The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-04-08
A STRONG APPEAL.

A mass-meeting of citizens of the par.
ish of Lafourche was held in the town ot
Thibodaux on the 18th Of March, to con.
slider the situation Of the country with
reference to the disastrous inundation
which now aff'icts us. Judge L. w
Blake was chosen president of the meet
ing and Mr.. Thomas Badeaux secretary.
A committee OH resolutions composed of
Messrs. j. S. Goode, J. NJ. Howell, II.
Robichaud, S. I. Grisamore, Thomas H.
Ellis, H. W. Tabor, Taylor Beattie, An
| drew Price, John III. Fleetwood, John S.
Billiu and George W. Squires was APP
pointed, and the following preamble and
resolutions, prepared by the committee,
were unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, We view with CONSERVATION
and disnlay, the destruction Of lives and
property which has been and is still being
wrought within our State by the resistless
waters of the Mississippi river; and
Whereas, We appreciate the utter inabil-
ity OF our people, alone and unassisted. to
avert similar calamities from year to year
by the erection Of the extensive levees
which would be essential to that end and
Whereas, 1t is neither charity nor justice
that the entira burden and expense Of car
rying off the waters which accumulate upon
nearly one half Of the States of the Union
should be borne by us alone of the lower
valley therefore, be it
Resotrcd BY the people Of the parish of
Lafoa1che az nass-neeting assembled, That
in this the hour of our restitution and trial,
we do once again most seriously urge upon
the Congress Of the United States the inn
portance Of liberal and instant action.
\, Lesolged, That the national government ia
the sole hope OF our people, and that with
out its generous aid we can not but expect
annual occurrences of the disasters by flood
under which we are now suffering.
Resotred, That the public funds would be
expended with tar more profit to the nation
as well as with more of Justice and of
mercy to ours elves by the rebuilding of the
ieyees, than in the manner now rendered
indispensab e-that Of feeding the many
thousands who are destitute and furnishing
Resolred, That Of the millions which are
contributed annually by the people of tho
Mississippi Valley for the support Of the
general government, it would be only con-
sonant with reason and justice that small
proportion at least should be expended in
assisting us to preserve aud occupy our
property and our homes
Rcsolred, That our Congressman are
urged TO exert their most strenuous efforts
to secure the adoption Of tho report and
recommendations OF the Mississippi River
Commission.
Resolred, That tho utmost publicity be
given, by the press of the State, to the fore
going resolutions, which evinco but fcebly
the sentiments Of our people.
Undoubtedly these resolutions express
the feelings and views Of nine-tenths Of
OF the people residing in that vast por-
ton of the Mississippi valley subject to
overflow. The force of their reasoning
aud the justice of their appeal to the
general government to afford them pro-
lection from inundation can not he hon
estly evaded, and the sooner CONGRESS-
recognizes the fact the better it will be
for the entire community. Particularly
incisive is the suggestion that it would
be more in consonance with reason, JUS
tice and humanity that public funds
should be expended in preventing over
flows than in assuaging the suffering
and want that repeatedly result from
these calamities.