The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-05-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Chief is not responsible for the
views expressed by correspondents.
DonaldsonvilIe in History.

EQltCT OiilGI
In view of the fact that SO much
exception has been taken to the
use of certain expressions in my
communication of the 10th inst, it
is proper for me to say, in sreply-
ing to the letter signed by the Cham
Der Of Commerce through R. S.
Vickers, Secretary, that if the SEN
sibilities either of the Chamber Of
Commerce as body or any person
connected Herewith in an official
capacity, have been offended, the Of
Tense is entirely unintentional and
without malice aforethought.
I do not, by this pre-apology, Of
fer any excuse for the misinterpre-
tation of words which seem to have
excited the uncalled-for recrimina-
ton from the efficient Secretary Of
the Chamber of Commerce. 1t is I'M
fortunate that / do not walk with a
dictionary under my arm when writ
ing On the spur of the moment and
under the impulse of a just indigna-
ton. l did not know the word spu-
sillanimous" necessarily carried with
it the imputation of something "meau-
spirited and coWardly." AS used in
my letter and in connection with
the word petty" it carried with it
no other meaning than that of
worthy of little mind" defini-
Dictionary. The movement to
change the name of our historic lit
tie city could hardly have been char
acterized as anything less. How
ever disposed the efficient Secre-
tary of the Chamber of Commerce
may be to find only the obnoxious
meaning of words, I car. assure him
it is foreign to my nature, habits
and inclinations to wound conscious
ly the feelings Of anyone, and I ap-
preciate that in discussion which
is carried on in an offensive man
ner, the best of the argument can
at no time be to the one who so far
forgets himself as to indulge in
the villification Of his opponent. Nor
do l care at any time to indulge in
l do not know what problems are
now absorbing the attention of the
Chamber of Commerce. grant to
it all the earnestness to which it
is entitled in the work in which it
is engaged for the best interests Of
this community, and though I have
not the honor, of belonging to this
body, it was needless to call my
special attention to the purposes for
which it was organized. There are
many of our citizens, non-members |
Of that body, who have lived and Ia |
bored here for many year en-
gagged in the same purposes for
which the Chamber of Commerce was
their civic pride is as great
as that of anyone of its membership,
and their efforts in the uplift of
The community are as earnest and
strenuous as those of the efficient
Secretary of that body. But, the
Chamber Of Commerce is a public
body and as such may expect to in
zite the criticism of any citizen
when their labor instead of being
constructive becomes, as I said in
NY former communication, destruct-
We of what little sentiment may be
to our name The antag-
3nism of the people has not been
aroused because of the attempt to
id us of useless and awkward ap-
oendage, which consumes both time
% write and time to pronounce" but
because our life associations have
been and are connected with the
own under the, name of Donaldson
lille and not of Donaldson. 1t
matters not whether the appendage
S useless and awkward" and wheth-
IT it offers some difficulties to the
business world as quoted from a sin
Gle letter Of a rubber stamp or cam
ceiling machine company in the city
IT Chicago. judge that this COM
,any must have had many difficult
of a similar nature to solve.
If it was REALLY a matter of no
'reat importance either way to
hange or shorten the name of this
historic city, why then seek the
ense of the public upon this question
nd why agitate it? I do not agree
With the efficient Secretary of the ,
,hamber of Commerce; to us it is a
natter of great Importance. A ma !,
orlty of the people of the town of :
have endearing a,sso- i.
iations connected with the name ,
Notwithstanding the reference by ,
ne Secretary of the Chamber of
commerce to the acts of the legisla- .
lre of 1873 and 1923, the name of :
ne town has been known as DON )
ldsonville since the year 1906. l :
uote here from Prof. Alcee Fortiers 8
history of Louisiana, Vol 3, p. 40; :
In 1906 William Donaldson founded =
he town of Donaldsonville at the :
louth of Bayou Lafourche.n We al :
} find in Gayarre's History of Lou. r
lana, Vol. 4, p. 1856, that in 1911: =
Apprehensions had beer entertained :
lat British emissasies would be :
lady ....... to induce the slaves =
wards Baton Rouge or Donaldson -
lie to begin the conflagration Of :,
le1r owners houses :" =
his is quotation by the historian -
ayarre from the historian Martin. .
hese three distinguished historians :,
Louisiana, therefore, refer to the g
Wn from 1906 to 1911 as Donaldson =,
lie. u
l will try to show the people of a
native city that as far back as O
has history. its h
me popularity has been known as u
Oh and not as Donaldson" Let a,
take up the acts Of the legislature a,
the state of Louisiana. The first 50,
t to which We refer is the act of a,
Ii, which Mr.. Vickers truthfully tc
US provides for the election of vi
lstees to the town OF Donaldson: h.
viewer, We find that on March 5, E