The Times-Picayune from New Orleans, Louisiana • Page 4

flThr HI it i In tflirrtnrmr Official Journal of the State of Louisiana Official Journal of the City of New Orleans. MICHOLMN PROPRIETORS. MRS. E. J.

NICHOLSON. GEO. NICHOLSON. CO. W.

LLOYD, MANAGING EDITOR. THE PICAYUNE Has the Largest Circulation in the Southwest. Terms of Subscription. INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. DAILY.

Twelve Months 13 OO KMx Month. 6 OO Three Months 3 OO SUNDAY. Tw1vp Months $3 OO Six Month. 1 OO WEEKLY. Twelve Month 3 OO Six Months 1 OO SATURDAY MORNING, HAY 17, 1879 The jrondol car is used on railroads liable to overflow.

Bayard Taylor's lecture on Goethe is lost. It should be delivered again to the widow. In the search for concealed weapons a fellow feeling makes us won droualy ugly. Edison occasionally stops in the midst of his great work to make a little crawling bug. Second rate billiard players are always playing with each other for the Christian Russia is advancing backward, and proposes to keep Jews out of her territory.

A man called by a police court to give up ten dollars is naturally cited. A cat on its back, holding up a hollow ball with its legs, is the newest devise for a sugar bowl. If a loafer cannot stand on the street corners he might as well be a working man. It is expected that the measles will soon break up some of the juvenile "Piaafore" parties. Move on.

Two or more grocery stores are not allowed to stand on A barber will sometimes ask if his razor harts you as feelingly as if it gave him real satisfaction to know it. Max Maretzek thinks the time has come for establishing American opera. He is about forty years behind Jim Crow Rice. A Virginia hwly has a pet pigeon that dances to the music of a harp. Cutting the pigeon wing will be an easy figure for the bird.

A Western paper announces in the line of poetry that What Makes a Woman is on file, and will be used as soon as room for it can be found. The New York Herald says Superintendent Kiddle is not so much laughed at because he is a Spiritualist as because he is a fool. The I'tica Herald announces the opening of the canal season by saying: "The festive mule will begin cavorting on the tow path to "Tell Me How to Woo Thee" will never le a popular song. The response would be a dead give away on the part of the girl. A Mrs.

Mattie Potts, of New York, tramping on foot, with resolution in her eyes and a small valise in her right hand, is on her way from Philadelphia to New Orleans The play of Camille," which died of consumption twenty years ago, is only revived successfully by Modjes ka, who has a thin face and an aristocratic cough. It has been figured out that if a man weighs one hundred and fifty four pounds, one hundred and eleven pounds of that weight will be water, no matter what he drinks. The paragrapher of the Picayune calls the jolly minstrel a banjovial fellow.71 So, also, might the bone player be styled a rib rattler. Baton Rouge Herald. An exchange prints An anonymous article A baby before it is It is the worst joke of the season.

There is nothing aneny avowed author. A sympathetic Boston man speaks of Freeman, of Pocasset, as aim jly and solely the victim of a false conception of dmty." He should have killed himself, instead of his little daughter. Aa regularly as new moons come Northern papers state regularly that Paul Morphy is reported insane. Mr. Morpby is a quiet little gentleman engaged in minding his own business, which fact is perhaps sufficient reason for meddling correspondents 9 MsOsmh City, Sunday.

MR. GIBSON'S LEVEE BILL. The bill which Mr. Gibson has introduced into the House of Representatives may be called a "levee because the subject of levees is embraced in it. It is probable, also, that the construction of a general and uniform system of levees, under the auspices of the National Government, is the point aimed at by Mr.

Gibson. But as far as the form and the ostensible purposes of the bill are concerned, it ought rather to have the more general title of the Mississippi Kiver An experience of several years has shown that there is very little prospect of getting Congress to accept the responsibility and incur the expeneeof leveeing the river, as long as the project is put forward as an independent proposition. Mr. Enstis made a serious and determined effort to accomplish this at the last session of Congress. He demonstrated that the work of building the levees is more thoroughly a national work than any that has ever been undertaken by Congress.

