
to cultivation Protected against tho river and
properly drained this would render available nj
least 2,h000o acres Of sugar land or moro than
double the amount heretofore planted about
1000 900 acres Of the best cotton land in the
"'Ii fHPHble vi ptAltllHR " bHla To inc acre,
and not less than 900 600 acres Of corn band of
unsurpassed and inexhaustible fertility" The
magnitude Of the interests involved may
well be held to concern the whole ooun-
try. and II the general welfare clause
~ the constitution can be invoked Mt
a an surely hn ,hnt II would apply here Yet it
weight against the proper claims Of trade and
shinplhe and navigation. On the contrary. IT.
may be urged with Justice that the Federal gov
eminent, claiming and exercising control over
inc river ns greht national highway, should
regulate Il SO as not to iniure the people living
on its banks, n people powerless individually
or rs states 10 exercise any jurisdiction over
the river All jurisdiction Is forbidden to the
States. The very means. which tho adjacent
States might employ in order to establish n uni
.oim ahn cotnplete system Of leYees are denied
to them by the Federal constitution They can
neither oo-operate nor exercise their
power over the subject when co-opera-
dIspensabie The river il the property
- the national government, held for
Inc benefit OF the people Of the whole country
inc ownership Is unquestioned com plete and
absolute, The doefr Inc that the owners Of prop
erfy should 50 use # rs not to ipjnre others Is
Of universal application. Sic utere tho non
nheH9'n ielns, IL n legal maxim with all jurists
and publicists,' and held to be binding upon
governments rs well as individuals II Is rlenr-
" within tho constitutional power and duty Of
the government rs well as prOmotvo Of tho in
forests u the people Of the whole country, that
theSe vast regions should be protected from tho
deyastattons Of the river by u uniform system
Of levees. We have bought vast tracts Of coun-
try and conquered others In expensive wars
why may we not bring tho delta Of tho Missis-
s1ubl within occupancy and settlement
Vt is true that system Of levees would not
only give security against inundations that are
destructive alike to the channel and navigation
and trade upon tho river and to tho Industrious
people culiyaing the soil in the valley but that
u would form the most effective bgrrier against
dsease- epi1emcs equally fatal to the health Of
the country
But tbese views foreign to the purpose of
this communication. desire now TO sneak
altogether in the interest Of the eommeros and
trade. the navigation and shpuing upon the
river and tho means for beneflting and i'm
proving them.
! hive forborne to weary you with any stnta-
tnehts Of tarts showing tho vast interests in
,hd You are familiar wit the resources of
upon you any theory for the treatment Of the
river. ! beg, however, IN conclusion 10 invite
your attention to tho following extract from a
James tadsden and Jamns Guthrie after u fuli
investigation OF the whole subject In 1916 and
submitted to Congress, with his approval by
John q. Calhoun:
Intimately connected with this subioc Is tho
Improyament Of the NAVIGATION Of the Missis
wildered on tho subject Of tho improyamont Of |
rivers. Those free from rock ana which. lika |
ne Mississippi. course through alluvial forma
making the very soils through which they cut |
are uncomfortable and most difficult Of Inn
pr9Vement. great engineer In England when |
q canal for u river Ia known to
nave exclaimed In explanation that rivers
we're made to feed canals The expenditures
IN the ssissipp thus far. If reports are to be
'redted have produced no results cor
.Gspond ing to the vast sums appropriated
When tho channel has been strafghtened ut
mo point. IT has boon lengihened ut another
lhi ohsfrurtions or deposits in ono bend hive
'nly been transferred in thor removal 10 an
'ther. SaWyers md plan ers have In one season
'hen reduced in number TO be- repacrG tho
uoeeeding enc. The only fact clearly ratab
tshed- and It is ono to which attention should
10 particularly directed az bearing with no
ultar influence on tho proposition suFuttad-
3. that whore tho banks Of tho Missisai lpi have
"en lavaed. ana prevented from inIlndatjpp
ne eWamps. the spring rises arc scarcely per
eptible. and tho surplus wators are disphargad
. Deepening tho bed its current no longer abba
. rise aud expand over n wider surface they
ave to deepen the hed to furnish vent for tho
9ators 10 be discharged
Tho rocIaiming. therefore, tho ewamps md
tnilniug the river n It's bod. Will deepen II and
Q morato pre4nrve unmpnirs1 he 1jnrigGfioa
! Inc MisslsSlpri then all tho proiers which
ave hitherto been devised or acind ON for It's
Improvement. Tho suggestion, however. is
'orthy Of examination. and II Is the stronger
commented rs It NAV accomplish a pront ob ,
'el ut comparatively little cost. The swampa
the Mississippi now worthless md made So :
y the inunda'iOus IF TINT river may DO nnde
y their own reclamation tha Instruments Of
Improving tho navigation Of TINT strpnrn = {
J have laid these views befOro you on account
he urgency # tho ease. and with the hope |
lat you might he induoed TO take Immediate
ton, and give the country the benf 1T Of your s
pintons withDu delay Il. H. GIBSON I
NJ O. Of Louisiana.