The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1882-05-06
THE Presidents message.
IN. 0. Times-Democrat, April 1871

IN. o. Times Democrat, April 1871
The special message sent to Congress
by the president yesterday will be read
with intense satisfaction and pleasure
by every dwellsr in the great Missis-
sippi valley.
It will convince them, and every
liberal-minded and patriotic citizen of
the republic as well, that Mr.. Arthur
has determined to be the President of
the whole people and not the mere
representative of sectien that he
has the wisdom to appreciate the vast
Importance of the Mississippi to the
whole country, and that he fully real
ICES the obligation of the government
to SO control it's great river, over which
it has supreme Jurisdiction. as to give
ease and safety to navigation, to fur
ther the demands Of commerce, aye,
and more, to protect the valley from
destructive everfle ws.
This manly, able and statesmanlike
document is the most important State
paper that has been submitted by any
President to Congress for many years,
and the straightforward and courageous
manner in which Mr.. Arthur deals with
the question which has been dallied
with tirnerously so long both in and out
of Congress must excite universal ad-
miration and convince even his enc
mics that he has not emily % strong and
resolute mind of his own, but the cour-
age of his cor nvictions.
The clear and unmistakable netes
sounded in his message, bringing, as
they do, hope and bright visions of
future prosperity to- toiling millions,
will ring like the notes of a bugle
throughout the length and breadth of
the valley, and men will know and
feel what they have nat knewn and
felt for more than 45 ysars-not since
Andrew Jackson sat in the Presidential
chair-that u man with the brain te
conceive and the nerve to dare, pre-
sides over the destinies of the country.
We have no hesitation in declaring
that this act of Mr.. Arthur's is worthy
to compare with the deeds which have
wen distinction aud honor for cur
worthiest Chief Magistrates in the past,
for it ia done in the face of bitter an
tagonism in his own party, and will
arouse opposition ii. those sectioDs
which have always regarded the con-
struction of levses for protecting the
allnvial lands Of the Mississippi valley
with disfavor.
Convinced of the Justice and the en-
tire constitationality of the measure,
the President has had the boldness to
declare that Congress should take i'm
mediate steps to repair the damage al
ready done, and to prevent the posi-
bility of disaster hereafter by liberal
appropriations to repair, bnild and
maintain levees and to improve the
navigation of the river.
Says he-and the words deserve to
be printed in letters of gold and hung
in golden frames in the home of every
resident in the valley" The immense
lossss aud widespread suffering of
" the people dwelling near the river in
duce me to urge upon Congress the
!. propriety of net only making an ap.
preparation to close the gaps in the !
!" levees occasioned by the recent
=. floods, as recommended by the com
+" mission, but that Congress should |
g inaugurate measures for the perma-
:. rient Improvement OF the navigation
= Of the river and the security of the
!" valley"
He is not abashed or alarmed at the
idea of the werk costing twenty or
thirty millions of dollars, and points
signifcanti.sS to the vast interests 10
volved-the3 y safe navigation of the
river (which 10 of Importance to the
whole country, and especially the
Northwestl, the lives and property of /
the inhabitants of tl,e valley (which
depend upon the levees for protection),
to the fact that the cotton raised in the |
valley is a source of national wealth /
and of great Importance in maintaining |
the balance of trade in our favor, and
to the enormous sum of $40, 200, 900.
levied and collected by the government
from the South by a tax on cotton.
The New York Herald and some
other Northern papers may be stfpris.
ed to learn how easily the President
finds warrant in the Constitution for
the construction of levess, but the
common sense of the country will ap-
prove the message aud applaud the
Executive for an act which will reflect
undying lustre upon his administra.
tion, even should he do no other nota-
BILE thing during the rest of his term.
In conclusion We cannot refrain from
that the President adopts,
in his admirable message, many of the
views advanced by Gov. McEnery in
his recent letter to the Herald.
The Indians OF Arizona are still on