Year: 1870

The acts OF loOO-I, we're NlFJuaIly
imperative, in that the provisions
for raising q revenue were limited
to a certain amount, and it has all
been consumed. The river front
is yet exposed, and a rise may
sweep away what work has been
done. If the Legislature had not
been so completely absorbed in
its viscious schemes Of corruption,
some action would undoubtedly
have been had upon this impor-
tant subject. But, unfortunately,
q corrupt Legislature could only
legislate in its own interests; and
hence the public good became u
secondary consideration. The
grand idea at all times seemed to
be to feather in the most extrava-
grant manner the nest of each in
dividual legislator. In the early
days Of the session General p. b.
Starke prepared a good bill in the
interest of the Levee District, but

it was suffered to languish for four
long months in the hands Of the
committee to whom it was refer
red, and when it did finally emerge
was found to have been emascu-
lated in it's most vital and and i'm
portant features. No measure
could by possibility originate that
would not be perverted to suit in
dividual interest, and this measure
was compelled to submit to this
process. In the bill as originally
drafted the Governor was empow
cred to appoint the commissions
to supervise, cause to be con
stiucted the contemplated levees
and to disburse the moneys nee
essary to prosecute the work.
Here was q chance that Radical
ism could not permit to pass


And in the four months tina
this bill was in the hands of Com
mittee, it was closely scrutinizeu
by Radical cormorants, that
might be fashioned to suit III
peculative interests of certain in
dividuals within the privilege
rings. In the original bill, as W
have said, the Governor was al
thorized to appoint Commission
ers. This "privileged ring
changed this most important fei
ture and made the contemplate
act close cuperation for the ber
eft of individuals, and when til
bill was finally reported it wa
found that the names of certai
persons had been substituted f
this clause. Prominent in this lii
was the name of the notorious,


not celebrated, Peter p. Bailey,


sort of frost,headed vampire, VIII
manages to live as Radicals of h
ilk, alone can live. The bill WI
rushed in the usual precpitor
manner through the lower Hous
and it was thought would be a lay
and these men, whose names appe'
ed in it, chuckled over their pro
pective good fortune in being Il
custodians of large sum of mo
ey, much of which would of cour
have stuck to their mucilaginol
fingers, but a dire calamity W
in store for them in the person


the Honorable Stephen Johnso
Of the Senate, who preferred tn
his peopIe should be subjected f
few months longer to the dang
of inundation rather than til
they should be inblushingly plu
dered by the men into whose han


their money was to be consigne
When the bill reached the Senat
at the heel of the session,
moved to lay 1t on the tab


which was adopted. Mr.. Johns,
was as much interested in t


levees as any sekator upon t


floor; but he could not permit /
people to be robbed by unprin


pied adventures, who, by mea
which It is now unnecessary


mention, had caused their namC
to be inserted in the bill. o
citizens upon the riverfront m


probably not know the cause


this action on his part; but
are satisfied they will honor b


in the fullest when they learn,


we have endeavored to show, tt
~ &hwnvw btvnan1P hakwaan fhs