Year: 1872

At special meeting a short time ago,
when a very small number of members was
present, a series of resolutions was passed,
two of them reading as follows:


Resolved by the Chamber of Commerce
OF New Orleans, That our Senators and
Representatives in Congress are hereby re-
quested to employ their best influence and
ability to impress upon the executive and
the Senate the Importance of such mOditi-
cations of our treaty relations with the
countries hereinbefOre referred to. and with
the European powers having dominion over
any colonial territories thereof as will as
sure to the American people commerce
with such countries and territories free Of
tonnage and import duties upon certain
commodities, the product of the United
States, in return for a similar remission of
tonnage and import duties on the shipping
and on certain specific commodities, the
production of such countries and colonial
territories on this continent and the islands
adjacent thereto.


Resolved, That our Senators and Repre-
sentatives in Congress are respectfully and
especially requested to employ their best
influence and efforts in favor of the Just
notifications of the treaties at present sub
slstlng between the governments of the
United States and of Spain, or the adoption
OF such special conventions between these
powers as will secure a reciprocal commerce
between the United States and the Spanish
colonial territories of Cuba and Porto Rico,
to be based on the abatement of tonnage
and other duties imposed by each on GER
tain specific products of the other, as will
insure liberal system of commercial inter
course between the two countries, and a
continuance of the amicable relations which
have so long subsisted between them.


Mr.. c. Bussey gave notice that at the
next meeting he would move for recon
sideration.


At the regular meeting last night an m
usual number of members attended. for the
resolutions had caused much controversy
throughout ouI State. Gentlemen interest
ed in sugar had condemned the resolutions
without stint, and some rather harsh ex-
pressions had been uttered. A movement
was made to rescind the resolutions, and
those who supported that side of the ques-
ton were active in their exertiOns Plant
ers and those who deal in sugar were
around, as the idea was abroad that that
particular interest would suffer greatly if
the measures were adhered to. 1t will be
seen that the resolutions are broad, and
embrace several objects.


When the question came up Mr.. Bussey
made his motion to rescind.


Mr.. Oglesby left the presidents chair to
speak on the question, principally to ex-
plain that the resolutions covered large
field. He spoke OF articles in public prints
concerning the subject, and mildly depre-
Gated the tone of some of them. A printed
communication from a planter, who had
never contributed a dollar to the chamber,
came in for slight scoring, yet the speaker
was in favor Of protection for sugar.


General Hayes made few remarks,
agreeing with the first speaker. He SON
sidered that if the resolutions were per-
sisted in every sugar plantation in Louis
lana would be totally ruined. In the event
Of Cuba being annexed to these States we
must receive her freed from slavery, and
that would change the face Of things. At
present sugar can be produced on the island
at less expense than it can be in Louis
lana. He urged that the resolutions be re
he desired that our Representatives in
Washington and all chambers OF commerce
be notified of the fact.


Mr.. Tucker remarked that not many
months ago he was on committee whose
duty it was to advocate protection on sugar.
Reduce the tariff on sugar, and it amounts
to a bonus on slave labor in Cuba; reduce
the protection, and our sugar estates will
grow a crop of thistles.


Mr.. Haber, the gentleman who intro
duced the resolutions, had a few words to
say, and to show that he did not intend to
include sugar, offered resolution which
should exempt that commodity from the
bill.


Mr.. Kennard was unwilling to see the
tariff taken off sugar until the same thing
was done with lead, iron, copper, etc. The
Cincinnati conventions platform was ex-
actly right-on this question.


Mr.. Kennedy wished it to be generally
known that the meeting which adopted the
resolutions was a very small one, and not
at all the sense of this Chamber of Com
merce.


The question was put and the obnoxious
resolutions rescinded without dissenting
vote.