The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-05-01
Correspondence of the Western Democrat.
STEAMER HODGE, Red River, La,
April 10th, 1860.


April 10th, 1860.
MEssRs EDITORS: l write from point about
twenty miles above Alexandria. in the Parish of
Rapides, Louisiana; and a more beautiful country
cannot be found the face of the earth. The
lands are all aluvial being formed by deposits from
the river, and probably cannot be surpassed in
productveness by any lands in the world. The
SOIL like the river is red, hence the name of the
river Just here the soil is equally productive in
the cultivation of Sugar or Cotton; and the eye Of
the eager, expectant nd-hunter. and the pursuer
| of agricultural wealth, is constantly goating and
reaching after that which only makes them the
more miserable for having seen, it being held at
figures impossible to be reached only by the mil
lionaire As the Cotton bags of almost every place
are counted by thousands, the planter OF hundreds
in Red River has long since ceased to be respect
able as very much of his responsibility is known
only throu, III the number of Cotton bags he is able
to ship to New Orleans. And the plantation ceases
to be respectable in point OF culture whenever it
fails to yield its ten bags to the hand For some
ten years this country has been free from overflow
indeed, there has been comparatively no overflow
since 1919, during all which time the amount of
Cotton produced upon the Red River bottoms has
been unparalleled; and the laud has steadily add
vanced in price until now it has reached the
nous figure of one hundred dollars per acre: the
very thought of which would lift North Carolina
piney- planter out of his boots. These prices
are really realized, and lit is said that if
will even now pitch in" he will not get sqaeezed.
just few months since, gentleman not thous-
and miles from where the :" Democrat " is printed
= gentleman, no matter who-was offered
plantation ii few miles from this at So, 600, being
$50 per acre. Since that tine recently, the then
owner has refused SlUU,O0U This is one of the
instances in the way of small land trade which
is almost daily being enacted in this wonderfully
productive region Where this thing is to end
time only develop; aud the very best advice [
can give the people Oh the old North State even
in the face of these facts, is to stand from under
that the compensation is not equal to the hazard
and to 90 TO work and reclaim their wOrn-uut
lands, embesh their grounds with vines, orchards,
| aud gardens. Let the immense water-power, which
the God of nature has 50 lavishEy bestowed upon
our people, be harncssed and used.
We have on board some half dozen of the K.
G. C.'s'-Knights Of the Golden Circle-o: whom
[ spoke in my last. Bythe-by see that you
arc to have u meeting of the order in Raleigh this
Spring. This will be something new for the stald
and quiet Capital of n. q.
The best thing l have heard in the way of
joke from of the boys, told with all soienn-
ity and with every appearance of truth, aud seem
iugly by one in authority. 1t Was to the effect,
that there is not, has been, in fact, such
person as Cortinas, the Mexican outlaw: that
the accredited Cortinas of the Rio Grande was no
less parsonage than Gen. VIM. Walker, of Mica
raguean nutoriety, at the head of his men, sus-
tanned by few Mexican liberals, making sham
foray upon people on this side the Rio Graude,
the object being to bring collision between
the L. s. troops aud the Mexican troops by the
former crossing over into Mexican territory; that
the matter we'll known aud understood by eve
ny American the Rio Grande, except the Z. s.
trOODS the policy being to keep the u. S. govern
ment ignorant of the which Walker was play
ing; that there was no truth in the alleged killing
of Americans By Cortinas and his band; that they
now have at the mouth Of the Rio Grande three
vessels loaded with munitions of war; that large
numbers Of daily rendezvousing at or
Brownsville, and by the lst of July hoped to
strike decisive blow in the conquest of the de-
partment Of Tamalapas, lying contiguous to the
United States, from whence they might STRIKE
through their own ports, Cuba and Central Ameri-
ca; that the order (the k G. C.'s) is co-extehsive
with the Southern States; that no man is allowed
membership unless be born in of the
Southern slave States, which of course excludes
foreigners. give you this for what it is worth.
Much of it is true; but the Cortinas portion | con-
fess smells little ishy.
The weather here is exceedingly warm aud the
farmers stand much in need of rain push forward
their corn, up and worked first time, and also
to bring up their Cotton. most of which is already
in the ground. This and all the Western rivers
are falling fast. Yours, &C., X