Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1803-12-17

wAsHisGros, NOV 20.
Esratt Of letter from Taomas 4. DAVIS Esq. aa,,d
Ka&ahios, Indiana Territory, oa''S, 1858
" Since faw you in Kentucky, have
travelled through this territory, and Witt
ed our new acquired country on the wet
fide of the MilliGppi. This country does
not equal the fame which common report
gives il; If is greatly inferior to kentucky
| in point of fertility. From the falls OF The
Ohio TO St. Vinccnnes the land is rich
and well watered, though broken
From Vincennes, which itands on the
bank of the Wabafh, to this place, is a
poor country, nine tenths of it is prairie,
or, as we wosld call it, old field. The
| water is fcarce and bad; the diitance is
I6e miles without inhabitants, though
II is iaid that on each fide of the road ar
lome diltance, the land is good. From
this to Cahokia is 60 miles, fine rich
country, and fettled; bur there is room
i'll this country for millions Of inhabitants.
To this country every young man who is
without fortune ought to repair. The
belt Of land here is to be had on the low
eft terms.
son the other fide ofthe Mififppi the
land is rich near the river, bur becomes
poor and broken as YOU leave it. The
French all live in villages the Ameri-
cans go on farms. In upper Louiliana
there are about ten thouiand louls-ahout
half Of which are faid to be Americans
6 think the foil and climate here we'll
adapted to the growth Of cotton and
hemp but as great proportion Of the
people have newly iettled no great ex-
pertinent has yet been made If per!ons
migrating here are not permitted to bring
their negroes with them, it viii be manv
years before we become fate. Perfous
wiihing to hold dayes will go on the Span
ilh fde ;-thoie who are againit il will
fettle in the fate of Ohio, where the poinr
is fettled.
" The Indians are al peaceabIe; many
of them live in this village, and The vii
lage of ST. Vincennes. This place exhi5.
its fome remains of former GRANDEUR
great number ofchimnies are Handing, 10
which houles were formerly annexed.
The Jeiuits College is quite down, the
vaults alone remain entire. This depop-
ulation is faid to'be owing to the extern
| iion OF the American government here
| the former inhabitats were all fave hold
ers, and the adoption of the ordinance in.
duced them to believe their negroes would
be liberated, and they immediately quit
this place and went on the Spanilh tide of
the Mlliiiippi--they left their houles which
have fallen down for the want OF fome
perion TO take care of them. This alarm
now exits among the inhabitants on the
other Gde of the Mififppi, for they are
large fave holders, and the fooner fome
act OF the government removes thofe fears
the better. | with Congrefs would make
provifion by law for granting appeals and
writs of error from the general court of
this territory to the fupreme federal courr.
Before the laf general court verdict was
obtained for thirteen thouiand dollars,
and it involves doubtful legal queaion :
London, o. Io.-A private letter from
France iays, 6 We have at Taft learned
lomething Of what pafes in England. The
lpies juit returned here, while thsy ex-
claim againlt the feverity of the rneafures,
in conieqeunce of which they were oblie-
ed to leave the country, do jutice 10 tic
enthufiafm which anima,es all clafes fer
the national defence and to the excellent
organization of your volunteer corps,
which they acknowledge to be armed, e
quipped, and trained ike veteran troops.