Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-05-16
Correspondence Of the Freeman

CAIRO, H., April 23, 1865.
FRIEND WILLARD IL arrived at this city to =
day, after pleasant trip up The Mississippi. |
leh New Orleans on the ls,h, ard made the trip
uudsturbed BY rebel garrison or any thing ap.
preaching such thing. The news Of the death
Of our amented president had not reached New
Orleans when left, but it should have reached
there on the 20,h, and have no doubt there was
as much mourning over the event there as in any
Northern city. At Gen. Bauk, speech 10 Mem
phis there was hardly a dry eye, and the whole
city seemed 20 feel as il they had lost ALL The
city was draped in black and all places Of busi.
ness closed.
AZ left New Orlelns was forcibly impressed
with the great change which ha, come upon that
place within the past five years. When passed
up the river, in 1856, the vhars, broad and capa
cious, we're filed with mountains Of cotton, sugar,
barrels Ct pork and -four, with immense stacks Of
grain and produce, and boxes Of manufactured
goods and agricultural implements. There we're
great fleets Of sail vessels in port, mutitudes
Of steamboats, and ocean steamers from every
country, and herds Of fllt-boats laden with
lumber and produce Now half dozen steam
boats, dozen sail vessels and one or two ocean
steamers comprise all the craft in port. On
the wharf are Few barrels, few bales Of cotton
and few people stand idly by, 1t isa strange
contrast.
The same change !. apparent all the way to
Cairo and see why there is nothing at New Or
ean',-ihere is nothing produced to send there,
and no Inhabitants 10 produce or to require man
uhctuted goods, Baton Rouge isa dilapdated
pl,ce, and place Of camps and soldiers. 1t is
1870 miles from New Orleans, located upon high
oluH, which extends through the country TO Ten
nessee. The river winds round and comes near
this bluff at Port Hudson, Natchez, Vicksburg,
Memphis aud a few other places. There are no
highlands on the west bank of the river up TO
Cairo.
la New Orleans April is the month Of roses
aud other flowers. 1t is the June Of New Ens-
and, aud the atmosphere was very similar 10 every
respect.
Te city is the haunt OF poverty and starvation
d ease and filth, but nature is ever beautiful, ever
lovely. The foe old gardens aud grounds around
the mansions OF the wealthy who have fled their
country or are killed, are profusely filed With
every species and variety u alWer aad beautiful
tree and shrub which luxurious taste could wish,
or money buy,
The genial breath OF this early tropical bloom
came along with US as We passed up the river al
mos, to this plsce-lhough exotic flowers were
fever, and the grsen leaves and grass less abund-
ant. The banks Of the Mississippi are low, aud
the levees built 10 keep the water from overflow
ing are broken, and the c2untry on both bank, Q
the mighty stream presents the appearance Of
great lakes.
In the lace Of plantations and aourishing
dwellings, are rank weed.,,all, dead grassland the
standing chlmneys TO mark the sweeping pesti.
ence Of war and tell where once stood the ordly
Southern mansions and dwel, the orslocraey Of
slavery ond tyranny. The South, 80 far as repre-
sen,ed by the locality along the Mississippi, is
again wilderness Civilization has departed,
and taken with ii the birbarism Of ,hyo insli,u.
tons
The punishmen, Of the ssvehoder has been a
terrible one. Life and property are the penalty.
No plantations to speak Of are under cultivation.
Vicksburg lsa ma" Of ruinsi the streets
steep, running as they do directly up The bluff
from the river are washed into holes resembling
the bed. Of dried up water oourse.
Memphis i,a beautifully situated town, and
neatly built and seemed more than ever prosper.
Gus, an iniims,ion ri vha, will soon be the result
all over the South.