Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-15

state of cultivation hundred years ago
! The extensive ruins Of what was once
MAGNIFICENT structures show that these
Hneiendas were highly productive and
/ the homes Of wealth, luxury and refine.
! ment, but about fifty years since slavery
1 was abolished in the State of Vera Cruz
ami the prOprietors of these magnificent
estates left the country with the large
! fortunes they had amassed. The Church
/ seized the lands and allowed them to liz
idle and 90 to ruin. The buildings upon
each of these places must have cost from
one hundred thousand to five hundred
! thousand collars. The Church held the
/ property until about five years since
when il was taken by the Government
and the GOyemmentnow sells il 20 us fol
colonization at one dollar per acre in
| quantities 0fsiX hundred and forty acres to
each head Of a family and twenty dol
| lars TO each single man on credit OF
1 one, two, three, four and five years. This
1 is the beginning Of the first Confederate
colony in Mexico. Amongst those who
| propose 70 settle Immediately are Gen.
Price and Gen. Shelley from Missouri,
Judge Perkins Of Louisiana, and myself.
/ The resources Of this country are such as
| 10 insure fortune % the energy and in
/ dustrv that has usually characterized
our people. The wonder is that they
have been permitted 10 remain undevel-
oped So long, but this is the most indO-
! lent, lazy an worthless population on
earth.
VIII many of the people Of the South
em STATES feel inclined 10 seek new
homes or will they follow the example
of Lee, Johnston and others? Mexico
presents the finest field that / have ever
seen for the enterprise Of our people and
now that slavery is bolished in the South,
hired labor can be much more easily pro-
cured here and made much more profit
able than any part of the United States.
1 do not propose however to urge or even
advise any one 10 come, / only propose
% give them facts and leave them 70 de-
eide for themselves as have done for
myself such as feel inclined 81 come will
De received With open arms and cordial
welcome. But enough of this.
Where is Forrest, and what is he
doing and where and how Is every body
else for have heard from none Of our
friends since / left Mississippi.
Give my kind regards 10 Mrs. Adair,
Robin, Jack and Forrest, and kiss Mary
for me, and tell her that il would give
me great pleasure to have a romp with
]
Write me fully and do your best at
penmanship. so that / may be able to
read the greatest part of the letter. 1
sent YOU a copy Of the Nericdl NslCS, an
English newspaper edited by Gov. Allen,
about "a month ago. / hope you re-
r,ived IL, though there was very little II
interest i'm it, except that IL shows the
fact that we have started an Ameri-
can newspaper at the city of Mex
leo. / neglected TO say to you
that this place is situated on the line
of railroad from Vera Cruz 10 the city Of
Mexico, seventy miles west of NeraCr
The railroad iSnow I'm operation 10 within
eighteen miles Of this place, and all the
balance 10 the city of Mexico is under
contract and the work rapidly prOgres-
sing. 1t is a few hours run by rail from
here TO Vera Cruz; from Vera Cruz il is
three days by steam 90 New Orleans and
from New Orleans il Is three OF four days
by rail TO Atlanta, so you see that we are
still neighbors, even if you should remain
I'M Georgia. The road is owned by an
English company, but is almost entirely
in American hands.
Nv health Is excellent, and | feel that
it cannot be otherwise in this charming
climate. Direct YOUR letter TO me at Cor
dova, Mexico, and in conclusion, let me
beg vCu to excuse this hOrTid and dis
iuinied letter, as il was written in the
midst OF a crowd, half Of whom We're
continually talking to me and compelling
me 10 talk 70 them.
ISHAM G. HARRIS.