The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-07-18
THE REMOVAL OF THE CAPITAL.
CShreveport Standard.l

batOn 1SOuSe was paSScu, 10 SEatuS
ing Difference to the popular will on
this important subject as expressed by
a handsome majority at the polls.
There were only twenty-four votes
cast against it, and the most Of these
We're from New Orleans. Mr..
Forman, of New Orleans, has moved a
reconsideration, but there IS no chance
of Il reversal of this vote. Ever since
the Radicals have had the capital at
New Orleans, ,iwhere all their corrupt
schemes were concoctcd, there has
been a well-defined determination in
the minds of a majority of the Con-
servative people to remove it as soon
as they should obtain control of the
State government. The desire for the
change has not been diminished, we
regret to say, since the assembling Of
the Constitutional Convention, the ill
effects of New Orleans session being
but too visible on its deliberations thus
far.
The proceeds of the sale of the st.
Louis Hotel, together with the dona-
tion of $35, 900 from the city corpora
tion of Baton Rouge, will be sufficient
to pay the cost of repairing the ruins
of the old Statehouse and of the re-
nOval of the archives to Baton Rouge.
When completed the State will have,
instead of a unseemly pile of bricks,
and uncomfortable quarters, a State
house which was always considered II
model of architectural beauty and with
all the modern improvements and con-
veniences. The walls are now as good
as ever, and, at short distance, one
can hardly observe the fact that the
building has ever been visited by a
fire.
The grounds, though not quite rs
extensive as they should be, are beau
tifully laid off and handsomely decor
atcd. When Henry Allen was a lnem-
Der of tho General Assembly, these
grounds were his special pct and he
spent much of his time in devising
ways OF identifying and adorning them.
The trces-mostly evergreens, such as
live oak and magnolia-which We re-
member when they were mere twigs,
have grown up into a compact forest,
almost as tall rs tho towers Of the capi-
tol itself. They are so thick as to need
wedding out, SO as to give those that
are left more room in which to de-
velop themselves. The grounds are
enclosed by an excellent iron railing,
in perfect repair, estimated to be worth
$40, 900. Perhaps, some day, the whole
or a part ut least of tho square directly
to the east of the Capitol Square may
be obtained and united with the pres
ent grounds. To an old Louisianian
the first thoughts, on entering these
grounds, are of Henry Watkins Allen,
that devoted son of Louisiana, who re-
ceived the wound which finally brought
him to his grave, in sight of this
stately building and almost in sight of
the home he loved SO well.
The fine library which formerly
J>xv +l,<>
Vandalism of the Federal troops, and
cials, been reduced to a skeleton of
what it was, and is now lodged in
some corner in New Orleans, visited
by few and read by none. For weeks
after the occupation OF the city by the
Federal troops fine volumes, with
leaves cut out, were fished out of the
river for miles below. Before the war
it was one of the most select libraries in
the country. 1t was perhaps the very
best French library in the Union.
Many of the choicest volumes were Sc
lected in Europe by Judge Gayarre,
who, while Secretary of State, devoted
himself to the formation OF this library
with the same enthusiasm as that
which Capt. Allen bestowed on the
trees and flowers around the building.
Ill u Aei,1 AlNtIe pttSOuh AL ChS NopatOA
Square once stood Powers splendid
statue of Washington. The "chicken
COOP" as the boys called it, is gone
now, and the statue is gone. We have
forgotten the story of its capture and
loss it is sufficient for us to know that
it is lost. Among the pictures on the
walls was fine one of old General
Philemon Thomas, the original fill
buster of the Florida parishes. 1t was
probably burned with the building.
The new article of the constitution
charges thencxt legislature with the du-
ty of providing for its execution by the
necessary appropriations for the repair
of the old Capitol. We hope there will
be no delay in the matter. The people
arc looking forward anxiously to the
final restoration of their scat of govern
mcnt to the place around which cluster
so many pleasant memories of the
happy and prosperous days of the Com
mOnwcalth.
Tho Kansas fnyor 6ocS NOT Snon fo