Winchester Gazette

Extract of a letter to the Editors, from a gentleman on a visit to New-Orleans.

New-Orleans, April 23, 1821.

This city has been rendered interesting at this moment by the arrival of General Jackson, on his way to Florida. He is idolized here; even the few who were for a moment dissatisfied with his measures have forgotten their irritation, and unite in the approbation of his conduct. You will see the address of the Corporation and the General's reply. There is no such dissatisfaction with the Florida treaty in this Country as might be inferred from the report of the committee of the State Legislature, which, by the bye, was rejected by a large majority in that body.

"It is understood, that the General is clothed with similar powers to those which were exercised by the Spanish authorities, and that no territorial government will be organized until the meeting of Congress. East Florida and Pensacola have excited a most singular spirit of adventure from vague ideas of advantages which they offer. The town will, no doubt, become important, and capital may be employed to advantage, but I fear that dreadful disappointments will be experienced by those who go there without capital. The number of physicians and lawyers who have gone already, or are preparing to go, is astonishing. There are six or eight here waiting the surrender; some are young men of fine talents. Pensacola and St. Augustine will exhibit a singular spectacle for the first two or three months, and I fear that the numerous disappointments which must ensue will prove injurious, by spreading unfavourable accounts of the country.

"The increase of this town has been prodigious in the last five years. Its stationary population is five thousand, but the number of strangers is much greater than in any of the northern cities. The amount of produce shipped from this place is immense. The present mayor is spoken of as much more attentive to the police than any of his predecessors, but there is yet much to be done.—I think that a stranger need not be surprised at the prevalence of yellow fever when he sees the condition of the streets. The wooden lining of their gutters, which are now in a state of almost general decay, is itself a sufficient cause of sickness. Stone has been introduced, and they now think of replacing the wood with this material. Upper country produce is still extremely low, with the exception of tobacco, which is from four to five cents, considered here a good price."

[Nat. Int.