Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-03-14
Gen. Prices Colony in Mexico.
Correspondence oft the n. Y. Tribune.
C6RDoyt, Jan. Is, 1866.


, S* K 4
Fortunately, eordoya possesses other at
! fractions than its native population. Severa
foreigners have recently established them
selves who, no doubt, will sere long, contribute
to increase the hidden resources of the coun
try, and impart healthiertone to society.
What makes it more attractive still, tc
I Americans at least, is thatit has been selected
| by few runaway rebels.as the headquarters
Of an infant colony, located at distance Of
f ten miles, and having theprospect Of becom:
ing some day the Chief CITY of tho district
What heard of the colony and of the men
composing it suggested tonne the idea to dc.
yiate slightly from the straight line and to
examine it With my own eyes. 1t was the
first time for over q century that q born
American citizen Was allowed to witness a
settlement of his selfenied countrymen, and
the sight of such an undertaking was, in my
estimation, sufficiently interesting and curious
to modify my programme, and to make me
remain in this city longer. than / intended.
4 In accordance with thesadvice of my friends,
i paid q visit to ex-Judgs Perkins Of Loui>i-
anu, who has been appointed by Gen. Magru.
der, land agent ,for:the District Of Cordova.
found him in small room hardly furnished; /;
bis desk, or rather the table on which he
wrote, loaded with bundles of papers, himself
writing and classifying them according to
dates and character, The Judge received
me with great cordiality; and be was glad to
see Americans; asked mo several questions
concerning the state ofaffairs south and north
of the Potomac spoke President johnson
rather eulogistically, butsdid not believe that
he would or could carry out his plan concern.
ing the South. -.
The abyss between thetwo eectiops of the
country Is too deep TO be bridged over by
Reconstructionists, however liberal they may
be. As to himself heswas decided never to
set his foot again in the United States. He
did not believe Southerner could live there
any longer. He had become a subject of
Macmillan with the firm belief that no in.
ward revolution, nor outward pressure, could
shake his throne or protract the work of re,
generation be had undertaken. lie gave ME
several reasons in support of his opinions, ali
based upon the fact that;his thro1e had re-
ceived guarantees Of stability before his de-
parturc from Miramos, and That they were
sufficient to preserve it against any hostile
attempt at home and abroad.
When I informed the Judge of the chief
object Of my visit, he Immediately offered me
ali facilities desired. "Since you wish to
see our colony" said lie, 81 will do all can
to satisfy yon." He called rebel soldier
standing at the door, and ordered him 10
fetch two horses, the one fCr himself, the
other for rne. When I.saw the two animals
| could not help thinking that the colony
vas not in very fourishing condition. They
we're spawned, lame, and of q very dmipu-
tive size. They stumbled several times on
the way. and were go hard Of month that
steam engine could nothaYe nsdo thsm feel
the bride. The Judge Ras much amused at
my, efforts to keep my horse in the righk,di
rectioi. e DON'T be .sne said he, laugh.
ssaiinst fhest If mt
theft 1auIC II they uUn' Es--Sthe strafgbt
line; it is the fault of education. They have
been trained by guerrilleros."
He informed &c that horses, brought up in
that professien, are soon broken down and
sold for tribe afterward. He then gave me
the history of the two we were now riding.
They were led to the slaughter house, when
rebel soldier, who was thrn in search Of
beasts Of burden for the colony, met the dri.
yer, and proposed to swap them for an old
pistol which he had brought from iexas.
The driver, who belonged TO Il band Of yucr
rilIas, accepted the bargain; the exchange
took place at the next tavern, and was sealed
By two glasses OF aguardichte.
| soon became so enraptnred by the mag
ni6ccnce of the landscape around US that |
ceased to he affected ky the restless temper
of my charger. Each step We made, each
cut Of the route, revealed to US unparalleled
na.ural beauties. The mahogany, the wild
cocoa tree, palm trees with their fan-likc
leaves. the iron oak, tree as hard as iron,
the .apotillo, the gatioda, the balsam and
other precious trees, lined the road and shaded
tho soil. In the midst Of them fields of lime,
banana, pineapple, oreuge and lemon trees
euraptured the sight and the smell. A soft
breeze ;mprcgnated with the perfume of thou
sands Of flowers and trees, refreshed the at
mosphere, and hundreds of birds of most
brilliant plumage, voluptuously bathing in
their radiant armament, added by their song
to the enchanting scenery before us.
Fou now begip to unipsstand,p said Judge
Perkins, who was sharing the admiration
produced on me by such sight, "why we
decline returning to the States. Where could
we find, tell me- any spot comparable to this +?
Not certainly in any part of the country we
have Just left. AS to fertility, this land may
challenge tho richest soil ofthe United States.
Here the farmer gets two, sometimes three
crops of corn in year, which he sells on the
spot at 81 bpshel, sometimes So, and some
times s;S.. Let US take the lowest figure.
Suppose that you had patch Of 100 acres
planted with corn, the acre giving you 90
bushels each crop and 100 bushels for two
crops, why, at the end of the year you have
pocketed your $4,000 upon which you will
have to deduct perhaps $4,000 for hired labor
and other expenses. Net profit $4,000.
Where can you find any farm which would
give you SO much in any other port Of the
Worldf do not mention here other pro.
ducts, the cotton, the coffee, the sugar, which
require the assistance OF capital. | speak
| merely Of whatssa poor man can do here with
only a couple of hands and yoke Of oxen
aBst." said 1, sdon't you include in the
expenses of settlement and fencing7"
aThere is no need Of either in these fortu.
nate regions" replied the Judge. See
these bamboos," added he, striking with
whip cluster of canes as large rs my leg,'
.four rows of this and roof of grass will
make you as good a house as any log cabin
YOU have ever dreamed Of AS to fencing,
this indispensable auxiliary of every Amcri
can eau plantation, the thing is entirely unknown
hare. Those who Rave cattle or sheep have
also a man to watch over them, and herd
never goes without its shepherd. Those who
keep pigs have either pen for that purpose
or tie the animal to tree, so there is no
danger of having your fields visited by de-
strGctire animals"
/ was listening to the Judge when my
sight was arrested by an unfinished house, q
story high, and four or five tents pitched
along brook lined with trees aud shrubs.
C Snrelzn - said I. "this must be the COLONY"