The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-10-02
THE QUARANTINE AGAIN.

We hear it asked on every side:
els the Police Jury, at its meeting on
next Monday, going to do away with
the Quarantine?" If we are permit
ted to speak for the Jury, we would
unhesitatingly answer: "No" To do
so would be like the man who had his
house three fourths done; abandon
ed it and threw away his lumber and
his work; or like the man who put
his hand to the pillow and turned back.
We are not sure but that it would be
a little worse. 1t would be after
making glorious defense against
the most malignant of enemies, to
open our gates and invite him to come
in. We need not doubt that he will
accept the invitation, or that his
reign will be less malignant and dis
astrous than it would have been if
admitted in August. Indeed, he has
never accepted the invitations of AL
exandria until about the 1st of Octo-
Der, although they held out their
hands to him all the summer long.
The reason is evident. In the pent-
up atmosphere of houses and steam
boats its poison has become more in
tense; it has more thoroughly infec.
ted goods susceptible of infection,
and especially the bildge water and
damp holes of steamboats,. In evil
dence of this we see the disease even
yet still spreading, and every now
and then some town or village just
invaded by it. The repeal Of the
Quarantine would produce a sense Of
insecurity in Alexandria, Pineville
and every other focus of population
in the Parish, which can be hardly
estimated, and if the fever should
come, the action of the Jury would be
Justly regarded as nothing less than
criminal. If the Quarantine has
caused some Inconvenience, that in-
convenience is nothing in comparison
to the quiet and sense Of security
which it has produced, but how ut
terly Insignificant compared to our
escape from the widespread pesti
lence. While other portions of our
country are sbrouded in disease,
death and mourning, we have the
blessings Of health, peace and plenty,
and three weeks more of self denial,
three weeks more of firmness on the
part of our Police Jury, will carry US
into the haven of safety. TIA
If our sugar planters must have
some of those necessaries indispensi.
BILE for saving their crops, there can
be no difficulty in permitting them
to be landed at some point away from
any habitation and letting the plant
er haul them, or in permitting him
to have them shipped to Egg Point,
and haul from there.
In bidding adieu to this subject,
we wish to place ourself right upon
the record, and part from it in friend
ship with the world and with those
who have differed from US in opinion.
Our opinion of the necessity ofan alb
solute Quarantine we have not hest
tated to state and advocate with such
arguments as we thought applicable.
We have been charged by Mr.. Smith
with destinations against the officers
Of the Bonnie Lee. We disavow any
such insinuations, and nothing but
Mr.. Smiths zeal for the wrong side
would have enabled him to fish such
an insinuation out of what we said.
We said that heretofore people had
been idiots enough to acquiesce in
the right of steamboats,, loaded with
yellow fever, to run through their
midst and land at their doors and in.
feet them with yellow fever; and that
steamboats, had done so without
seeming to think they had done any
thing wrong, and we appeal to the
record of the past for the truth of
our assertion. We made no allusion
to the personelle of the officers or
charged the Bonnie Lee with doing
anything more than what had long
been a recognized rule of commerce.
} We did contest and denounce the
| rule as monstrous outrage and an
: anomoly. We still denounce it as
, such, and the time is not distant
when steamboats, and people will be
alike astounded that such rule was
ever tolerated for single moment
, AS to the Vernon report, the plac
; ing of our initial to it was a mistake
e Of the printer. 1t was mere on d.
!, given as reported, and entitled to nj
. more weight than all such report!
t are 1t was intended to reflect on nj
e body, and if it had been, no one coult
e hold Mr.. S. responsible for what
!; steamboat put off at his landing an,
) more than any other landing. NJ
q individual has any control of steam
r boat landings, even at his own plan
n tation. AS to the other portion o
the controversy, we were surprises
e at the bitter ridicule with which MI
e Smith assaulted US, and can assur
# him that we would have never bee
o so unkind, without provocation, as t
Y. have assailed him in that manner
J. But, when he selected the weapon, b
n ought not complain when it is use
3 against him. Ridicule is not yer