Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-06-09
ISCLLAN Gus.
Still Another Paradise.


A letter from Dr. Powhatan Jordan, in the
San Antonio Herald, represents the writer
as thinking that he has sat last found the
place" lie writes from Santo Tomas, Guat-
amala, in Central America. The Govern
ment processes to be arepublic. The Presi-
dent holds his office for life, and appoints his
successor. All political, military and civil
officers except members of Congress and
Vice, President, are appointed. The excep-
tions are elected by the people. None but
a native Central American can be President;
10 all other positions every citizen, whether
of native or foreign BIRTH is eligible. Every
owner of land, which every one may become
on going to the country, is citizen. Eve
Try Offices holder has to be worth a certain
amount Of property, varying, according to
the Importance of the office, from $4,000
down. A property qualification ofsome 5000
or $500 is necessary to enable a person to
vote and after the year 1870 every person
must be able to read and write.
The Catholic Church is established, but
all forms of religion are tolerated.
The Government is favorable to immigra>
ton, and gives all immigrants both a town
lot as residence aud lands for farming
Several American families now reside at
Santo Tomas. As soon as the colony has
selected from among the colonists, and they
will be entitled to representation in Congress.
The Doctor says:
My brother-in-law and myself, and all 9TH
crs, have plantations of half league (about
1900 acres), and each of US one entire block
Cabout one acre) in this town; the single
men have less land and only one lot in town;
each town block contains according to size,
(some larger than others from five to eight
lots. These lands we pay nothing for, except
surveying and two or three dollars for office
fees.
This is free port we have no duties to
pay, no taxes to pay Except what we make
ourselves in the corporation no military or
other duty; can cultivate the soil or follow
other pursuits, and everything we make is
ours, and the money is gold or silver; no pa
per of any sort in the country all coin passes
here, aud American gold is worth premium
in Balize.
The climate is perpetual spring; everything
grows, and vegetation is perpetual.
Every night we use a light blanket; never
use musquito bars, and can wear in the day.
time linen, or light wooden or flannel clothing
We have no snakes nor house flies nor feas
and no annOyances that have seen. I have
felt just before sundowm few gnats, which
disappear with the sun, and these we only
have few days in new clearings.
Cotton, sugar, coffee, cacao tobacco, rice,
corn-two crops year-vanilla, indigo, yams
ramie, Sisal hemp, cocoanuts, plantans, ba-
nanas, pineapples, oranges, lemons, mangoes,
figs, grapes, aguacate, cabbage, lettuce, toma-
toes, potatoes, beans, peas, eggplant, melons,
etc, among the productions. Fruits and
vegetables can be had every day in the year
and every day sugar cane can be cut and
ground.
In the woods we have a variety of game,
both large and small, and domestic fowls,
beef, mutton, etc. in abundance; all of which
DO well, and keep fat all the year. Hogs
thrive, and are much better than in the States,
and some gentlemen here from Louisiana say
they have succeeded in making better bacon
than they ever did in the Attakapas region
of the State.
/ shall plant here, and intend to put in ca
Gao or coffee, which in few years will give
me an income without much trouble, and GER
tain every year Labor is plenty, and can be
controlled; it is not, of course, as good as
slaves, but vastly superior to the negroes in
the States, or the coolies of any place have
seen.
] do not advise, but wish you would come
out here and judge for yourself. have made
my home here, and would like you to be one
among US; also any and all of our friends
One thing is certain, you get home given
TO you, aud with one hours work a day you
can make good living. No one can ever
suffer. 1t is the best poor mans country I
ever saw; and any one with industry or CAPT
tai can make money-the amount of money
you make of course depends upon the amount
of capital or industry you invest Ifyou only
plant one crop it will be sure to come the
soil will make it, and then you have only to
reap it. a ready market is found here, in
Balize, in Havana, New Orleans, or Europe.
the planter deciding in which place he will
dispose of his crop, according to the quantity
and variety he may have to sell.
/ am now stating truths, and not wishing
to deceive, as wish my friends who may
como this way to extend their trip this far
from ,Balize (l25 miles,) and look before To-
eating, and not be dured by Balize specula-
tors and their employees. [ think it is as
near Paradise as any place l ever saw or read
OF l sometimes think old DR.. johnson must
have been here when he conceived the Happy
Valley he so beautifully describes in Rasselas.
Punch illustrates plump youngster APP
plying for the place of page, to whom the
mistress says: Il wish my servants to have
plenty, but I don't allow any waste'