The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-04-13

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"a. Landry has, 5.
Inhabitants, making Q total of..........,..Y.7s
people in the Attakapas add Opelousa,
section, which 10 the very garden spot o
the world: or this number, 35,s72 ar,
whites, and 36, S62 are blacks divided al
follows: st. Mary, ,202 whites, 8 G5s blacks
Iberia, $3.50 whites, 45l2 blacks: st. Mar:
tin, 1882 whites, S. 0Ss blacks; Vermiliion
$3.50 whites, 04s blacks; Lafayette, 62s
whites, 4;5S9 blacks; St: Landry, 1878
whites, !2767 blacks: Thas it will be
majority of colored people.
Ihls GENTRY was first settled by Span
iards, when Louisiana was Spanish col
opy, and the population was largely add
ed to subsequently. by the immigration
here of Frenchmen. and their descendants,
from Acadia, or New Brunswick, while
Louisiana was under the dominion of
France.
Many of these people were exceedingly
thrifty, and large fortunes were accumn-
lated by some of the most prudent; but
nature was SO bountiful that it ebviated
livelihood, and the children of these hardy
andenterprisiug pioneers did not 60 nal their
fathers in either thrift or industry. and
hence the country has not improved an
1t would have done under less favorable cir
cumstarces, in more severe climate.
Fully three-fourths of the white popuIa-
ton OF the Attakapas and Opelousas coun-
try, to-day, are descended directly from
these original Spanish and French pioneers.
Notwithstanding the fact that our sec
ton has always received a fair proportion
of the immigration to Louisiana of people
from other States and nationalities, vet the
rapid natural increase of the Creole popu-
lation has always kept them in the ascen-
dancy, numerically.
During the period when slave labor was
principally employed throughout the State,
free labor was not properly respected and
as the large bulk of the CfeoIe population
were unable to purchase slaves they de-
pended more upon stock raising for a sup
port than upon their own labor, which too
many did not consider becoming o white
man.
Since the war, wonderful change has
taken place, in that respect. White men
who labor in the field being everywhere
respected, the Creole population have
SHOWN themselves possessed of an energy
which few believed them possessed of, and
without any considerable immigration to
our section, the country is being rapidly
developed and brought under cultivation
by them. In our cotton districts, the col
ored people also work well, and produce a
large amount OF that staple.
An other States, when young men reach
"Joii'S, euey seek new homes In other
lands. In Louisiana it il not so. The
Creole young men generally choose wives
1rom those OF their class, purchase a piece
OF land in the neighborhood or improve
portions of the old hornesteads which have
been given them by their fathers, and ia |
rapidly increasing. Thussf p retained the
young mens the real weaftknG the land.
To illustrate the rapidly of the growth |
Oh our section, from this natural increase. |
we will mention that when, seven years |
ago, We first visited the portion of our par
population were few and far between bnt
to-day it is thickly dotted with the resi-
denotes OF thrifty farmers, whose homes are
made happy by the smiles of frugal and
!ndustrions wives and the merry laugh Of
tnelr hea.thy children, the pride of our
then was single store, now stands the
Town OF koyvhle, with numerous stores,
WORK shops, residences, church, etc.. etc.
and large business is done with the farm
ers OF the surrounding country.
1hat our population is thus rapidly in
creasipg, even without immigration from
abroad, lie not generally taken into account.
NOT only DO We retain nearly all our young
men here, bnt they usually marry early.
ana the country is SO remarkably healthy
mat they are almost invaribly blessed with
numerous progeny. In fact, from an ex
Inc United States, we are able to positively
state no other portion of America averages
.uch large number of children to the I
amily as are to be found here.
Thus it will be seen that our country is /
9rosperlng even without immigration and !
low that the building of railroads throuob :
'ur section is about to attract a flood of
~ tsrprising people, in search of new homes
tnls great country, We have an immediate Z
nture before as greater than most of ms !
lnticipate. Va : :
When we properly consider the actual q
lSuatlon of Western Louisiana, with all its ! /
dvantages, and it's adaptability to the cui. {
ivation OF great variety of crops, we G
ave no good reason for despondency. al
ONE imagine, ON account of the unsettled | +
'olitical condition of our State. The farm q
7 should not be politician any moro than
ne country editor, who has the good of '
Us section at heart, and if we all but exert '
roper energies in our various vocations. r
We years will not pass over our heads a
Ilehout our witnessing such Improvements h
no general prosperity that We will be '
lore proud than ever of our country, and y
eTY thankful Ehat yua live -; ali. l