The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-09-18
Description Of a Free Niger State,

The great historian and profound think
er of Great Britain, Mr.. Carlyle, in his able
article in the New York Tribune for which
that journal paid him one thousand dol.
lars in gold, thus draws the following por'
trait Of the island Of st. Domingo. the par.
asides Of free negrodom, where the negro
has been free and independent after his pc
culiar fashion for twenty years. 1t would
be difficult to put in fewer words the nigh
ty contrast between what the island actual
" is and what it ought to be. Its produc
tions and the character of its negro cult
walton are admirably described. In thii
description our readers have forecast o.
the destiny Of the Southern States under
the Radical policy. Mr.. Carlyle says:
"Poor Dominica itself is described to me
in way to kindle heroic youth; look al
Dominica for an instant: Hemispherical
they say, or in the shape of an inverted
washbowl rim Of it, first twenty miles of il
all round; fruitfulest in nature, fit for any
noblest spice or product, but unwholesome
except for niggers held steadily to tbeil
work; ground then gradually rises, umbra.
.geously rich throughout becomes fit fol
COTE; still rises, now bears oak woods, &c.
reals, Indian corn, English wheat, and in
this upper portion is salubrious and de.
lightful for the European-who might
grow, according to the wisdom given him
say only to a population of one hundred
thousand adult men; well fit to defend
their island against all corners and bene6.
Gently keep steady to their work a million
of niggers on the lower ranges. What q
kingdom my poor Frederick William, fol.
lowed by his Frederick, would have made
of this Inverted washbowl; clasped round and
lovingly kiss and laved by the beautefules st
seas in the world and beshone by the grand
est sun and sky Forever impossible say you
contrary to all our notions, regulations and
ways of proceeding or thinking?' Well
/ dare say. And the state your regulations
have it in, at present, is: Population OF
one hundred white men (by no means OF
select type) unknown cipher Of rattlesnakes,
prohigate niggers mulattoes, governed by
apiebald Parliament of Eleven head Demos
themes there a niger tinman- land so ex-
quisite care of being and well-being that
the old Notifications have become jungle
quarries (tinman at liberty to tax himself,
vigorous roots penetrating the old ashlar,
dislocating it everywhere, with tropical
effect old cannontgoing. quietly to honey
comb and oxide ofiron in the vigorous en-
brace Of the jungle; military force nil,
police force next to, NIL; an island capa-
bic Of being taken by the crew of q man-of
wars boat. And indeed it'was nearly lost,
the other year, by an accidental collision
oftwo niggers on the street, and con-
course Of other idle niggers to see, who
would not 60 away again, bat idly reassem-
bled with increased numbers on the morrow,
and with ditto the next day: assemblage
pointing ad inJinituas seemingly-4had not
some charitable small French Governors
from his bit Of island within reach, sent
over lieutenant and twenty soldiers to
extinguish the devouring absurdity, and
order it home straightway to its bed, which
instantly saved this valuable possession Of
ours, and left our Demosthenic tinman and
his ten with their liberty to tax themselves
as heretofore. 1t not 'selfgoyernment q
sublime thing in colonial island and some
other? But to leave all this"