The excitement in the city became intense, and sectional
animosities increased in bitterness. To the American population it was
a matter of prime necessity; to the property-holders and merchants of
the city proper it was a matter of life and death. To these it was
apparent that the moment this bill became a law, and the Faubourg St.
Mary controlled her own finances, her streets would be paved and
warehouses spring up to meet every demand--wharves would be
constructed, the quay or levee would be sheltered, capital would flow
to the Faubourg, and, in a moment as it were, she would usurp the
entire domestic trade of the country: in other words, the Faubourg St.
Mary would become the City of New Orleans.
After carefully canvassing the Legislature, it was found very doubtful
whether the bill would pass or not; the attempt had heretofore proved
eminently unsuccessful, but now it was apparent that it had gained
many friends, and it was not certain it could be defeated. Under these
circumstances, overtures were made by the city government, to expend
all the revenue in improvements above Canal Street, which should be
collected from the inhabitants of that quarter.
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