The emigrant French are numerous in New Orleans. Among them are many very respectable merchants, some lawyers, physicians, &c., the greater part, however, consists of adventurers, hair-dressers, dancing-masters, performers, musicians, and the like. The French are of all men the least valuable acquisition for a new state. Of a lavish and wanton temper, they spend their time in trifles, which are of no importance to any but themselves. Dancing, fighting, riding, and love-making, are the daily occupation of these people. Their influence on a new and unsettled state, whose inhabitants have no correct opinion of true politeness and manners, is far from being advantageous. Without either religion, morality, or even education, they pretend to be the leaders of the bon ton, because they came from Paris, and they in general succeed. As for religion and principles, except a sort of point d’honneur, they are certainly a most contemptible set, and greatly contribute to promote immorality. There are a great number of Germans in New Orleans. These people, without being possessed of the smallest resources, embarked eight or ten years ago, and after having lost one-half, or three-parts of their comrades during the passage, they were sold as white slaves, or as they are called, Redemptioners, the moment of their arrival. Thus mixed with the negroes in the same kind of labour, they experience no more consideration than the latter; and their conduct certainly deserves no better treatment. Those who did not escape, were driven away by their masters for their immoderate drinking; and all, with few exceptions, were glad to get rid of such dregs. The watchmen and lamp-lighters are Germans, and hundreds of these people fell victims to the fever, between the years 1814 and 1822. The rest of the white population consists of English, Irish, Spaniards, and some Italians, amongst whom are several respectable houses.
The free people of colour consist of emancipated slaves; but chiefly of the offspring of an intercourse between the whites and blacks, the cause of which is to be sought in the nature of the climate, where sensual passions are so easily excited. Of these descendants, the females in particular are very handsome, and generally destined for the gratification of the wealthier class of the French and the creoles, as their mothers had been before them. The American seldom or never indulges in such unrestrained pleasures. He usually marries early, and remains faithful to his wife. Of a more steady and religious turn, he pays strict attention to decorum and appearances, with certain isolated exceptions of course; but in general he is more solicitous and careful of his public character than the Frenchman, or foreigner, who has seldom any reputation to lose.
The negroes form the lowest class. There are certainly found some amongst them who are entitled to praise for their honesty and fidelity towards their masters; but thousands, on the other hand, will exhibit the vicious nature of a debased and slavish character. There is no doubt, that a malignant and cruel disposition characterises, more or less, this black race. Whether it be inborn, or the result of slavery, I leave to others to decide.
All that can be said in favour of emancipation, may be reduced in the compass of these few words: In the present state of things, if the general cultivation of Louisiana, and the southern states, is to proceed successfully, emancipation is impossible. In this climate, no white person could stand the labour; the act of emancipation itself, treacherous and barbarous as the slaves are, would subject their former masters to certain destruction and death. We are, indeed, very far behind hand in the study of the human character, and of the different gradations of the human species. Unjust, as it assuredly was, to traffic in fellow-creatures, as though they were so many heads of cattle, it is equally unjust now to infringe upon a property which has been transmitted from generation to generation, and which time has sanctioned, without adopting some method of public compensation. All that should be required is, that the slaves be treated with humanity—a law might be enacted to that effect. The slaves will then be improved, and become ripe for a state of emancipation, which may be granted at a future period, without danger or inconvenience to their masters.
It is, however, to be regretted, that the slave population of Louisiana are not so well treated as in the north. The cupidity of their masters, and their solicitude to make a rapid fortune, subject those poor wretches to an oppressive labour, which they are hardly able to endure. They revolted in Louisiana on three occasions, and several white persons fell victims to their vengeance; they were, however, easily subdued, and the example set by the executions, contributed to restore tranquillity. It is impossible to form an idea of the degree of jealousy with which the southern population watch and defend their rights, touching this point. A question upon the right of a slave, as a human being, is almost one of life and death; and lawyers, whenever they presume to defend slaves, and to hint at their rights, are in imminent danger of being stoned like Jews. Not long ago, a gentleman of the bar, Mr. D—e, was very near meeting this fate.
CHAPTER XVI.
Public Spirit.—Education.—State of Religious Worship.—Public Entertainments, Theatres, Balls, &c.
Heterogeneous as this population may seem, and as it really is, in manners, language, and principles, they all agree in one point—the pursuit after—“money.” Americans, English, French, Germans, Spaniards, all come hither—to make money, and to stay here as long as money is to be made. Half the inhabitants may be said to be regularly settled; the rest are half-settlers. Merchants, store-keepers, remain only until they have amassed a fortune answering their expectations, and then remove to their former houses. Others reside here during the winter, to carry on business, and retire to the north in the month of May. That is the case with all the Yankee commission merchants. This has, of course, a sensible and an extensive influence upon the public, and may explain why New Orleans, though one of the wealthiest cities of the Union, is so backward in mental improvement. Even the better Anglo-American families disdain to spend their money in the country where they have earned it, and prefer removing to the north. The institutions for education are consequently inferior to those of any city of equal extent and less wealth, such as Richmond, and even Albany. The only literary institution in the state of Louisiana, the college of New Orleans, is now established, and is intended to be revived at some distance from the capital. Free schools are now (1826) formed in the city, after the manner of the northern states, with a president and professors; and by and bye they will be extended to the rest of the state. Another college, still inferior to the above-mentioned, is superintended by the Catholic clergy. Excepting the elements of reading, writing, mathematics, and latin, it affords no intellectual information. The best of these schools is kept by Mr. Shute, rector of the Episcopalian church, an enlightened and clever man, who fully deserves the popularity he has acquired. Reading, writing, geography, particular and universal history, are taught under his tuition, and in his own rectory. This school, and other private ones where the rudiments are taught, comprehend all the establishments for education in the state.
With respect to the female sex, the creoles are educated by the nuns; the Protestant young ladies by some boarding-school mistresses, partly French, partly Americans, who come from the north. The better classes of the Anglo-Americans, however, prefer sending their daughters to a northern establishment, where they remain for two years, and then return to their homes. Among the charitable institutions must be mentioned the Poydras Asylum for young orphan girls, founded in 1804, by Mr. Poydras. The legislature voted 4000 dollars towards it. Sixty girls are now educating in this asylum. Upon the same plan, is a second asylum for boys, where, in 1825, forty were admitted. These, besides the hospital, are the only public institutions for the benefit of the poor. New Orleans has eight newspapers; among these the State, and two other papers, are published in English and French, a fourth in the Spanish, and the rest in the English. The best of them is the Louisiana Advertiser.