LXXX. BOOK sequences are, that the flood overthrows the buildings, and sweeps away the crop, and often the soil, leaving the surface strewed with numerous logs and trees, which must be destroyed before the land can be again cultivated. The staple productions of Louisiana are cotton, sugar, and rice. The cotton plantations are the most extensive, but those of sugar are rapidly increasing in the southern parts of the State. There is a vast extent of lands adapted to the cultivation of rice. The manufactures of the State are extremely inconsiderable. Its commerce is great, and is daily augmenting. The inhabitants are a mixed race, composed of French, Spaniards, Americans, Canadians, Germans, Africans, and their descendants. The planters live in a splendid and luxurious style: the farmers enjoy a rough abundance, are brave and hospitable, but unpolished. The majority of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics, and, till 1812, there was no Protestant church in the State. Dancing, gambling, and theatrical amusements were common after the morning mass on Sundays. Laudable efforts have of late been made to increase the means of education, which have hitherto been deplorably neglected. Of the French inhabitants not one in ten can read. New Orleans, the chief town, is situated on the left bank of the Mississippi, 105 miles from its mouth by the course of the river. The French language is used here to a considerable extent, but the English now predominates. Of five newspapers, three are printed in English, and two in both languages. In the legislature, which consists of two Houses, elected by all the male population of full age, the French and English parties were pretty equally balanced in 1818, the former having the majority in the House of Representatives, and the latter in the Senate. New Orleans had about 10,000 inhabitants in 1800, and 27,176 in 1820. It is very unhealthy during four months of the year, but enjoys an excellent situation for trade, being the natural entrepot for the whole basin of the Mississippi, the largest and richest valley in the world. The introduction of steam boats, of which there were 74 on the Mississippi in 1823, LXXX. has greatly facilitated its communication with Ohio, Illi- BOOK nois, Kentucky, and Missouri, whence it receives vast quantities of raw produce and lumber. The exports of the State in 1820 amounted to 7,382,000 dollars. The population in the same year was 153,407, of whom 69,064 were slaves. Area 48,000 square miles. Tennessee is one of the most pleasant, healthful, and beau- Tennessee. ful States in the Union. It is free of the barren, sandy tracts, and great swamps so common in the States of the south, and enjoys a richer soil and better climate than those of the north. Its surface is partly undulating, and partly mountainous. The blighting north-easterly winds are never felt here, and those of the north-west very rarely. Vegetation commences about six weeks earlier than in New Hampshire, and continues six weeks later. The State is watered by two noble rivers, the Cumberland and the Tennessee, which are scarcely ever frozen, and afford a great extent of boat navigation. Cotton, tobacco, wheat, hemp, and maize, are the leading articles of raw produce. Its manufactures are chiefly domestic, except those of iron and nitre. Numerous vestiges of ancient dwellings, towns, and fortifications, with mounds, barrows, utensils, and images, are found in this State, wherever the soil is of prime quality, and well situated for water. The venerable forests which now flourish over the spots where these relics are found, demonstrate that the people to whom they owe their origin, had evacuated the country at least five hundred, and more probably a thousand years ago. The population of Tennessee in 1790 was $5,691, and in 1820 it was 422,815, of whom 72,157 were slaves. Area 41,300 square miles. Kentucky is similar in soil and climate to Tennessee Kentucky. but is rather less mountainous, and has perhaps a greater proportion of fertile, arable land. The Ohio forms its northern boundary, and affords it an easy communication with the sea. The greatest natural disadvantage of this State is the failure of most of the streams during the sumKentucky was first explored about 1750, and the first settlement was made in 1773. Its chief agricultural BOOK productions are wheat, tobacco, Indian corn, hemp, rye, LXXX. and, to a small extent, cotton. Vineyards have been found to succeed. Since the late war its manufactures have increased greatly. The people, who consist of emigrants from every State in the Union, and almost every country of Europe, are brave, frank, and hospitable; but they are said to be too much addicted to drinking and gambling, and to show a ferocious and revengeful spirit in their quarrels. The state of education is rather backward, and that of religion not much better. The most numerous denominations are the Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists. The Kentuckians, possessing a sanguine, speculative spirit, were deeply infested with the passion for banking, which spread like an epidemic frenzy through the United States some years ago. No less than fifty-four banks were incorporated between 1807 and 1819, in a district containing only half a million of inhabitants. These establishments, after inundating the State with fictitious paper currency, became nearly all insolvent, and produced incalculable distress and confusion in the country.