The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-03-17

TIMES IN ST. LANDRY.

things deplorable in the extreme. An lnti-
mate acquaintance for several years past IN
duces us to say that there is now less money
in circulation in Western Louisiana than at a
similar period for many years. Fortunately
for most of those indebted, great leniency has
been shown by their creditors otherwise we
would undoubtedly have much pecuniary dis
tress. Without banks or banking facilities,
beyond a few private ~money-lenders residing
among us, we have no means OF obtaining
money unon bills, notes or mortgages, our only
reliance being upon the sale i'll Neworleans or
other markets of the absolute staple produc-
tons of our country, one of the leading articles
of which has fallen far short of the previous
years crop. Examining into the causes OF the
present condition of things, it is not hard to de
termine why they exist. For several years past
there Lave been in the Parish of st. Landry
from fifty to sixty mercantile establishments, all
selling a fair amount of goods, and mostly on a
credit. creating at the close of each year a
large indebt edness, which, if TO any extent,
was only partially met, the remainder tapping
on to the next Or following years business, and
the merchant bearing patiently with the debtor
on account Of the short trop. in the confident
expectation that the next would be u full one.
Short crop after short crop, however, have sue
ceeded each other, with low prices, until each
debtor has swelled his Indebtedness to u fearful
,np, Nh m +l;~ ~, .ocpnu1,tt,n op1 mn
addition of heavy taxes, State, Parish and
Railroad, which i'll two years has been levied
and collected in part, in amonnt equal to any
previous FIVE years, and We have abundant
cause for the present state Of things. Money
at no time has been scarccr or more difficult to
obtain, nor has trade and commerce, so fur
particularly rs relates to mercantile affairs,
been in a more gloomy and depressed eondi-
ton. With these facts, it is to be hoped that
creditors will give and exercise all the indul-
gcnce in their power. The low stage of our
waters, although proving a serious hlndrance
to trade, has undoubtedly been productive Of
good, compelling OUR population to do without
or to purchase such Of the old stocks of goods
as were to be found, using as articles Of food
the productions of the country, and denying
themselves the Injuries which they have here
tofore had. These things have no doubt proved
a saving to the Parish of thousands OF dollars,
and lessons the Indebtedness Just that amount.
Place before men the Injuries and greater
comforts of life, and they will indulge, whatever
their pecuniary embarrassment. Up to this
period, we have only been able to ship a few
thousand bales of cotton, with d small quantity
of sugar and m~olasses, the returns and remit
tanees for which, if received, have not been of
sufficient Importance to be felt. When navi-
CATION does open, and the produce of last sea-
son begins to go forward, we anticipate an i'm
provement in all departments Of trade. An
estim ate upon correct data induces the belief
that there is yet to go forward from this Par
ish, mostly from the ports of Washington and
Port Barre, cotton, sugar and molasses equal
in amount to one million dollars. Out of this
large sum, it is safe to calculate that one-third,
or from $50 to 100000, will be RENTED,
latter paying expenses and payments due by
the planters in NewOrleans for supplies and
advances,) and will be placed in circulation
here. This amount will go far toward reliey-
ing our present distresses, and will give, we
hope, an upward tendency to the commercial
prospects of the country. Cut off as we have
been for years from all banking facilities, and
having to rely upon actual shipments of pro-
dncc for monetary aid, except when our plant
ers and merchants have made negotiations in
NewOrleans at rates which no planter can
stand-with short crops and low prices-some-
times both-we may regard ourselves US fortu-
nate in not having had our court doekets filed
with suits for debt, and the property of our
planters and traders sacrificed to meet the
judgments obtained. One characteristic of
our people done away, and we would feel that
our tendency to independence, s~olvcncy and ac-
emulation was decidedly upward it is the
heoyy bidding for negroes. At all sales where
this description of property is put up, an
eagerness to huy is manifested that is astonish-
ing. From fourteen to sixteen hundred dollars
is about the range of prices for ordinary to
good negro men, upon one and two years credit,
These we consider ruinous rates, and except by
drawing upon other resouce than the income
OF the labor, the debts can not be met.
WHAT RAILROADS Do.-When the Opelou-
sas Road is finished to Washington, we shall
be able to say the same thing of cur town as
the Thibodaux Minerva says of that place:
Thbodaux has presented quite y busylike aud ami
mated appearance for several days past. All this is
owing to the increased travel on the Opelousls Rail
road: Not y day passes but that we are greeted with
smiling faces Of scores of Attakapas and Opelousas
who generally stop with us over night when
Oh their way to New0rleans. Truly our town is he.