He showed at every principle of law and equity it quired this work to be assumed by the Federal Government. Nevertheless he failed, as others had failed before him. He failed on account of what seems to be an irremediable incapacity on the part of the majority of Congressmen to understand the merits of this question, and to separate it from the category of purely local interests. The Picayune has always been in favor of pressing this issue on its own merits, because it appeared reasonable to suppose that it could be more clearly comprehended when relieved from complication with other projects. But we are bound to confess that experience does not encourage the belief that Congress can be brought to accept our view of the problem.

It is, therefore, not out of place to say that Mr. Gibson's bill treats the levee question as experience has shown, that it must be treated if we are ever to get any recognition of its claims from the National Government. The plan adopted by Mr. Gibson is that of combining in one scheme all the great interests affecting, or affected by, the Mississippi River. He proposes that a commission of five members shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be to direct and complete the surveys of the river from the Paes.

fi to its head waters; and to make such additional surveys as may be deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of the act. These provisions, or objects, are defined to be to take into consideration and ma tore such plan or plans and estimates as will correct, permanently locate and deepen the channel and protect the banks of the Mississippi River improve and give safety and ease to the navigation thereof prevent destructive floods, and promote and facilitate commerce, trade and the It is furthermore made the duty of the commission to "report in full on the practicability, feasibility and probable cost of the various plans known as the jetty system, the levee system, and the outlet system." Except for the purpose of getting Congress committed to the doctrine that the Mississippi River is essentially national property, and that the work to be done on it, whether to deepen its channel or to protect its banks is peculiarly national work, there is no necessity for this commission. The purposes for which it is to be organized have already been accomplished, or they are in process of accomplishment. The coast survey, now in progress, gives all requisite information as to the topography and hydrography of the river, and its report will constitute a basis for any action that may be taken in the way ol channel improvement. The jetty system has already been tested at the mouth of the river, and, we presume, no one will question its efficacy for the purpose to which it is now applied.

The idea of extending it along the river for the purpose of converting the river into a ship canal, is not, we believe, seriously pressed at this time. The levee system and the outlet system have both been elaborately examined, discussed and reported on by such eminent engineers as Gen. Humphreys, Gen. Abbott and Col. Warren.

No information can be gathered on those subjects that has not been given in the exhaustive reports already published. Nevertheless the plan adopted by Mr. Gibson seems to be about the only one that has any chance of success. If we are to get anything done for the levees we must submit to have the question brought in as correlative with or subsidiary to projects and purposes which, in reason, have no connection with it. We must have the whoie subject examined and discussed and reported on again in the hope that another examination, another discussion, another report may induce Congress to take affirmative and decided action.

Now that Mr. Gibson has introduced his bill it is to be presumed that he will make' every effort to push it through so that its real purpose may be brought forward as speedily as possible. TBE POWERS OP THE CONTENTIOS The discussion in the Convention on Thursday as to the powers of that body, revealed a conspicuous difference of opinion among the members. The controversy arose out of the report of a majority of the Judiciary Committee against a proposal to pass a special ordinance concerning ap peals from certain parishes. The ordinance was intended, by its projectors to operate as a repeal of an existing statute.

It would be, in fact, an act of legislation. The majority of the committee report against it. The minority report in favor of it. The issue was made up and presented on the question of the power of the Convention to perform this or any other act of legislation, and the argument included an examination of the nature of constitutional bodies and the scope and limitation of their powers. Those who opposod the majority report took the broadest views of the inherent power of the Convention, attributing to it the nature of sovereignty; claiming for it powers limited only by the constitution of the United States and asserting it to be, in theory and in law, an assemblage of the people of the State in their sovereign political capacity.

Those who favored the majority report viewed the Convention as a body called, created and organized for a single purpose, that of framing a State constitution. They believe that its functions are limited to the discbarge of this duty: that it has no original inherent powers that it can provide the machinery of government but cannot govern, and that its work is inoperative until it is submitted to and rati tied by the people of the State. Between these two theories the Convention will have to decide. It is to be hoped that the decision will be in favor of that view which coincides with the actual precedents established by all recent State constitutional conventions, and which will avert the inconveniences and embarrassments that would certainly flow from the assumption of unlimited power to legislate as well as to organize. Let it be conceded that Judge Land's theory of the omnipotence of the Convention is true as a proposition of abstract law what would foilowfrom giving vitality toit as a practical rule of action? It would follow that the Convention could constitute itself the permanent government of the State that it could endow itself with perpetual succession that it could limit the electoral body to a small number of favored persons that it could even destroy the electoral body altogether; that it could establish itself as an oligarchy, preserving the form, perhaps of republican government, but abolishing its essence; that it could make and unmake the judiciary to suit itself, and so assure the maintenance of its supremacy through the decisons of dependent legal tribunals that it could frame schemes of taxation levy taxes and collect taxes create debts, or repudiate debts at its option and that, under pretense of exercising sovereign power, it could destroy private rights, destroy personal liberty, and destroy popular sovereignty itself.

