The Kanzas news., 1858-05-08
From the Republis
Negro Shareholders in Louisiana.

being the owners of slaves This prohibi
ton Is new in Louisiana, and does not exist
in any other State, that we are aware of.
1t is not stated whether this prohibition.
iustenacted in Louisiana, applies to the slaves
now held BY negro masters, or whether it Is
only directed against the further acquisition
of Slaves by negroes. Nor is it stated what
nroportion of African blood will be held to
be a disqualification for holding slaves.
An interesting account of the negro slave
owners and planters in Louisiana is given in
Olmsted's a.iiSeabeard Slave States,'' from
which we make The following extracts:
There are also in the vicinity (Nachito-
ches large number of free colored plant
ers. y In going down Cane river the Dalman
called at several of their plantations, to take
on cotton, and the captain told me that IN
fifteen miles of a well settled and cultivated
country on the bank of the river, beginning
ten miles below Nachitoches, he did not
know but one full blooJed white man. The
plantations appeared 10 way different from
the generality of those of the white creoles;
and on some of them were large, handsome
and comfortable houses. These free color
ed people are all descended from the proge
nv of old French or Spanish planters, and
before Louisiana was annexed to the United
States, and the descendants of it, are enti-
tied to freedom.
'rThe srst person of whom ] madeiinqui
ries abo1t them, at Nachitoches, told me
that they we're lazy, beastly set, slaves and
all on an equality. Socially, no. order of
discipline On their plantations, but every
thing going to ruin. Also. that they had
soreeyes, and lost their teeth early, and
few children, and showed other scrofulous
symptoms, and, evidences of weak constitu
lions, as Professor Cartwright says they
must. I think this gentleman must have
read De B0aG's Reoieso, and taken these facts
for granted, without personal knowledge; for
neither my own observation nor any infor
nation that could obtain from others at all
confirmed his statements. The merchants,
to whom | had letters of introduction, and
to whom l repeated them, assured me that
they were entirely imaginary. They had
extensive dealings Eith the colored planters,
and were confideRt that they enjoyed better
health than the whites living in their Yicin-
iy. They eoald not .reeollect single in
stance of those Indications of weak constitu-
ton which had been mentioned to me-
The colored planters, within their knowl-
edge, had large and healthy families; they
were honest, INDUSTRIOUS, and paid their
debts quite as punctuaIly as the white plant
ers, and were, as far as they could judge.
without an intimate acquaintance, good cit
i;ens, in all respects One of them had
lately. spent $40, 600 in lawsuit, and it was
believed that they were increasing in wealth.
Ii you had occasion to call at their houses,
| was told. you viii be received in a gentle
manly manner, and fnd they live in the same
style with white people of the same wealth.
They speak French among themselves, but
all are able to converse In English also, and
many of them are well educated.
1.-The driver of the stage from Nachito-
ehes towards Alexandria, described them as
being rather, distant and reserved towards
white people with whom they were not we'll
acquainted; but said that he had often staid
over night at their houses, and knew them
intimately, and he was nowhere else so we'll
treated, and he never saw more gentleman
like people. He appeared to have been es-
pecially impressed by the domestic and So
cal happiness he had witnessed in their
houses. So s;
The captain of the Dalman, Mr.. Brown
OF the hotel. and two intelligent planters,
who had had frequent opportunities of inter-
course with them, as far as their knowledge
extended eon6rnied these eEsccounts.
Some time subsequently, to my Red Riy-
ertrip, made short visit to Washington
and Opelousas. Washington was formerly
called Niggerville, from the number of free
negroes living IN the village. A German
merchant. living in Washington, told me
there were few now living In the place. but
N the parish OF Opelousas parish, In Lou
isana, is equivalent TO county, there are
many. Often, he said, they were wealthy
and thriving, and they owned some of the
oest of the cotton and sugar plantations.-
Some of them we're educated; he did not
Know how or where. One planter that he
dd business with, kept his books aud wrote
business letters in better manner than
most white planters.
Between Washington and Opelousss, a
distance of about six miles, If recoliect
rightly, three handsome houses, attached to
hfst-rate plantations. we're pointed out to me
belonging to free colored men,
IN intelligent man, whom met al Wash
,ast0o. who had been travelling most of the
"9ie ior two years, In the planting districts
louisiana, having business with plant
sts' Told me that The free negroes of the State
y general, so far As he had observed. were
!Isl equal in all respects, to the white Gre
s.:s Much the largest part of them, be
rA r'a' are poor, thriftless. nnambitious. and
;.n I'VE nwretchedly; but there are many cpulent,
sshseut ~. and educated The best house
- u most tasteful grounds that he had visit
- M toe State, belong to nearly fufl-blood-
fLS nSesro-a very dark man. He and his
Fsy We're well educated, and though
trench is their habituai tongue, thew sneak
n0gilsh with freedom, and one of then, with
much more elegance than most literally
saucated whites In the South. They had a
private tutor in their family. They owned,
Presumed, a hundred slaves 3.