The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-01-30
Communicated.

4
so great political and financial depre..io,
as is known to be the case in many D.,,.
J, Of the South besides our own-wheth..
{ caused by the devastating tread Of ho,t,l.
armies'or the frowns Of an offended D.,t,,
And NOW, when men of oil classes =.
made skeptical and cautious by their man,
reverses, let us consider what We mia.
best do for our advancement in that 4,
when prosperity shall smile upon US ar,in
Alexandra, situated as She is, il on. !,
the richest parishes Of the State in min,
of soil, and great forests of fue timbe, !,
destined at no distant day to be the emit,
I for the reciprocal distribution Of M.
export and import trade. It bebooyes !,
4 then to be alive to our own interests ana
devise such system Of internal improve.
ment as will enhance the prosperity Of u,
community to the utmost extent possible.
And as railroads occupy almost the fi,n
place in importance as auxiliaries. to pro..
perity, it will harm us little if it does NO
good to speak Of the schemes for facilit..
ting travel and traffic, as we'll as the othe,
subjects that will form the substance Of
our theme.
First It is presumed that the road con.
templated to run from point on the At.
chafalaya, where Baton Rouge, Gross Teto
and Opelousas Road crosses that stream
to Shreveport, the construction Of which
was going on when the war began, viii b
completed as soon as the financial coudi.
ton of the country will permit. The fin.
thity-two miles ending at The Parish line
on Bayou Boeuff are nearly completed, and
the next Fifty carrying it on to Bayou Co.
tile and passing in this vicinity can b.
easily and rapidly built ut small cost, thu,
opening up large erea of magnificent
lands to the convenience Of easy transpor.
tation. But this is only one Of the great
lines in contemplation, this point being Oh.
y seventy-fve or eighty miles from ID.
Sabine River. q line Of Railroad in the al.
rection Of central Texas will be of incalcu.
liable benefit to this place and the Distric.
through which it passes, besides iorminga
link in one of the great direct routes from
the East to the Pacific.
A glance at the map 9th United States
would easily convince any one that Nat.
chez and Alexandria are nearly directly in
the extension Of great through line from
New York via Virginia, Tennessee, Ala.
bama and central Mississippi in the dirsc.
ton of the richest portions Of the great
State of Texas. And while such a route
would greatly enhance the value Of ada.
cent lands as well AS the facilities Of the
travelling public, the trade of this vast 10
gion stopping here would flow in ceaseless
streams through the Warehouses of tho
New Orleans merchants. Thus while No
would be building up our own immediate
section, we will also aid in making New
Orleans the Queen City Of the Continent.
This country too presents the noble a.
pect Of a people in misfortune struggling
with oil their might, with determination
and perseverance, worthy Of any Nation to
achieve successful fortune. This it seems
to this time almost impossible to &c.
complish with the present labor system
Can we not then bit upon some feasible
plan BY which to attain success and
still maintain spirit of Southern maenso.
unity among our peoplef Possibly ws
can. The streams Of emigration from tho
Eastern States Of the South that roll on
ceaselessly westward should be brought
to settle in this country. The planter BY
dividing his plantation, as he will be finally
compelled to, however distateful into SINAI.
Ter tracts, but reserving enough to form !
comfortable homestead, should let the mi
nor Divisions Of one hundred or two hup.
dred acres to the thrifty hard working
peasant from the Carolinas, Virginia or
Georgia, thus creating around himself
neucleus Of honest laboring men, not only
according with him in political sentiment
but taking off his shoulders the respons.
bility of thousands Of untitled acres, or il
cultivated perhaps with the fear that hs
will be deeper in debt at the end Of the
year than when he began. By this arrange.
ment too he will be Of eminent service in
giving conservative tone to the ssnti-
ment Of those around him for which he 10
or ought to be so well fitted by bis edacs.
ton; and bis sons well trained at tho
prosperous Institutions Of learning ofLou.
isiana, will build the Railroads and carry
on the commerce Of the State, and with ey-
cry one determined to stimulate industry 7
and enterprise the intolerable nuisance
young men too proud to work, familiarly
known as "Snobs,' will be eradiated from
our midst and as people we will be able
ITO 60 it alone" Otherwise II we attempt
much longer to perpetuate defunct and
unhealthy state Of society we will soon DO
numbered among the things that were aud
are not.
The provisions Of the Colorado and Ne.
braska bills, about which there has ben
so much debate, are attacked to each blu
in the following language;
SEC. 3. And DO it further enacted, That
this act shall 60 into effect with the fund.
amental and perpetual condition that within
the said State Of Nebraska there shall be
no abridgement or denial Of tho exercise
OF the elective franchise, or Of any other
right IN INV r,prann hv roounn ~ vNrA