METEOROLOGY.-LATITUDE 30o 36 N., LONGItude 90 W. We present a table exhibiting the whole number of inhabitants in the city and parish of East Baton Rouge, inclusive, together with the sexes and ages of each race. Thus we perceive the whole number of whites for the city and parish, inclusive, to be 5,382; blacks, 5,790, mulattoes, 799, making in all, 11,978. The population in 1840 was 10,317, being an increase of 16.1 per cent. ART. IV. STATISTICAL AND HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA. PARISH OF EAST FELICIANA, LA. It is presumed that most of your readers are acquainted with the events which preceded the cession of Louisiana to the United States, by France, and it is therefore needless to enter into detail. The whole province of Louisiana was included in this purchase, except that portion which was called the "West Florida District," which extended from the Perdido River to the Mississippi on the west, bounded on the north by the 31st degree of north latitude, and on the south by the Bayou Iberville. This was retained by Spain as a portion of Florida. After the transfer of Louisiana to the United States, in 1804, this portion of the province was still under the Spanish yoke, and that portion lying between the Mississippi and Pearl River was erected into the "Government of Baton Rouge," and presided over by Don Carlos Grandpré. It comprised the posts of Manchac, Thompson's Creek and Bayou Sara. This district at one time belonged to Great Britain, but was ceded to Spain, in 1783. The inhabitants of the Baton Rouge district were even at that time composed of emigrants from England, Ireland and Scotland, and many persons from the older states, as South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. The inhabitants of this district, viewing with envy their neighbors, who were under the protection of the flag of freedom, occasionally evinced dissatisfaction and indignity. when they felt the foot of Spanish tyranny on their necks; but it was not until several years afterwards, that persons were found bold enough to hold secret conferences upon the subject of rebellion. At length an attempt was made, but, owing to a want of organization, the plan of operations was discovered, and the leaders were forced to fly. The individuals who most particularly deserve to be mentioned in this attempt, were three brothers, by the name of Kemper, who were residents of Mississippi. They fled into Mississippi, and arrived home near Pinkneyville, but the emissaries of the tyrant even entered into the United States territory, and at midnight, seized the brothers, and delivered them to a troop of Spanish light horse, who were embarked at Tunica Bayou. In passing down the river, however, they were captured by Lieutenant Wilson, of the United States Army, at Point Coupee. This occurred in 1805. For a few more years did this colony writhe under the oppressive policy of the mother country, but still desirous of casting off their allegiance, and in 1810 took up the inatter in earnest. The acces sion to the emigrant population, during these five years, had been considerable, and they again determined to throw off the yoke of Spain, deeming themselves, in truth, a part of Louisiana. In the month of September a large party of armed men met at the Bayou Sara; they were reinforced by volunteers from Mississippi, and at once took their march for Baton Rouge. At this time the garrison at Baton Rouge was very weak-one hundred and fifty men,-who surrendered at discretion. And thus was their independence obtained without a drop of blood being spilt. On the 26th September a convention was held at Baton Rouge, a Declaration of Independence adopted, and the district erected into a separate government, called the " Territory of West Florida." They applied to the United States for admission, through Governor Holmes, of Mississippi, which was granted on the 27th October, and they were then taken under the protection of the United States by Governor Claiborne. The flag of the United States was raised at St. Francisville on the 7th December. By a subsequent proclamation it was subdivided into parishes. At that time the population of all the Florida parishes was about 2,500, white and black. Immediately upon the annexation of the province to the Union, the rush of emigrants was tremendous, and some of the older emigrants are living to this day. The admission of this district, so readily, by the United States, was the cause of a long series of diplomatic difficulties between the United States and Spain. TOPOGRAPHY.-The parish of Feliciana formerly comprised that district of country bounded by the state line of Mississippi on the north, or the 31st degree of north latitude; east by the parish of St. Helena; south by the parish of East Baton Rouge; and west by the Mississippi. In consequence of the size of the parish, and its natural divisions and other local causes, it was thought advisable to separate it; and consequently, by an act of the legislature, it was, in 1823, erected into two parishes, situated as their name implies. EXTENT. This parish embraces a tract of square miles, and contains 236,236 acres. Towns. The towns are, Clinton, Jackson and Port Hudson. The first is the parish seat, and is a very important place. It contains 1,252 inhabitants, and is the centre of a rich agricultural neighborhood, and the focus of an immense amount of business flowing in from the parishes which bound and surround it, and that portion of Mississippi contiguous. Indeed, there can be no doubt but there is a greater amount of business transacted in it, than any town of its size in the South. It is connected to Port Hudson by a rail-road, 25 miles long, costing about $600,000. This rail-road was built by the state, but owing to some cause, either bad management or the sparseness of population, it