The Opelousas courier., 1882-07-22
Hon. II. VIZ. Robertson.
EDIToRs OF THE COURIER:

| think that there Will De nearly
response throughout the district to
your recommendation that the above
named gentleman should be returned
to his present seat in Congress. He has
been an efficient factor in the influences
which have operated to compel the ma
tional government to take the Missis-
sippi in charge, its levees and its chan
nel Although he has not the habit of
airing himself in speech making as
much as some other members. or as
some who might be willing to replace
him, yet his constituents know and ap-
preefate his prompt and effective atten-
ton to the business which they may
have in the departments at the seat of
government. His fellow-members re-
cognize in him laborieus and jealous
werker, free from simply selfish aims,
and with clean hands.
He is to be commended too for some
things which he has omitted to do. For
illustration, when Lesseps was urging
his scheme of canal connecting the
two oceans. the completion of which
will make of New Orleans an entrepot
on the highway of the commerce of the
werld, Mr. King, one of Louisiana's
representatives, and in most resp ects
an able one, faunted the Monroe doc
trine in the face of it's supporters. True,
MIR. Robertson voted for the resolution
of Mr.. King, reafirming the Monroe
doctrine all voted for it; who in pub
lie life will not echo the scream of the
spread eagle !? Mr.. Morgan too, of Ala
bama, whose State, next to Louisiana,
will be more benefited than any other
by the Lesseps canal or any other ca
nal acress the isthnns between the two
oceans, in causing to cerne to the sur
face and into use the mines of wealth
in her coal fields, more valuable and
beneficent to man than all the gold
of California and Anstralia-he; too.
made himself the spokesman of the
Monroe doctrine. Also, Mr.. Hear, of
Massachusetts, with the ready, practi-
cal money sense of his race, foreseeing
in the completion of the canal diver
sion of the tea trade, and China trade
now enjoyed by Boston, to New Or
leans, and transfer may be of political
power, he was another spokesman for
| it. Sober, calm sense, irrespective OF
bancombeism on this question, would
seem to be this: That we are not in the
days of the Holy Alliance Of three OF
the despots of Eurape, who were then
| threatening, as far as they dared,
against the public opinion of England,
the political destiny of all peoples in
the face of their threats 1T was well fol
the United States to declare that they
would not tolerate foreign political in.
reference in the affairs of this cont
nent. We numbered then about ten
millions of people. We nLsabeT now
fifty millions. The Monroe doctrine
lies in the ponderous momentum OF
these fifty millions IF Lesseps' canal
or any canal on this continent becomes
dangerous te our political safety or in
terests, it goes witheut saying, we will
take it. As a highway of commerce, il
can but be beneficial to the whole hu.
! man family, and to the United States
and this State especially as being near
est. What Imagination can picture the
effect on the human race of injecting
the electric stimulus of modern civiliz
alton and progress into the torpid aud
dormant system of life of the hundred;
of millions of China and japan
So, Mr.. Robertson is to be commend
ed for not giving in to the scream o
the spread eagle, but keeping his wits
about him, urging the appropriation fo
the Mississippi, attending to the bust
ness of his constituents, gaining ant
holding the good will and respect o
his fellow members, and studying ant
learning the routine and inside avenue
60 influence and effect in legislation
Better keep him than take another w
| know not of. CITIZEN.