Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-02-14
correspondence of the Vermont Phoenix.
NEw-oRLEANs, Jan 25th, 1867.


Mr.. EDIroR
Could Bienville, the founder Of New
Orleans, gaze to-day from his old stand Mt the Place
d'Armes, and behold his infant city hugging the
Mississippi for seven miles, its commerce extend
ing to every land, and its streets thronged with
hundreds Of thousands of inhabitants, there is but
little doubt but that enterprising individual, who
built q city in q mud-hole, would be considerably
.stonished. Despite of pcstilence and climate and
the enormous tax on property, New-0rleans has
grown and is growing rapidly, and if not very
fine is at least very large city
The city can boast of but few fine buildings in
proportion to its size, owing to the scarcity of build
ing material, which, with the exception of wood,
must be imported Foremost of these may be rank
ed the st. Charles Hotel, the Cathedrals, and the
City and Odd Fellows Halls. The new Custom
House, which has been in progress some twenty
years, will be grand structure IL ever completed.
Outside the business portion, which is comprised
in o square bounded by the Levee, Triton Walk,
Hercules and Toulouse Streets the city assumes an
irregular and suburban aspect. The houses are
mostly of wood, with ovcrhanging balconies, sur
rounded by gardens containing the orange and ba-
mana trees, which tell you emphatically you in
the South.
Many parts Of the city are laid out into beauti-
full parks public squares, the finest of which is
Jackson Square, formerly the Place d'Armes. 1t
is more civic garden, containing the rarest trees
and flowers. Here one may spend delightful af-
tcrnoon, watching the vessels as they towed up
or down the river, nhaling the fragrance of how-
ers which here bloom the year round, oblyious Of
the flight Of time, were it not for the chimes Of the
solemn old Cathedral which casts its shadow on
the square.
From the city let us turn to its inhabitants, who
may be divided into two classes, the Crcoles, or
descendants Of the early French and Spanish set
tiers, whom neither pestilence crevassc can in
timidate, and the transient inhabitants. The Gre
oles are brave, generous, but impulsive people,
little inclined to old-fogyism, and have almost
passion for duelling. duel took place between
two Of them last Tuesday, Of which the following
are the circumstances: NJ. Louis le Blanc went tC
masked society ball, and, for some reason, wa:
refused admittance. Not being able to single ou
any individual on whom to revenge himself he tool
tho novel though decidedly French e1pedient o
writing the names of the managers Of the ball OF
slips OF paper, and drawing one from hat. Tn,
name Of one Mr.. White was drawn, and lie Blan,
next day spat in his face duel was the result
double barrelled guns at 20 paces-a murderou
dstance,) and at the first FIRE NJ. lie Blanc received
Classification in the shape of bullet through tn
heart. lie adds another to the already long list 0
"rtctines de y honneur" in the public cemeteries
- Al. Al
Of cotton on the levec-the commercial baromete
Of the city-annually brings here, and those VIII
come for change of air. or in other words to cnjo
that license, which anywhere but in this city wou
meet with the scverest reprobation. The natura
result is a new impulse to business of every kind
and as much is done here from the month of 0cto
her to June in all the other months twenty time
repeated In the summer, these birds Of passag
depart to a more genial region, and expcnd tn
money acquired in this city, which they treat as
sucked orange, and care little what becomes Of
during the summer months. This absenteeism
the curse Of the Southpand so long as it continue
no southern city can hope to prosper.
This being the great metropolis Of the South
there many slave marts, in relation to whic
there are special laws These are not pens, as ma
ny suppose, but clean and comfortable room:
where the negroes are employed in various occu
pations. 1t is unlawful to expose negroes for sa
in any public place, which is different from othG
States, where have seen them sold at auction
the streets. There is great difference betwce
those negroes who act servants in cities, an
plantation hands The former are either nike
white blood, or have become intelligent by inte
course with the whites, while the latter are uns,
phisticated, thick-lipped, hat-nosed Sambos, wi
disspatc all ideas of equality of the races.
Let any one see, rs have, newly imported sui
jet Of the King of Dahomcy, and if he still hole
this doctrine he must be beyond the power of a
gument. In saying this, have not the remote
intention Of defending the institution of SLAYER
Were its extinction possible, (Which it is not,)
would certainly enure fully as much to the bene
Of the white as the negro. Candid southern mt
confess that it enervates the people, and thong
rendering them independent in seeming, max
them dependent in fact. To this the South is b
ginning to awake since the last election, which
confesses is a Pyrrhus victory, and the southel
press is endeavoring to arouse the dormant enc
gies Of the people. But" Quem Deus pult perde
prius dementat' is eIemplfed in the projects
some Of her politicians, who are Fastening the CT
sis she should dread. But this is . dark subeC
SO let US pause.
Yours. H. C. W.