never did much, and was eventually sold for about $30,000. It is now paying very well; the present holders being active and energetic men. There is also a rail-road graded out to Baton Rouge, 30 miles, but the rails were never laid, and it died an incipient death. Indeed, it was a poor frail thing from its conception. There was a plank-road fever which attacked some of the inhabitants of Baton Rouge last winter, who intended to use the old rail-road grade, but this was also an abortion. Clinton boasts the usual number of churches and schools. The court-house is a really fine building, and I doubt not, one of the best in the state. There are two weekly papers published here, the "Floridian Democrat," and the "Whig;" both are ably conducted. Jackson, containing 779 inhabitants, cannot boast of much as a place of traffic; but the time has been, so the chronicles tell, that it was the queen town in the South. It can now boast of nothing save having a quiet, orderly, Christian population, and within the sound of its church-bells is congregated some of the best talent of the South. It is noted for being the site of Louisiana College, a state institution, which, as all state pets do, fell. Since its demise it has been purchased by the Methodists; and the faculty and the students of Centenary College, formerly of Mississippi, now occupy it, and are in a highly prosperous condition. In this place there are several excellent female schools, and also a classical male school. A newspaper, called the "Southern Mirror," is published here, and conducted with ability; it is neutral in politics. Here is also an extensive Lunatic Asylum, and a state institution. Dr. Preston Pond is the physician, and the board of administrators are men who are every way qualified to do justice to the office they fill. The buildings are spacious enough for a limited number of patients, the grounds airy, and every comfort and convenience which kindness and science can suggest, is extended to the unfortunate class of beings who have been deprived of their reason. There have been admitted, since its foundation in 1848, 182 patients. Of these, 32 have died, and 18 discharged cured up to January 1st, 1850. Present number, 81. The Superintendent receives as a salary The Matron The Physician .$800 There is a great fault in this. The salaries are not sufficient, and the superintendent informs me that there is not accommodation for over 60. The physician particularly should receive a sufficient salary to make it an object to give it his whole undivided attention. There are in Jackson a Presbyterian, a Methodist and Baptist Church; an Episcopalian Church formerly existed, but it has since been discontinued. A Catholic Church is now in the course of erection, and if one may judge from the design, it will be a specimen of architectural beauty. Port Hudson, containing 252 inhabitants, is the shipping point of the parish; and some idea of the business transacted within its limits may be drawn from the fact, that there are here annually shipped 30,000 bales of cotton, and 2,000 hogsheads of sugar, besides molasses. POPULATION. The population of this parish, according to the last returns, is about 14,000; Whites... .4,538 and is composed of emigrants from every country in Europe, and nearly all the states. PRODUCTIONS.-In 1850 there were made in the parish Bales Cotton.. Bush. Corn......... 64 Rice.. 10,139 955 391,800 1.795 4,036 CAPITAL INVESTED.-The capital invested in this parish is as fol lows: Value of lands.. "slaves.. Machinery, about. Stock (not obtained.) 81.973,724 125,000 EDUCATION. The public school system works well, but it would be better if the population were not so sparse. The HEALTH.-The health of this parish is most remarkable. general type of disease is mild and easily subdued. Strangers are seldom ever sick after their acclimation. SOIL. The character of the soil is a thin stratum of loam, supported by a bed of striated, and in certain situations siliceous clay, red or white. There are no rocks and few pebbles, save in the beds of the creeks. These lands are undulating, easily tilled and productive, but most of them much worn. As you advance towards the river, the lands change their character and become more fertile. The value of these lands have increased greatly within the past five years, owing to the continued overflow of the river lands, and to the introduction of the culture of cane on the hills. The cultivation of sugar in this parish is a recent innovation. It is yet an experiment, and it remains to be proven by time if the uplands have the stamina to support the exhausting drain on them. The first sugar crop made here was in 1848, by W. D. Carter, Esq., of this parish, who may be considered the pioneer of sugar culture here; although sugar has been for a number of years made on the hills in the rear of Baton Rouge, before it attracted attention here. Since its introduction in 1848, it has gone on steadily increasing, and there are now eighteen sugar-houses, either in operation or in progress--the majority of which are commodious and elegant, comparing favorably with the first class houses in the state, and turning out a very superior article of sugar. Guided by the last returns, we estimate the uncultivated land in this parish at 178,718 acres. There are planted in TIMBER. The eastern portion of the parish is a mixture, of which pine is predominant. As you advance westward, the forest assumes a darker hue; and leaving the region of pine, you emerge into forests of oak, bay, gum, and others of a smaller growth. GEOLOGY.-There are no geological formations of any interest, save a few specimens of iron ore occasionally found scattered over the surface. STREAMS AND SPRINGS.-The parish is watered by Comite River, Thompson's Creek, Redwood and Black Creek, besides others of less note. |