The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-02-15
Gratitude.
SENATOR WELLS EXPRESSES THE THANKS
OF THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA TO Those
WHO AIDED us IN THE LATE EPIDEMIo.


Whereas, during many months OF the
past year an epidemic pestilence, OF the
most virulent character, prevailed at
the capital and throughout large por-
tion of the State of Louisiana, carrying
sorrow, distress and death into thou
sands of homes; and
Whereas. in the days of bur mourning
and sore trouble. magnanimous stran-
gers in all sections Of the United States,
and in many foreign lands, voluntarily
came to the relief of onr afflicted peo
pie. with contributions aggregating
several hundred thousand dollars; there
fore be it
Rssolced 6y The Seaate and House Of
Representatives Of NE Stute Of Louisiana,
In General coareaed, Thut the earnest,
heartfelt thinks of the people Of this
commonwealth be and are hereby ten
dered To al those larga-hearted philan-
thropists who coptribnted so spont'.-
neonsiy and munifeently to the relief
of the Louisiana sufferers by the yellow
fever epidemic'of 1878.
BE II FURTHER resotned, RE That we,
the representatives of the people of
Louisiana, deem it right and proper
thus to acknowledge and'commend this
unsurpassed phianthrophy, and to
place tiI5on our statute books this testi
molial OF gratitude, so that, in al time
to come, those who follow us, while re-
membering tile calamity that fell upon
theiI ancestors, may be reminded of the
| noble generosity Of the men, women
and children of other States OF the
Union, and of distant lands. who came to
their relief in the days OF sheir afhiction
The Senate having under considera-
tion the above Senute joint resolution,
| introduced by Senator Wells Of Calea-
sieu, Mr.. Wells addressed the Senate as
| follows:
Mr.. PREsIDENT--The pr0priety
Of an official expression OF the graft
| tude OF our people to those citizens
Of other States, and of foreign eoun-
tries, who contributed generously
/ to the relief OF Louisiana during the
late yellow fewer epidemic, is too
obvious to require comment. Short
| ly after the cessation OF that epi-
\ denlic the people OF New Orleans,
4 in mass meeting, expressed their
4 gratitude for that relief by formal
resolutions, aHd by ai eloquent adj
dress by their specially selected
speaker, the Chief Justice OF the
Supreme Court OF Louisiana. In
his message. to the present General
Assembly, the universally fonored
and respected Chief Magistrate OF
our State reminded lis of that mem
olable public charity, aud III Your
address, Mr.. President, t0 THE Sell
ate, upon its organization, you re-
ferred to it in the following, among
other elninently appropriate terms;
.AIagnanimous strangers, plying the
healjel mp SORROWS OF our bereaved, dis
tressed and soreiy afflicted people, came
to their rescue With munlhcent relief.
and have thereby won gratitude unut-
terable Philanthroplc contributions
came spontaneously and ID abundance
from AL elasses Of people, from al quar-
ters OF the republic, and from trans-At
lantfc cities. In recognition Of their
large hearted beneyoienee, and to ex-
press the universal admiration Of our
fellow. citizens for those grand deeds OF
fraternal charity towards our stricken
people, deem it meet and proper that
the representatives OF the people should
record these facts in monumental reso-
laiions upon THEN statute books, COUP
led with 4 return OF thanks in suitable
terms. So that the world may know that
We are not ungratefuf, and sd that our
children's children may remember the
great calamity that fell upon their an
cestors, and the noble generosity with
which the men, Gomen and children OF
distant lands came to their rescue"
Ii is impossible, Mr.. President,
to properly realize our debt Of graft
tude in this matter without con
sidering the peculiar relations
which. at the outbreak of the cpl
demic, Louisiana sustained towards
those of her sister States Of the
Union from which relief came most
promptly and most aDundantiy.
For thirteen years previously y
peace that was No peace had fol-
lowed four years af civil waf be-
tween the Northern and the South
ern States, Contrary to the just
| expectations aud esilesof patriotic
1 citizens of both sections, that civil
war WAS succeeded by q certain
sentiment OF aiiimosits on the part
Of d large portion Of the people of
the Northern States towards what
| they styled /" the States lately ~