These are all logical deductions from the theory of the omnipotent sovereign power of the Convention. Whatever strength this theory may have as an abstract legal proposition, it loses when confronted with its logical consequences. The common sense of the people teaches them that no set of men, even a set of men called a constitutional convention, can right fully assume to be endowed with powers which really have no existence except under despotic governments maintained by military force. The common sense of the public teaches them that there is no such thing as sovereignty in the sense of that omnipotence which the supporters of the doctrine claim for it. Not the convention or the majority of the electors have any absolute right to govern anybody still less have they an absolute right, or a legal right, to destroy or impair those fundamental rights which lie at the basis of social organization and to protect which governments are instituted among men.

The theory may have been different fifty years ago. It may have been different twenty live years ago. But all recent conventions, whether or not they have formally renounced the pretension to sovereign omnipotence, have, in practice, confined themselves to the single function of framing an organic law to be submitted to the judgment of the voters. Carondelet Street Methodist Church For the laat two months the congregation bun In the basement atory whilst the large auditorium of the upper atory has been undergoing thorough repair at the hands of repainted. The roof has been tightened and perfectly secured.

The entire the church has been removed from the choir gallery and placed in the recess behind the pulpit. The pulpit Itself has been brought considerably forward, and It is thought that the change will better demands of 1 The openings at the been closed so as to gallery stairwa Only round trip for the grand on to McComb City, Sunday. Department of the University of Louisiana will take place to day at Grune waiu Man The following if New York Herald. abitual drunkards may be shut and subjected to special distasteful they BTIWARD On Friday Mar 16, at 8 A. ps pect fully invited Morninr, from 173 University of Louisiana New Orleans, May 15, 1 The exercises appointed for COMMENCF.

EHT DAY in this department will be held QRTJNKWALD HALL, 356,432 GENUINE SINGER SEWING MACHINES Sold in 1878. BEWABE of parties offering bogus and done over machines as the IMPROVED SINGKR. Co panics have sprang up In every part of the Union far making aa Singer Ma "why are not similar companies formed for TbJntMwm drawJownIrenGoia Waste aa Hewer an Inferior PRICES GREATLY REDUCED. SEND FOR CIRCULAR. The Singer Manf'g S.

K. KINDLE, Aaent, 85 Canal street 615 Magazine st AGENT Butterick Patterns. ATTENTION Delegates to the Convention that hargaiWe in SHU ORNISH I NO HOODS axaUveef the pariah ol Caitra. county ualwav! Ireland, and lor lw enty six years a reslaent of The friends and acquaintances of the family are i es pec tin LI invited to attend his funeral, wL will take place from bis late residence, Johnson stieets. This at 3 o'clock, GERTNIR Cn Friday, May 16, 1879.

at lOtSSO'ClOCk, P. LA AINCIt JDWA.BD Oeistner, aged 3 years. Friends and acquaintances of the family are request to attend his funeral, from the residence of his parents, corner of Ninth and Mag o'clock, P. M. KRCMME1 On Friday.

May 16. 1879, at a quarter past 3 o'clock, f. MlLlBCA KHJUnf GwH mtnfijU prnminf' MjdjtM ag rfyeart' tnon ths ana i day. a native of The friends of the family and the members of Groves, are respectfully invited to attend he dence, 32 Jack ton street. This a 1 ternoju McGiobon, Faxenoe, De Gray, Dusstunisr, and her son In law, James Dm el, are respectfully in viUd to attend the funeral, which win take place Ibis iSaturdav) Evening, at 4 o'clock, street, a ear Kami art street.

