The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-09
HAVANA, April Is, 1866.

Important letter from Gen. Early,
HAVANA, April Is, 1866.
70 lie -Et7itor ofMe Nsp y0r5, Negs,
SIR: | have just returned from Mexico
after o sojourn of three months in thai
country. Having received from Virgins
several letters. OF inquiry 10 regard to the
prospects for elnigrants to Mexico, and hav
inc learned that nIanvpersous III that a:
well as the other Southern States desireto
elnigrate, will state, through your columns
the resultot my own observation received
from Others on whose judgement | could
rely,i must state, in the first place, that
my observation oftho country was confined
to what | saw in passing and rcpassing over
the stage route from Vera Cruz TO the CITY
of Mexico; the greater part Of my time hay
ing been spent in the latter city. The lands,
in the Cordova district and about Olizaya
through which the stage route passes, are
unqlestionably rich, end intelligent gentle
men who had seen other parts of the coua-
try, informed me that there were other dis
tlicts in which Che lands were very rich
and capable OF being made very productive
by the proper use of capital and labor.
But colonists viii have MANY difficulties to
encounter i'll all Of them. There has been
no systematic effort to survey or ascertain
the locality Of the public lands, until that
recently made under the superintendent
of General Magfader, Chief Of the Land
Office. All the lands at Cortlova which
have been surveyed as public lands have
been already parceled out and have sup
piled but q small number OF coEonists.
Land titlesin Mexico are in q very unsds...-
tied condition, and but few men know the
boundaries of tn; ir own lands. So unin-
foried is the Government itself in regard
to the lands te; which it has claims that. in
making contract with General Hard9inan
Of Texas for the survey Of the public lands
in Durango, the whole risk and expense Of
discovering those lands have been thrown
on him, and he is to receive COMPENSATION
only in the event Of his being able to find
and survey the lands, the Government 40.
even undertaking to furnish him protection
against guerrillas and robbers, while he is
engaged in fulfilling his contract. The
lands offered by private individuals in alter
nate ctions to colonists, so far as | am
are in remote districts, where the
or Dissidents, as they are called,
have control, and the Government can az
ford no protection. The vely highly color
ed accounts of the country and its resour-
ces which have been published, and the ex-.
pectations Of a large iafiux OF emigrants
which have been excited, have caused pro-
prietors having lands for sale to increase
tae prices asked for them, and
many persons who haYe recently arrived.
in the country have been unable to pro
cure lands, either from the Government 0.
from private individuals. The lagitimate
Of all this has been, that many
are returning in great state Of lissatisiac.
lion, while Others, who retired on the de-
usiye promises of aid from the Government
ind themselves not only without the means
Of obtaining lands but of ret,rning to their
former homes. 1t is exceedingly difficult
or those who have succeeded in getting
ands to procure labor to put them in a.
state OF cultivation, as the native popula-
ion cannot be relied on for that purpose
AL. idea OF procuring assistance from the
Government mast be abandoned by those
Who desire to emigrate to the country. i
lave no doubt that Mexico has resources !
which, under stable government and with
capital and labor sufficient, are suscepta-
he ola verysconsiderable development; but
hose who go there excepting to find the
beautiful and fruitful land which is describ-
d in some Of the published accounts, viii
,e doomed to as sad disappointment as
hat experience by the old Spanish conquer
rs in their search for the tabled Eldorado.
IN the railroad which is being constructed
rom Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, prac-
ical and experienced engineers, contractors
nd mechanics may find employment. but
very few positions are open to
hose who do not wish to cultivate the soil. |
physicians who can speak the language, |
an get permission to practice their profes-
ion, but beyond this there is no opening
whatever for any of the learned profession. !
As to the stability of the Government, l |
will state that | have no information, ey-
ept what may be obtained by any sojousn-
II in the country who caEnot speak the
angnage. Though | remained in the ma !
lonal capital fornearly three mol!ths, did |
ot see even casually, so far as I know, the
emperor, Empress, or any minister of The
government, nor did | seek to see them.
think, however, am warranted in saying
hat any one who desires to make Mexico I
is permanent home, must do so without
8ference to the present Government. In
,rmation as to the length of time which /
hat Government is to be maintainedin the
ountry is not to be obtained in Mexico.
| have not advised any Of my personal
lends to cniigfate to the country, and my
is not sufficient to justify me in
ow giving any positive advice either way
ut, though my own determination to re-
lain ia exile is unchanged L feel deep
lterest IN the weijareof al my country
leu Of the Southern States, and the knoWl-
ige which obtained from my own obser-
alton, as we'll as from the information Of
Tiers, is sufficient not only to authorize
lie, but, in my estimation, TO make it my
nty to advise all those who are DESTROYS Of
sel,ing new homes not to give up their
resent ones and enlierate to Mexico, until
ley shall have examined the country in
erson, or aseertained throughsome friend
n whose Judgment and experiences they I
IN rely, that their situations will be bet
red Above all, let 70 man who has
lie and children carry them to Mexico I'M
he has secured a certain home and u fur
respect OF support for them. BY obserp-
lg,this caution much disappointment and
iifering will be avoided
/ send this Communication to your paper
II publication, as / have no doubt that in
lat way it viii sooner reach the mass oil
he readers for whomit is intended than III
ny other,
Respectfully, j. A. EARLY.
.5-~,-5sln..7-,s,ss. --,.>-,..4,-,-,l
A New ExTRsVA6ANeE N sPARIs.-A +
tier from Paris reports that the fashiona-
Ia ,pn,nan net cDnianta5 with WEARING L