Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-10
Texas asa FieId for Free Labor.

Texas as n Field for Free Labor.
The proposed expeditions to Florida and
Texas are drawing public attention to
those States, and causing their advantages
to be discussed in manner that will en-
sure to them q new and vigorous growth.
Florida is more adapted-by climate--to
negro than to white labor and will proba-
bly, be made home for thousands Of the
emancipated slaves, who will find in its
rich soil and abundant forests the material
from which they may evoke prosperity for
the State and for themselves. But Texas
offers a field unexampled in its induce
ments to free laborers as soon as the curse
Of slavery is removed from it. The New
York Tmies gives an interesting summa-
~ Of It's natural wealth and advantages.
It is an empire in ITSELF 1t stretches
north and south through ten degrees of
latitude, say seven hundred miles, by
breadth Of over four hundred miles. 1t
contains an area of 100000 900 acres of
land. 1t is larger than the empire Of
France with its S5,OOO,OOO of population
It is five times larger than all the New
3 England States; it is six times as large as
the great State of Pennsylvania. 1t has
every climate known TO the United States,
and almost every production. 1t grows
near the Gulf the best Of Sea-islsnd cotton
On its river bottoms, sugar-cane-On all
its bottoms and upland the staple cotton Of
commeree-and everywhere, corn, wheat
and potatoes. Its natural pasture lands
extending from the western Gulf Coast to-
ward Arizona, are illimitable, and covered
already by millions of head of hogs, horses,
cattle and sheep, that are fat the year
through on the natural grasses and the
yield of the forests.
It is no exaggeration to say that Texas
alone could easily raise, and almost with
out cost cattle and sheep to supply the
wants Of the population of the United
States in oil time. And while thus stretch
ing through all zones and yielding all the
staples Of Southern commerce, as well as
all cereals, meats and fruits, Texas at the
same time is beautiful as Italy, and salu-
brious as the most beautiful country in
the. world. Negro slavery is the only
blight that rests upon it. This industrial
curse has kept the emigration'of tn eNOrth-
ern States and Europe away, and left Tex
as to waste its miraculous gifts in solitude.
= Yet not entirely. It is known that the
rare and beautiful pastoral lands in West
r. Aiern Texas have been invaded by large
number of Northern men, Germans and
some French, to the extent, perhaps Of so,
900 altogether; and this population is
prospering by the cultivation of cotton in
smnl patches, raising sheep, building fac
tories, planting vineyards, making wine,
u and trading with the northern States Of
Mexico, from which they get bars of yir-
gin silver in exchange for their products
This portion of the population of Texas is
loyal, though now O7erawed by treason.
It's labor is .tTse-few slaves exist in their
midst. Yet they grow large quantities Of
cotton, and are only limited in their crops
Of this staple by the lack of facilities fol
getting it to market.
As Western Texas is, so might nearly the
whole of that vast State become. Land /.
80 abundant compared with the population
as to be at this time almost valueless.
could be bought to-day in any quantities
for two shillings up TO $3.50 per acre, eacl
acre Of which would net 500 in cotton a
its present price. Texas alone is capable
by the proper application of free labor
OF 4and free labor cheerfully and successful
ly works there, Of producing more cotton
annually than all the South ever exported
BY the aid of its four million slaves.
Locating the ArEenaIs.