The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-08-04
FROM. MEXICO.
Letter from Ishara g. Harris.

F Il
We have been kindly permitted, says
tie Fayetteville Observer, Of the I'd
iasty to take the following extract from
a letter written by Gov. Isham G. Har
ris, to a gentleman Of that place,
|,o..l .~it f!I CHlt
70 CoapovA, Mexico, July ID. 1866.
The lands that were owned by the
Government in this district have all
been taken up long ago. .,L
The labor system here is difficult TO
the stranger. Yet time will remedy it
and make it a cheaper system OF labor
than that of slavery. .V
The old established haciendas here
are cultivated by natives, who live upon
them under a contract with the pro
prietor ofthis character The propri-
ctor gives him the use Of 2 or 3 acres OF
land for his family to cultivate, upon
condition that he will work for the
proprietor on the hacienda when re-
quired so TO do, at 439 cents per day
Under this arrangement you work him
rs many days in the year as you please,
and have nothing to do with him except
to pay him for the number Of days he
actually worked. He finds and clothes
himself as well when he works for you
as when he don't, There is no reason
why oumay not settle any reasonable
number o them upon your place under
this form ofcontract, except that it
takes some time to learn enough about
them to know who to take, and some
times it is necessary for them to learn
something about You.
l expect to adopt this system and
thereby secure a reliable supply of la
Dor. Up to this time, however, l have
caught up lahore in the market places
as ! have needed them, and occasional
" somewhat embarrassed in doing so,
by the demand and high prices given
by the railroad now in course of con
struction. ...
As to the country, I need only say
that 50 far as regards soil, climate and
productions, it is the best country that
you have ever seen. But do not be
deceived; time and labor are necessary
to make you comfortable here. No
family can come here and settle with
out more or less privation and hard
ship. The same may be said, however
as to all new settlements, and especial
ly settlements in new countries.
We have to rely upon each other en-
tireIy for society. The difficulty in
language prevents much SOCIAL inter-
course between our people and the bet
ter class, and the lower classes are to-
tally unworthy of association.
Once established and surrounded by
the ordinary comforts oflife, a man may
live here more luxuriantly and with
.ess labor than in any country that |
nave seen or read OF.
A Liberal commander toak some 20
Americans prisoners, and detained
hem for some weeks. These Ameri-
ans had settled on Omealca, which was
liberal headquarters, and their strong
st stratagctic point for all this country.
of their members had dealt very
larshly ard un.jnstly with the natives.
These natives complained to the Lib
rails, and attheir instance the Ameri-
ans were carried off, They have al!
Gtmraed.
l have nothing to say Of myself OK
ept that my health is excellent, and
'ork harder every day than any freed
IAN that you have! l hope and ex-
Get to make myself comtortahfe here
re long, and expect to live and die in
lexico. Go. ,.,. .,.t I pfaI
l have nothing to regret in the past
kept the biuldcrs which lost us our
dependence. My own course was
AIKEN from a stern sense of duty, and
ong and sober reflection confirms and
trengthens me in the correctness Of the
'pinions on which / acted.
"a sigh for those who love me,
a smile for those who hate"
Most truly your friend,
49, |