The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-01-12

among the many Iebulto Va tho ioIo Wi
aiet between our Northern brethren and
ourselves, there is, perhaps, none more ap-
parent, or more strikingly important in its
effects on the future of this section, than
the necessity of change Of policy with
respect to immigration.
As long as slavery existed and the man
ual cultivation of the soil was the exclusive
province Of class, the humblest in the
social and without influence in the polite
oil spheres, there existed a barrier between
rs and the rest OF the world, which even
our great natural advantages over more
Northern latitudes were impotent to sur
mount. The defect was Inherent in the
institution Of slavery itself We do not
condemn our Legislators Of those days as
blind or incapable, but we can deplore the
the system which was essentially power
less to turn into our own vast uncaltivated
fields that life- giving human tide, which
with uninterrupted flow Of thirty years,
rolled past our border. Who is there
among us who surveying the Great
West and comparing 1t of to-day, with
what it was thirty years since, can fail to
recognize and acknowledge, the great OPP
portunities lost through an obstruction inn
posed by our peculiar institution That
barrier has been swept away and already
have some Of our slater states profted to
immense advantage from its overthrow. 1t
10 painful to reflect that the same cannot
be said Of Louisiana. Rich in soil of I'M
surpassed fertility, and blessed with eli
nato which provokes perennial Vegetation,
she stands to-day, whore she stood eight
years ago and with an apathy incompre-
hensible, witnesses the advent to her shores
and departure therefrom of thousands des-
tined to add increased energy to the pros.
perity OF neighboring State. We fully
cencede that to the political distractions
which since the war have harassed Louisi.
ana, much Of this inanity is due. Crush
ed beneath tho incubus of veaal Legislatures
aud their handiwork, an overwhelming
debt, her people are to some extent par
donable for dlsinclination to incur the
additional burdens incident to an energet-
10 system of immigration such as is now in
saccessful operation in Texas yet We are
mot prepared to exempt them from all re-
proach fos their utter failure to accomplish
something practical in this regard. In
movements Of this kind, it 10 not necessary
to wait for legislative action. Were such
tho case, then indeed would our prospects
be gloomy; but happily, in consequence of
oar unrivalled agricultural resources, we
are not all bankrupt, and despite ruinous
taxation, there are stili sufficient means in
private hands to inaugurate and prosecute
plan of limited immigration, from which
In few years it IL reasonable to hope that
both State aud individual would reap large
benefits. II our large capitalists have
hitherto failed to appreciate the Importance
Of this subject, there 10 greater reason for
vigorous action on the part Of the less
wealthy, whose nll is indissolubly united
with tho welfare of the State. Once imam.
gurated on a just and liberal basis, We are
confident that ere many years the move
ment would become self sustaining, aud
many of the greatest evils, political as well
No financial, under which we are laboring |
would fold their tents like the Arabs, and |
silently steal away |