The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-21
Our Country.

At this time the mails are bringing to Vi
the official reports of the actual condition o
each State. We shall condense the informa
ton they contain Vague generalities and rhet
orical fourishes Of the wealth and power of tn,
nation do very well for Fourth of July oraton
but facts and figures alone enable the American t.
appreciate the actual state Of the Republic. |
must be extremely gratifying to all the friends o
the Union to discover the tone which pervades the
messages Of the Northern and Western Governors
They all urge the maintenance of the terms of the
Compromise. The Courts, too, are enforcing the
Fugitive Slave law, and the people are everywhere
quietly submitting to their decisions.
LouIsIANA-Her Ouerfo,oed Lands.-The Sec
reiary of the Interior sent to this State las
year MIR. John Wilson, principal clerk OF Sur.
veys, whose report has just been published. From
this report and the documents attached, il appears
that the United States has held in this Slate, Of
swamp lands, l,7l9, 1888 acres that there remain.
70 the Government, of upands, 4,700 600 acres
which have been in the market ten years 9i3 O00
which have been in market twenty years, and 200.
GOO for thirty years. This is exclusive Of the land,
In The Greensby District, which have been re.
served from sale n consequence Of fraudulent sur
veys. The general character Of those lands, from
an examination of the feld-notes, appears to be
poor-scarcely averaging second and third quality
the timber is chiefly pine. Some good ands-even
first rate-are reported on the water-courses, and
approaching the " salt marsh," on which The i'm.
Der is oak, hickory, beech, gum, cypress, ETC.; but
most, il not ail-these, have been sold, or are COW
cred by private claims and ii is believed that the
unseld lands may be characterized as pine lands,
from second quality down to very poor
Mr.. Wilson visited the State during the inunda.
ton, and his sympathies as well as iudgmen, are
enlisted 10 favor of the claim of louisiana
The country wateed by the Mississippi EN-
braces twenty degrees Of latitude and seventeen Of
longitude. The rapid clearing of the lands pre =
vents The continnancs of those lakes and swamps
formerly retaining SO much water which passed
of by evaporation. The volume of water is in.
creased, and this is an evil which must be ap
grava,edwi the more extended clearing of the
land He thinks the best mode of improving tb.,
river Is by cut-offs, commencing at The mouth and
working up - thus Strengthening the channel and
giving it more velocity and Depth and also bv
lateral openings
tie estimates the nrobabe expense at from six to
ten millions But admitting the expense to be
double, 1t would be no consideration in comparison
to fhe benefits that would flow from it. The loss
of last year ia from five seven millions and the
overfows must be of frequent occurrence. The
quantity Of valuable land reclaimed will BE- three
or four millions, now worthless.
The whole question, itseems TO me, has resolved
itself into the alternative, that relief must he
speedily extended, or the low lands of Louisiana
abandoned. The latter alter native would be ruin
Gus TO thousands who have spent fortunes in pnr
chasing and improving those lands; and bv re-
ouclns Tue amount ct the annual cropo sugar and
a.
those articles, compel us to depend for the def
cheney thus caused on foreign countries, and prove
seriously lnconvenient to great number of our
citizens.
The State Of Louisiana has within itself The
means of exhaustless wealth. With a soil of un.
bounded and Inc yhaustibe fertility it has one of
me most delightful and saubrious climates in the
Worid, despite the consequences of these overhows,
Which would have converted most other countries
into vast burial places.
S The fervid heat Of the summer enables its citi-
zens to enjoy all the laxuries and delights of the
tropics; and yet that heat is so moderated bv The
prevalence Of cool and refreshing breezes, that
denghtiui residence can be found in almost any
part Of the State. With the improvements now
required, Louisiana will soon become one of the
first States of the Union in wealth. population and
Importance, as she has within herself all the ele
menis necessary TO this end''
We must not omit the highly complimentary no.
tice Of Mr.. r. w. Boyd, the Surveyor General
MIssIsslPPI.-A communication from the Mar
shal states that % counties in the southern district
of Mississippi show white population of &C. .s63,
and q slave population Of S6,504-total, 1853 1867,
la lS40, the same counties contained 49, GA whites
and "a ,450 slaves-iotal, ,22O. This is an in.
crease In ten years of 49, l47 nearly 35 per cent
GiA.-Augasta--T population of Au.
sgusta, amounts to upwards of $4,000. In 1s45, it
amounted to 7,752. This rapidity of increase s
truly surprising 1t is at least IS per cent in five
years. And yet, a railroad runs right through 1t !
IRDIANA.-Valuation of the State, s137, ,433, ,565;
Number Of Voters, 1896; Expenses of 1850,
oo,olo. ihe Governor recommends more string
ent mode OF ascertaining the value of property, by
which ne thinks it will be shown that the State is
actually worth $50 millions. The Marshal's return
oi rsai estate and farming utensils, is 200 millions
Inc debt is about millions. Since lS4l, when
in,efnai Imports We're suspended, the State has
paid Sso2s l56 domestic debt, and the interest on
me iorelgn debt, making in all over 100000
yeafiy' IN 1898, the revenue, it is estimated will
pe Sooo,oOo. AT that period the State will be able
70 commence the reduction of the debt. and in II
years more 1t will be extinguished. The Governor
recommends that a Bureau of Statistics should h,
a''ached 70 Inc Office of Secretary of State. He
urges 'e pfoprley OF making an appropriation for
''>~'A'sa VI tho iIco Dlhck5 OF The State
.'nerla, Inc stone sent by the State for the Wash
ington Monument, has for its motto" Indian,
knows no North, no South; nothing bnt ,bs
Union" He argues in favor of the Comn,oro;sa
ILLINoIsl--State debt, SI6, ,627, 500: TO nav This
the lands appropriated by the Federal Government,
are estimated at 100000; the nett proceeds of
canals, $ll9,406; revenue by taxes, $40 ono
value ofahe State in lS49, slO6. 600 600; the mum
per o. acres granted as swamp lands estimated a,
near x'ooo,OoO acres; school fund, $3.50, 100; in.
terest at per cent $47, ,4O7. The Governor thinks
that by economy the expenses may be so reduced
as 70 leave some portion of tie revenue for the ey.
ilnguishinent Of the debt. The message however
offers but cold comfort. The State is hopeles.lv
in debt. 'Ps'ess'y
!. s. PsNSsYLvASIA-Her territory contains about
1900 square miles.