The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-07-27
THE LEvEE LANDS ARE


PROBABLE NUMBER OF FIELD HANDS.
Before the war Louisiana contained
about 100000 Inhabitants, the blacks and
whites being about equally divided. New
Orleans contained about 100000, aud the
rural districts 500, 900. Three quarters of
the people of New Orleans were white,
the other quarter colored. That would
give To the country parishes 300, 900 ne
groes and 20O,O 600 white people. Cotton
plantere usually raoknued one-half of their
slaves as field hands, sugar planters,
one third. When we deduct the black
cooks, domestics, gardeners, etc, en-
ployed by white families all over the
State, the blacks in villages, in hotels, on
| steamers, in tue lumber business, etc, it
would not be too low an estimate to say
that one third of the blacks in tue rural dis
tricts, or one hundred thousand, worked
in the cotton, sugar and rice fields of
Louisiana in 1860. And it would be a large
estimate to say that % 600 white men fol.
lowed the pillow and worked the hoe in this
State in 1860.
LOUISIANA soIL-YAsT AND INVALUABLE
RESOURCES.
Darby, a native of Pennsy lvania, sur
veyed all of Louisiana that lies between
the Mississippi river and the Sabine, over
fifty years ago. In his geographical de-
scription of Louisiana, written soon after
he made the survey, he remarks: " When
the State of Louisiana is brought into cul-
tivation far from the maximum, four hun
dred thousand laborers may be employ ed
in making cotton, three hundred thousand
ia the cultivation of sugar cane, and one
hundred thousand in the production of
rice. This working population of eight
hundred thousand people, at the most re.
duced prices of the different products,
would yield one hundred and thirty mil
lion dollars. When the elements are ex-
amined separately, this rich reward that is
offered to the industry of man by the soil
of Louisiana, will not appear delusive."
IMMIGRATION TO LOUISIANA.
Can i'm immigration save Louisiana 1t GER
tainly can. Have we the means to turn
large numbers Of immigrants to this State
Texas had, and so used those means as to
turn over 100000 into the State in a single
year, two-fitths Of the number that lands at
Castle Garden yearly for the Great West.
But Louisiauians must do like Texans
they must organize, and spend money, and
work zealously in the cause, if they wish to
succeed. Providence does not help those
who refuse, or neglect, to help themselves.
SELF RELIAECE-GEoRGIA, VIRGINIA AND
TEXAS.
What has self-reliant Georgia done for
herself since the war; Georgia was more
ruinously devastated than Louisiana in the
late conflict of arms. Sherman's march to
the sea left large districts of that State i'm
proverished, and in ashes. She had the
resolution, the virtue and sagacity to crush
corruption, foster immigration and agricul-
ture, and the industries of the country, and
she will soon be more prosperous than ever
before. A late number OF the Macon (Ga.)
Telegraph, remarks: The people of the
Southern aud South western counties are
now showing evidence of indomitable in
dustry and thrift. Their farms are in fine
repair; their crops in the best condition
their tables are we'll supplied from their
own farms; they are working like beavers,
and sAviAg their money. Even on the