IATIL On Friday morning. May 16. at 7 o'clock, Rt jt Llr at the families Tabary, Vinet. FUtaers, Raymond, attend the funeral. Baturd.y Evening at 5 DR.

HENRY STONE, Of Natchez, OFFICE AND KX8IOEN0E, 136 Pry tan ia street, between Polymnia and Fe my4 ln2dp Uclty streets. arssMafiwDs Moody's, Co er Canal mm Kayal SUssls. aaW TSrla No Limit! NO RESERVE THE ENTIRE STOCK 133 Canal street, CONSISTING OF $200,000 Seasonable, Desirable and First Class DRY GOODS Is being disposed of dally until entirely SOLD OUT. PRICE OCR PATRONS SELLING OUT AT ANT PRICE, nder to fellitate matters and at the same Hive1 patronage s'onleieUy bestowed uponnj A FEW PRICES A Specimen. LNflBE STOCK Sold in Proportion.

Our Most Superior BLACK GOODS HENRIETTK a NUN'S CLOTH, LUPIN'S FAMOUS CASHMERES, GRENADINES, Black Silks Colored Silks. 340 pieces of the above will be olosed oat at less than price of Importation. Our Dress Goods Department, Containing 140 different grades and styles, ranging fiow so. to reduced folly 36 per cent. 100 pieces Fine Cassimeres From 30c.

to 65c, formerly 40 per cent, higher. 20 casf Best Brands ordew Spring PRINTS, 10,000 YARDS Assorted Silk Ribbons, in all widths and styles, at SO cents. (La this lot are some Ribbons costing 85 cents to import. SELLING OUT OUR MAMMOTH LADIES' UNDERWEAR SUIT DEPARTMENT. A Rare Opportunity to Obtain Uesful Articles at Nominal Figures.

Fellman SHOES. Shoes Shoes. Sol. Lion 110 and 113 Baronne street. WE DEFY COMPETITION.

NO HEAVY RENT. NO HEAVY EXPENSES. house in the city. continually receiving goods fi FRESH STOCK THE LATEST STYLES Buns, Morrows Dunbar's, Stribiey's, Newmeyer's STANDARD BS8BT A AH HHDDD A AR RDDD SI JUST RECEIVED, A NSW LOT OF WHIT1 KID Button Boots gSSgg gPPP FPF gRR gSSa Sol. Lion 110 and 112 Baronne street.

Hflnrt vniitno a. wen i uumo Dim Children's ri HTMINiH mi SstV JL JLJL 11 IB CHEAP! CHEAP! PRICES rv iirar i.iiMh an G. LAZARD CO. 213 to 217 Old Levee street, EAR Dl MAINE STREET, Opposite French Market. OB AND ASSORTMENT CHEAP AXD FINE CLOTIOt FURNISHING GOODS, I At Prices to Defy Competitioa.

Country and City CASH BUYERS Will find taeir advantage by examining art Look at Our Price Ujfl SPRING AND SUMMT.R. 1S7S. FOB MEN. Cassimire Buits. oner quality 10 76 to 11 Or ay, Black and Striped Batiste gffiftjfij hna" 75S pR Black AlpaMCfli'iner'quaiit: 3 60 to 5 Fine VancytfimerV 3 25 to 58 ay Linen Pants at ISf Blue Sti iped Linen Pants at 1 White Linen Dock at 7 VbqnalUT.

136t Iff Large assortment of alpaca and Lin an Dusts ts at moderate prices. FOB YOUTHS. Kentucky Jeans Suits t8" Caaelmere 9 60 to 10 ts Gray, Black and btriped Batiste iagonalManii 'Vesta FOB BOYS FROM 9 TO IS YEARS. finer Vitality: 111. 00ts Tft DiEn.B.B,c1: 860..

Vest and Heck Tie. FOB CHILDREN FROM 3 TO 9 YEARS. erayAlpaSolta. 2H Gary Linen Skirt BekandaownhDiaK6naJ 6 00 to FURNISHING GOODS. 'tis Mln 3 00 to SsS 1 ena Jcy and Btriped Books, 300to 6af el to iS cSSTrnTHAW1 Sato.

CLOTHING MADE TO ORDER. A GOOD FIT GCARANTBJ5D..