The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-06-04

newly acquired. The books are of charac-
ter naturally to be expected in statesman's
library. The lower shelves are laden with
the Congressional Globes, an imperfect set,
Mr.. Davis remarked and the American
Archives" Above are biographies in great
number, and political histories hand books,
etc.
A large table serves for the deposit of
newspapers and an old fashioned light wood
desk for writing. Mr.. Davis makes great
use OF an armchair with q writing shelf
attachment
l adverted to the inconvenience he must
experience in preparing his memoirs in a
place remote from the Government archives
and the great public libraries. He said that
he did find himself greatly inconvenienced
at times. Mr.. Davis remarked that John
Quincy Adams was probably the widest read
OF American statesmen. IF you could not
find the book he wanted, Mr.. Adams said
he, could tell you of another which con-
tanned what you we're looking for. Mr..
Adams was what few people remember
very witty man."
"REMINISCENCES.
EARLY in the afternoon lunch was served
in the little library. While we ate Mr..
Davis talked pleasantly Of men and events
in bygone days. He has that rare cheerful
ness of humor which communicates itself to
his auditors, and has, besides, a quietly witty
turn. What was said by Mr.. Davis regarding
current politics, l am not at liberty to re-
peat. But / may say that none Of Mr..
Davis judgment of men and things were
tinged with bitterness. He seems to discuss
politics from the serener heights of philo-
sophie craftsmanship. He is tolerant of all
opinions, while earnestly believing in the
| doctrine of State rights. Without the States
| there could, he said, be no union, and in
local self government alone lies safety. This
| is the Herald's principle, as / understand
| it.
THE EXODUS.
| Regarding certain matters which are dis
| cussed in the course of the day, l am priv
| LEGGED to speak. 1 asked HIM If he thought
| the negro exodus would assume formidable
| dimensions. He said he did not attribute
| exaggerated importance to the movement
| nor did he think it 6 trifiing matter. The
negroes are credulous and easily led. Those
who have gone to Kansas will probably re-
turn, ii they have the means, otherwise they
| will remain only to die in that cold country.
| Some of his negro laborers on bis Mississippi
river plantation went to Kansas in the outset
of the EXODUS" They had asked his opinion
| of Kansas, and he had told them of its
rigorous climate, but had said to them, If
they felt it to be for their best good to leave,
| to 60 rather to warmer region.
As an instance of negro credulity. Mr..
| Davis related to me the experience of ore of
his negroes, to whom an agent had sold a
certificate for So, emitting the purchaser to
| take 40 acres of waste land. The poor
fellow selected a piece of ground and spent
all his savings in improving and stocking
the place. He had got the land into fair
| state of cultivation, when the owner came
| along and told the negro to leave, for it was
| his property. Thus the poor, duped negro
lost every cent he had. MIR. Davis thinks
| the return of some OF the Kansas emigrants
| will. for time, deter other negroes from
| trying their fortunes there, but he fears that
| the easy credulity of the negro may, at any
| time, render him the victim of some cruel
scheme.
HoMEsTEADs.
Mr.. Davis said that there was q great deal
| of excellent land IN Mississippi belonging to
the State and general Government, which
the negroes might buy very cheaply. He be-
! lieves that, apart from the white man, the
| negro will cease to thrive aud will relapse
| into barbarism. The races need each other.
i Mr.. Davis remarked that 1t was impossible
for a man who had been reared apart from
the negro to have that same affection for
| him as is felt by Southern men, who have,
/ in childhood, been nursed by neg roes been
the playmates of negroes and grown up with
| them.
Tue tendency of negroes in the State of
Mississippi, thinks Mr.. Davis, is to move on
to the alluvial. They are leaving the hills
and going to the river He advocates the
immigration to this fertile hill country o!
Northern men, who will, he believes, be cor
daily welcomed.
ENTERPRISE IN MISSISSIPPI.
Men Of small capital can invest 1t to ad
| vantage in fruit and vegetable culture.
Vine dressers will do well. The thirty. second
parallel of latitude, said Mr.. Davis, indicates
the proper country for the peach. On both
sides or this line the peach thrives. This
parallel runs nearly through Vicksburg
Jackson and Meridian. Mr.. Davis spoke OIL
the sure remuneration afforded by orange
cultivation in lower Mississippi There
were instances of trees bearing 5000 oranges,
- a.f6 -. -
crate" he said, "let us say from 1000 to 2, DOC
oranges per tree; here is from $40 to $40 re
turn" Fig culture is practicable on large
scale, and he would advise the canning o.
4 this fruit for the market. He had, he said
seen the blue Celeste fig candy on the trees
In speaking at some length on grape cul
ture, Mr.. Davis remarked that the Scupper-
nong is the variety best adapted to the coast
Mr.. Alfred Davis mot a relatively has at Bay
ST. Louis vineyard OF 80 acres probably tine
largest vineyard, said Mr.. Davis, in the
world. The owner makes a champagne and
also still wine. have myself sesn some
splendid vineyards in this region.
The yellow fever Mr.. Davis regards as
deterrent to Northern immigration, but the
fever, he says, is an exotic, and probably q
rigid quarantine will, in the future, dimin
ish the chances of it appearance. The
natives do not fear the fever so much a.
might be thought. They would greatly
more dread the scarlet fever, or the diphthe
ria. that scourge of the North.
On Mr.. DAVIS estate, at Beauvoir, are
, pomegranate, cltron and orange, and fig
trees, their condition sufficiently testifyinl
to the geniality of the climate The PEG
, pie of the region all look healthy, and ever
, rugged. The gulf affords an inexhaustibl
supply of fish, and there are excellent oys
, tiers in profuslon.
Mr.. DAVIS HEALTH.
One word of the master of the estate o
Beauvoir before / close. Mr.. DAVIS, although
found him temporarily lndisposed, ha
good general health. He takes "constitu
tional' on horseback daily, and is goo,
! pedestrian. He told me that, since he ha,
left his plantation on the Mississippi an,
come to the coast, his health had improved
When he was IN Congress, he spent his win
tiers in Washington and his summers on tn
, river. He thus reversed the true sanitar
| rrlla and malaria attackad his sr sfann HI