Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-02-25
TIE MEXICAN WAR VETERANS.
E.esicr from Texas.

CORRESPONDENCE Of the Alexandria Gazette.
AUSTIN COUNTY, TEXAS, Feb. ), lS74.-
Having been u citizen Of this State and county
for the past eight months, and having awaited
myself OF an opportunity TO Observe closely the
advantage, offered 10 poor men to enngratc to
this part Ct the Union, desire through your
coIumns to make known few facts generally
overlooked in the newspaper reports. Allow me
to premise, that, cam, hithcr with all my
~! iudccs favorable to Texas. | came prepar
cd TO make Texas my permanent home. L
came poor man, but not manuel laborcr,
ana in 50 far as am concerned | have received
good wages for SCI vices rendered in my prufes-
SION However, it is hot my desire now to
write Of any system Of labor save that Of the
farmer, and TO ali Of that class living IN Virgin.
la, vino have any desire to come 10 Texas, |
woud urgently say remain at home, and tor
reasons hereafter to be given.
Now, as to quality, the soil OF this State pro.
duces abundantly; but With the exception OF
cotton. do not think the quality OF Tcxls pro-
duce compares al all tavurahly with the pro-
ducinus of Virginia. ln gralu, vegetables aud
fruits Of all dcscripti there Is a want that |
cannot we'll explain.
Again. There is 40 impression abroad that
good land here is very cheap; but lie; Us ser
know Of farm, sold since my arrival situat-
ed iu WASHINGTON county, about six miles from
BfcnhauI, and it brought thirty dollars per
acre. The gentleman VIII, sold the above land
came over into Austin equity, not ten miles
from his former residence and paid twenty
seven dollars per acre for land on which there
was not house OF any description. Here in
my Immediate uci ghbOrhood, land worth paying
taxes for aud laborlng on cannot be bought for
les, than fifteen dollars per acre. But says
some infatuated Texan, Land Of the finest
character can be had al from one 10 five dol
lars. | grant it. But where is that LAND?
Off 90 the borders rSherc a man 5 life is worth
a bullet; where society amounts to nothing;
where religious political and social advantages
are of SO mcagrt stature that Nlrgiulan
would be ashamed 10 live; off. too, in the dim
distance from the markets so that one must, Of
necessity, consume what he raises.
However, it is urged, this is the land for
the poor man, because if he cannot purchase
home, he can crop it on halves.
Now let Us examine this proposition. An
en1igrant with his fam ly comes to Texas; he
finds some bloatcd land owner and contracts
with him Tor year labor; the owner agrees
TO furnish horses, pows aud land; advances all
supplies for the e;nlgraut 5 lamlly, and the crop
is To be divided one half to the owner aud one
half to the worker. Now this all reads fair and
sound, but in the case of more than twenty
men, whose names | can give, do DOT know
one, who, at the expiration OF last year, was
able to hold in possession one bale of cotton or
fifty bushels Of corn clear OF expenses. Why?
Because the amount required by the merchants
for supplies is so excessive; added to which the
owner charges his aborcr ten per cent. on every
order &c furnishes which is rarely for cash
money, but is merely a permit to deal out
specified sum at specified store.
But.therc Is one more plan of operation for
the poor mau. WhlIe he may not be able to
buy his land, or willing 10 work for half the
cop, nc eau rent his land Yes, he can at five
dollars per acre for the ycir-thcn, he must
obtain his own ponies, not horses, AT the luost
cxravagaut prices | have ever known to b.
asked for such stock, and so with every animal
and every implement which is sold to an cml-
grant by Il Su-cacd liberal Tcxan.
But aside FROM all this there are other rea
sons why parents OF children that are loved
should not como here Never had | imagined
that such il state of ignorance and vice existed
10 IA country 50 landed by articles 10 the papers
for cXample-in the family in which | board
d llllC Sll vi ucHCdlc lS pClu
to chew tobacco, dip snuff and drink whiskey
whenever she asks for tia boy fourteen years OF
age Is allowed the same privileges aud beyond |
controversy 1t is rare thing To fod lady,
young or DID, ignorant or educated, rich or
poor who does DOT indulge In that abomlnablc |
habit Of dipping snuiI;a homr, v,iting 10 church
you will see their lips all bcdaub d and stained |
with the juice, presenting to any one of the |
slightest degree Of refinement, u picture Of
iiln which must be seen TO De appreciated.
II Sunday COMES to this part Of the land, |
you must learn it from the Almanac, and not
from the observance Of the command, RE
II mbcr that thou keep holy the Sabbath day
Ore thought more: the climate OF Texas Is
not as healthy a. \ rg ara the rapid changes
in the wcathcr-the ni2sma Of the swamps-
the heat Of the SUI, ali tend to enervate the
physical part OF man, So that, Sickness is far
more general than in more northern cline.
la the face If what have here written,
must in caudor say, ii is my belief, Texas will
eventually DC one OF the leading States, ia SO
far DIS pccuniary wealth, aud dense popula-
tion are concerned. The tide Of emigration
from Europe and the southern States on the
Atlantic ana Cuff viii turn this way-the COUP
try will rapidly settle up, and the resources of
this land b. drveoped-le; them come if they
will, but Eirg loaos stay AT home-in her palm
lest days Of greatness, wealth and glory the
Old Dominion brought you forth and uurtured
you at her bosom-wh"n too the tide of war
rolled in frey clouds around and above your