The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-02
THE MIGHTY DOLLAR.

| Last evening between 8 and o'clock, the
Hon. Randall L. Gibson being In the rotunda oi
tho st, Charles Hotel. he was accosted by dele
cation Of the employees OF the New Orleans
Mint. headed by Col Vim. Minor. large plant
| or OF the parish OF Terrebonne. who had been
| requested By the delegation to present to Gen.
Gibson the fret silver dollar coined at the Mint
last year, as a testimonial OF his services In
procuring the re-establishment of tho Mint In
| this city.
Col. Minor said: Gen. Gibson. have great
New Orleans Mint, and as your Old friend and
neighbor in Terrf bonne parish. In pressntiu 4
10 you this silver dollar. the rst that WIS coined
after the re-est ADJUSTMENT of the Mint In this
city through your exertions. Our purpose Is
in this simple manner 10 bear testimony to the
services which. In your congressional career,
you have rendered the people OF this city and
state. The citizens OF Ter ebonne feel 80 peeial
pride in your career az % public man. and feel
reas "a - tber eene seced Il Dy me
this presentation. We hAve been friends from
boyhood. aud your neighbnrs In Terrebonne
appreciate your public services.
THE DOLLAR,
which Is mounted to be worn as q badge. bears
tho date 1879. and the attachments have the fol-
lowing inscription:
Hon. r. L. abson.. member OF Congress
from the First DtstrieJ of La
" In testimony of his valuable services.
JsUUhEt A, IBSV.
Was then presented to Gen. Gibson. who re-.
Piled
Ge1ltIenes-I am very much surprised and
graf, fed at this marx Of kindness. The re-
establishment OF the M Int WIS not due to my
| exertions alone. but to the cordial cooperation
Of my colleagues. and especially to M, Ran
dali. the speaker Of the HOUSE of Represents
ives and to Mr.. Atkins. the Chairman OF the
Committee of Appropriations.
This may appear to have been an inHiGnih-
cant measure In Itself but 1t was an ndtspensa-
BILE one in q series Of measures for the develop.
ment OF Southwestern interests We are now
coming ss50o0o D mouth In this city. but this
institution will be largely increased II other
measures tending in the same direction should
be contaminated We have secured feap water
ut the mouth OF our great iver. but whom We
look to our interior communications by 1t with
the mighty Mississippi valley. we find that our
commercial relations are suspended for several
months during every year by low water. by
sandbars that interrupt navigation rs effsetn-
ally as II ar ihcfal barriers We're constr ueted
| across ita bed.
And at other seas ons the great river swells
into yast eea. covering tho entire alluyial
destructive not only TO The trade and shipping
on its waters. and o the Intercourse Of the pso
pie In the lower valley with those who live upon
its upper waters, but destructive also 70, the
Inhabitants and productions of the richest
agrieullur region. not only on this continent
bn. In the known world.
commission ofthenblest engineers In the coun-
try to devise plan f.r the Improvement Of this
great u1EnWay, ana b6lI9Ve t0ftt WfAt The Ter
man com N ission has done for he River Rhine.
our commission will accomplish for our great
river. namely: Secure to the people Of the valley
he ~ H., deep water & ~ T. IT,
disasrona foods. But tbere Is also mother
passed the lower house OF Congress. ut the re-
cent extra session. which provides for the ap-
pointment. Of an extraordinary commission 70
form reciprocity treaty with Onr sis or repub-
lie OF Mexico, l believe 1t will pass the Senate
ut this ession and become law.
with free trade with Mexico he business OF
OF the Mississippi enriched. There are nine
millions OF people inhabiting Mexico. whose
foreign trade exceeds s60.o0o.0oo year. and
whose internal trade. exceeds s6oo.oOo.o0o.
who. though our neighbors have prac-
tically no more relations with us than II they
were separated as far from us as B, itish lodis,
empire. The statesmanship of our country, and
the welfare OF our people and the people Of
Mexico. demand that these barri RS to wealth
and civilization should be removed.
/ hope the day Ia not far distant when the
bullion In the mines Of Mexico. the product OF
which even to-day exceeds thirty mil lions. shall
between our people and the people of Mexico
shall be as fun and rs free rs between the peo-
pie of our own State and our netghboring
1 beg pardon. gentlemen. for the length OF
these remarks. These are 10 alters that have
long felt deeply interested in. and that be-
and child not only In our city, bat all through
the valley of the Mississippi.
/ am especially gratihed TO reeelya this hand.
some testimonial at the hands OF Col. Minor OF
my own parish. between whom and myself
there exists an hereditary friendship going
back more than one generation.
The affair." simple as 1t was. was very pleas
ant one and was Witnessed by a large number
of people who are wont to eongregate In the
evening in the popular rotunda Of the st.