The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-05-19
THE LOUISIANA STATE SEMI.
NARY.

urday evening, according to previous an
The OBJECT was to take some
steps to assist our Representatives and
Senator in the Legislature in urging the
of the bill introduced by the Hon.
R. P. Hunter for the removal of the Lou
isiana State Seminary from Baton Rouge.
its present domicil, to its former domici]
near this place. Many ladies graced the
by their presence, sweet music
was discoursed by the colored brass band,
and appropriate speeches were made. The
proceedings will be found in another col
umn of this paper.
A committee was appointed at the meet
ing to draft resolutions and prepare me-
mortal to the Legislature asking for the
rebuilding Of the Seminary edifice upon
its old site. 1t is but a matter of right
and justice that it should be done, and we
would not be true to ourselves and our
posterity did we not insist upon it with
all the zeal and energy with which we are
possessed.
The whole of North Louisiana are alike
interested with us in this matter. 1t has
been shown by our efficient members OF
the Legislature, that we have no large
educational institution, or of any other
public charactar of any moment on this
side of thu Mississippi river, which en-
braces four-ffths of the territory of the
State, whereas the East side Of the river
possesses them all. The old site is CEN
trally located, of easy access from all
parts of the State by river and rail, heal
thy, where the yellow fever epidemic has
never yet reached, and abounding with
springs of the purest water. Again, there
are hundreds of acres of land belonging to
the Seminary going to waste, and several
fine buildings thereon going 20 rack, when
a judicious expenditure of comparative
ly small amount Of money would restore
every thing to its former condition of
beauty and usefulness.
It has been shown that Baton Rouge is
not proper place for this institution
The vices, the demoralizing influences at
tendant upon the State Capital, all Of
which are so glaring, would be sufficient
to forbid it's retention at its
present dOmicil., 1t is not a fitting place
to educate our young men, surrounded as
they would be by these baneful Influences
and removed as the students would neces.
sarily be from the restraints of parental
Is it we'll attended where il
isl The Governor says in his recent mes
sage to the Legislature that about ninety
six have matriculated this session. Why
the City of Baton Rouge alone ought t.
furnish double this number.
The Seminary, as it is has always beer
called here, was founded by the munifi
cence of the general government. Ii
1927, we believe it was, Congress passed
law granting Seminary lands to this State
which were to be sold and the proceed
were to be placed in the Treasury of tn
State, and to bear per centum interest
The principal was to remain intact in tn
Treasury, and when sufficient sum wa
realized from the interest it was to 60 t.
build a Seminary of learning. In 1852
when the Hon. NJ. Ryan was j member O
the House from this Parish, a bill wa
passed by the Legislature locating tn
Seminary within five miles of Alexandra
In 1854, at this time the Hon. NJ. Rya
was in the Senate, the site was selecte
and the first appropriation was made
Said Acts of the Legislature have neve
been repealed.
The Seminary was built in 1859, and wa
presided over by General (then Major
Sherman until the war broke out whe
Superintendent Sherman resigned. Th
school was continued with a short intel
ruption during the latter part of the we
till 1869, when the splendid edifce VIZ
destroyed by fire. Since then it has bee
temporarily removed to Baton Roug
where it has occupied the building cree
ed for the Deaf and Dumb. In the pa
few years it has had added to it the Ayr
cultural and Mechanical College, whic
we believe was removed from St. Berna1
Parish. This latter, if it were deemed n
cessary, could be separated from the Sen
mary, leaving the Agricultural and Nj
chanical College at Baton Rouge. Whs
our people want and ask for in their al
peal to the Legislature is what rightfull
and justly belongs to us. 1t is consml
nation deyOutly to be wished for, AL
like Banquo's ghost, sit will not down
The following is the closing pa
agraph of communication signed y
A. D., which was published in tt
last issue of the Winfield Sentine
We take for granted that the writ,
has examined the records, and is n,
merely shooting Off his mouth:
In this democratic age we pay mo-
taxes than we used to pay under Repul
lican rule. Whilst not as many mills G
the dollar are assessed, it is made u
by adding to the list taxable propert,
that under republican regime, we paid L
taxes on.
GRANT Parish has a man who's
name is Hercule Barthalemy Hen
Antoine Hypolete Faraldo. To il
troduce half dozen of these lon
named individuals to a person woul
be good DAYS work.