* There are many ruins of ancient works spread over this State, which prove that at some distant period it was thickly inhabited by a warlike people, superior to the existing Indians in arts and knowledge, who had either migrated to the south or been destroyed. One of these works consists of an ancient fortification near the banks of the Ohio, embracing fourteen acres, and extremely well preserved. The walls in some places are from eight to sixteen feet high, thirty feet wide at bottom, and on the top broad enough for a loaded waggon to pass. Two parallel walls of the same dimensions, and 280 yards long, project westward from one angle, and form a covered way communicating with a rivulet. Other two covered ways of the same kind communicate with streams on the other sides. The construction of the fort shows that it must have been built by men accustomed to labour, possessing considerable science in the business of * See Flint's Letters from America, No. 16. fortifications, and who probably had iron tools. As the BOOK ground is now covered with the second or third growth of LXXX. wood, it is plain that the work must belong to a pretty' ancient period. A greater quantity of the remains of the mammoth have been discovered in Bigbone valley in this state, than in any other part of North America. The population of Kentucky in 1790 was 73,677, and in 1820 it was 564,317, including 126,732 slaves. Area 39,000 square miles. About one fourth of the state of Ohio declines to the Ohio. northern lakes; the other three fourths to the Ohio. The surface of the former is generally flat. and frequently marshy; that of the latter is rolling and uneven, and beautifully diversified with round topped hills, covered with a fertile soil, which bears a rich growth of wood. The country is at the same time watered by many fine streams navigable for boats; it is blessed with an excellent climate; and as slavery does not exert its demoralizing influence here upon society, the state presents greater advantages to agricultural settlers than any other in the western territories. It has accordingly advanced with remarkable rapidity, and already outstrips Kentucky in population, though it was not settled so early by twelve or fifteen years. The average produce of farming land in this state, and in the basin of the Ohio generally, is forty bushels of maize per acre, twenty-two of wheat, twenty-six of rye, thirty-five of oats, thirty of barley, and twelve to fifteen hundred weight of tobacco. The latter is cultivated only to a limited extent in Ohio for domestic use. The southeast parts of this state possess an unlimited supply of pit coal, which will facilitate the growth of manufactures. Those hitherto established are chiefly domestic. Prairies, or large tracts of ground naturally destitute of wood, abound here, and in all the country west of the Alleghanies. In the northern parts of this state, and of Indiana and Illinois, they occupy three * James's Account of an Expedition from Pittsburg to the Rocky Mountains, vol. iii. p. 199. LXXX. BOOK fourths of the surface. The Ohio and its larger tributaries are navigable for boats all the year, except from the beginning of December to the middle of February, when the passage is obstructed by ice. During the height of the swell from March to June, large vessels ascend as far as Marietta and even Pittsburg. Many mounds, embankments, and other monuments of an ancient population are found in this state as well as Kentucky; but, like the others, they are merely of earth, and not a single column, or brick, or hewn stone, has been discovered. Cincinnati, situated at the south-east angle of this state, is the largest, town west of the Alleghanies; it contained 9642 inhabitants in 1820. (a) In this state, and in Indiana and Illinois, one section in each township, or one thirty-sixth part of the whole lands is set apart for the encouragement of education. The inhabitants are generally an industrious, moral, and orderly people, with much intelligence and enterprise. The prevailing religious sects are Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists. The legislative power is vested in a senate chosen biennially, and a house of representatives chosen annually by all the males of full age. The population in 1790 was estimated at no more than 3000, and in 1820 it amounted to 581,434. Area 38,500 square miles. Ohio was admitted into the Union in 1803. Indiana. Illinois. Indiana resembles Ohio so closely in climate, soil, situation, and the character of its inhabitants, as to render any detailed description unnecessary. It was admitted into the Union as an independent State in 1816. Its population in 1800 was 5641, and in 1820, 147,178. Area 36,250 square miles. Illinois. For the same reason we shall speak of Illinois very concisely. The land of this state is similar in quality to that of the two preceding, except that its surface is generally more level, and less abundantly wooded. At Cahokia and Kaskaskias, and at Vincennes, in Indiana, settlements were formed about 150 years ago by some French (a) [Population in 1823, 11,417.]-AM. ED. |