The New Orleans Democrat

the Poor Man.

Editor Democrat—Even while your State is distracted with contending political elements; while one branch of your Legislature is setting at naught the laws it has sworn to observe; while your Governor goes unwhipt of justice and continues superior to law and a curse to the people, through the machinations of perjured law-makers, aided and even urged by Chief Justice (I) Ludeling; with these and other woes going to make the cumulative adversity of Louisiana, and especially of New Orleans; yet it should not be forgotten that adversity may and does bear the seed of prosperity, like a "precious jewel," within it.

New Orleans to-day presents greater inducements for an influx of population than any city in the Union. True, this is one of the results of misrule," but by that great law of compensation, whereby the Almighty "tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," a stout, sturdy, willing, working, white population may, because of this, come hither to energize and build up in strength and greatness the destinies of your city. Weal and woe are the warp and woof of life. I am sure there is no place in the South, I doubt if there is a city in the Union, where persons of limited means can live so cheaply and well as in New Orleans. It is the universal opinion that no city presents such fascinations, for I can call its varied attractions by no other name, as New Orleans. Its climate is the most genial, its people most hospitable, the manners and customs most happily tinged with a charming novelty.

It is said, the great problem of life is—how to live! That means cheapness combined with comfort and a possible spice of luxury. That problem comes nearest being solved in this city. Although a next door neighbor, being a resident of Mississippi, I confess myself astonished at the amount of comfort and true life obtainable here at a very moderate cost. Good board, with lodging, can be had readily at $20 a month, and even at $16. A comfortable house, suited to any respectable family, can be rented at $15 a month; and one can pay as much for these things as he chooses, if he wishes to pay for style. A plate of a dozen, most succulent and delicious oysters is had for twenty cents. Oysters and the best of fish always are abundant, while vegetables are cheap and plenty, the year round, as are all kinds of fruit. Drives and walks are numerous and attractive. In short, although New Orleans has been ground down by circumstances, yet this grinding operation has had the effect of polishing her, as it were, so that, like facets of a diamond, she presents brilliant attractions on every side.

It may be said that the city is already overcrowded; that business is dull and that work is scarce. I answer, is it not so in every Northern and Western city? And it costs more to live to-day in any of them than in New Orleans, while none of them can compete with this in point of attraction. The first question to a poor man's mind, is, how cheaply can I live! In respect to this New Orleans may challenge competition. The majority of the world are "poor" people, but that is the class that gives wealth and stability to cities, States and nations. If one says there is no room for a large influx of sturdy, liberty-loving brave white men (and women), I reply: Let the city negro give way to them. Let the colored class take their rightful place on the plantations and do the work God seems to have especially fitted them to do. Let them thus, in a large degree, be eliminated from our politics, where they are but a bone of contention, and let their places be supplied with white men in the humbler walks of life. Yes, let us call population here even from Maine and Massachusetts. Their Yankee fanaticism will melt away in the genial influences of this locality, and they will give us the benefit of indomitable pluck and enterprise. And, such an amalgamation will tend to obliterate that political isothermal known as "Mason and Dixon's line."

Can one suppose for a moment that such a coup d'etat as that of the Senate of Louisiana last Monday would dare be attempted in Maine or Massachusetts?

With a view of adding my mite I have written this, for which I beg space in your valuable columns.

A VISITOR.