The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-09-04
THE QUARANTINE.

j "A lew OIL our Cttlleus, petuapS uoA
a dozen, we learn, are still opposed te
the Quarantine established by oul
Police Jury on the 9th ult' While
the minority must submit to the viii
OF the majority, it is desirable thai
even this meagre opposition to
measure so important to our commu
nifty should be removed. Already
that opposition has jeopardized ou1
safety, by entailing upon US haz
ardous delay by weakening and rem
dering inefficient the municipal quar-
antine of Alexandria and of Pine
Vile. At every street corner We
hear the exclamation, 1--WE are safe
if the boat did not leave the pesti
lence amongst us on her last trip,
which will be determined within the
next eight or ten days." We may
measure the intense anxiety with
which these days are watched, by
contrasting 1t with the dismay and
terror that would fall on this com.
munity at the announcement that the
fever was here. 1t would be like a
death-knell at every door, and the
signal for the fearful cry, "Saaue qui
peut." But each day adds to our
hope of escape, but none need be sur
prised to learn that our Police Jury
were too late--that the pestilence
was among US. Already we learn
that the boat had yellow fever on
her; that one of her crew had fallen
its victim, and was buried at De.
Ioache's Bluff, another below. A
very angel of Death has passed and
repassed through our midst, and
waited at our doors, while some here
in very wantonness sported in its
lap, and if we have escaped its fatal
touch, it is because Providence has
been more kind to us than it has
been to hundreds of plague smitten
communities who did the same.
Those who have opposed the Quar-
antine, have done so under the as
sumption that the absolute Quaran-
tine of the Police Jury, was suspen-
sion of our commerce with New Or
| leans and is unnecessary to our safe
ty. We presume there are none who
think that a boat from New Orleans,
landing at our doors once week
with passengers and freight, without
quarantine, would not bring yellow
fever. The history of the introduce
ton of the fever in this place in 1853
and 1857 ought to be sufficient evil
dence of what would be the result,
but the history of 1853 and 1867 are
as nothing in comparison with the
enormous amount of statistics upon
that point, and the mind that re-
mains unintluenced by them is
too inebriate or too insane to be trus.
ted with the management even of
their own affairs, much less with the
lives Of an entire community. AS
we have said, the opposition to the
Parish Quarantine is not upon the
ground that the boat will not convey
yellow fever, but that we can be
made safe by one, two or three quar-
antine stations. The recent dis.
patches ought to inform US of the
fearful state which this proposition
requires this community to put up
in this game of hazard, but 1t is
doubtful if its enormous price can
ever be realized, unless the game was
played and lost as it would be, and
its fearful cost counted in the sor-
rows of widowhood and orphanage,
and parents mourning for those who
are not. We believe there are games
Of chance, in which the gambler puts
up thousand to one, but he is care
full to see that his chances are more.
But in this game of hazard of yellow
fever, we are required to put up; how
much shall we say9 How shall We
measure the price of precious life, Of
sorrow, suffering and desolation J.
Shall we say thousand to one:
Shall we say that the amount of bag
ging and groceries which it is pro
posed to gain, is thousandth par,
Of that precious life that we must
pay if we loose; of that sorrow, sui
fering and desolation we must en-
dure. Is it not more than ten thou
sand to one, and yet, what are on
chances to VIM Not even equal
Plaquemines, Baton Rouge, Vicks