The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-04

swampS had been drained ana the lefeeS
built, much worse than 1t Is now-proved
less injurious to the negro than the
white settlers, since the former increased
so much more rapidly than the whites,
that the two races were soon equal,
as they have remained ever since with
remarkable coincidence - except In
Kellogg's census and registration.
Originally, the negroes were crowded
In the country Immediately around New
Orleans, but In time they marched tri-
umphantly forward, elbowing the white
citizens out OF the most fertile portion
OF the State and leaving them only the
piny woods and back bayou country for
cultivation.
This onward march Of the negro up
the river can clearly be traced In the
census. In 1910, st. james, hitherto
white, became q negro parish In 1920,
the parishes OF Ascension, Iberville and
West Baton Rouge, we're overrun by the
African invasion; In 1880, East Baton
Rouge and st. Martins were similarly
conquered and In 1910, Caddo, Ouach-
ita and Terrebonne, lost their former
character as white parishes.
New Orleans, on the other hand, has
shown exactly the reverse Of mis-. At
the time Of the cession OF louisiana 1t
was essentially o negro city, the white
population numbering less than half
the negro; and as late 40 1885 the ne
groeslwere largely Ia the majority here.
In 1910 there were within the corporate
limits of New Orleans, then extending
only as far as Felicity street, $4,000 me-
groes-more than dwell in these same
limits to-day. From that time the
negro population OF the city began de-
creasing until emancipation came.
With the news OF that the negroes
fiocked to the towns, In pursuit OF the
pleasures and vices 90 long denied
them, in such numbers that In the last
decade the negro town population has
grown 1913 per cent, although the negro
population has been at O standstlll, and
in majority Of the towns and villages
the white population has actually de-
creased-that Is, while the white people
are leaving the towns and going into
the fields to work and labor, the ne
groes are deserving them, enticed away
from work by life ofvice and idleness.
THE INDIANS.
The early chroniclers and explorers OF
Louisiana name more Indian tribes
dwelling within It's limits than we could
now name Of redskins, men, squaws
only from the State, but from the world.
And yet, as late IS 1915, the people Of
this State had so little recovered from
the terrors Of the Fort Rosalie massa-
ere, then almost a century ago, that
during this year, when the British were
around New Orleans, threatening 1t,
rumor circulated among the good peo-
pie OF Pointe Coupee and Avoyelles, the
then northern frontier OF the State, that
the Indians were assembling at the
suggestion Of the English, and prepar-
ing to massacre them In their beds
produced the utmost dread and terror
throughout these parishes, and caused
the planters to arm and organize them
selves into battalions for the better pro-
lection Of themselves and families.
The Indians were then On the wane;
they had begun falling away be-
fore the French first landed on our
shore; the Natchez Of 1900 were but
one-tenth the Natchez OF 1900, and the
tOpelousas), whose popu-
lous cities and thousands Of warriors
De Soto had met in his Florida wander
ings, had dwindled down, since their
emigration to Louisiana, to q few hum
dred.
After the French occupation, under
the civilizing and christianizing inhu-
ence Of whisky and smallpox, the In
dian tribes vanished like rotten ice
before the summer sun. In 1900 the
Avoyelles, an energetic and laborious
tribe, were already extinct, leaving
nothing but their name behind, the
Attakapas, a branch OF the fierce Caribs,
were reduced to some fifty souls; the
Appalachies numbered but forty; the
combined force Of the three once pow
erful tribes Of the Houmas, Bayagoulas
and Tunicas mustered only eleven war
riors and thirty-five squaws and pap
pooses; while the Adais and Aliches
had been civilized into twenty half
breeds.
A census Of the Louisiana Indians.
taken in 1926, showed that the tribes OF
Southern Louisiana had been destroyed:
There remained, however, on the Red
River country, and particularly In the
parishes Of Caddo and Bossier, then set
aside as a reservation for Indians, q
tribes. OF these the Caddo were first,
$50 in number; the Coushattas had 1870;
the Yattasseees 1870; the Choctaws 17S;
the Pascagoula Ill. The other
tribes, the Delawares, Appalaches,
Adais, Shawnees, Natchltoches, Plan
keshaos and Quappas mum bered
only 2l4 together, the Quappas being
reduced to one single family. since gone
to happier hunting grounds. A few
years afterwards, when this land was
wanted for farmers and planters, these
tribes were removed to the Indian Ter
ritory, where they were swallowed up
in the Choctaws.
A few only-renegades and half
breeds-lingered in the swamps and
bayou country, their tribes, their race
all forgotten. OF late years, however,
under the benefcent and barbarizlng
influences Of Radical rule, these.have
increased in numbers in most extra
ordinary and incomprehensible man
ner, the 119 Indians that the census OF
1860 showed here having increased to
$40 in 1870 and 1863 in 1875, an increase
of 1900 per cent. during a period In
which the white population remained
stationary-a proof either that Loui-
siana Is fast relapsing int barbarism
our marshes and swamps especially
suited TO their wild way Of life, well