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— — — ■« '■■■* — ■■■■!! ---%gr Wo publish the folio win}? well writtenarticle, notwithstanding the party reflectionshere and there ihterspersed, for the sake of theinterest ins account of the soil and productionsand other advantages of South Mississippi:From the Mississippi Free Trader. •The Sca-Coaal Counties of Mfsnitislppf.These counties have lately heen much defamed hv a portioiyof the New Orleans press—even some ot ottr own- papers have republished, without refutation or comment, the defamatory remarks of the New Orleans True American in regard to Jackson county, on the Mississippi sea-coast. Those who would make political differences of opinion a sufficient cause to defame any portion of their common country. should recollect that in so doing, they sink the patriot in the politician. The true patriot loves every part of his country, whether inhabited by whigs or democrats. To abuse th« soil, climate and productions of the sea-coast counties of Mississippi for the political opinions of the inhabitants, is unpatriotic, ungenerous and utiMse; it is following in the footsteps of those Europeans, who, disliking the political institutions f the American people, represented America as a continent unfriendly to the growth and perfection of the human species. as n place where Europeans degenerated in body and mind, or were cut off by autumnal plagues. But time has proved beyond a doubt, that under equal citcum-stances, Americans, whether on land or ocean, man for man. have no superiors in the wide world. Under the idea that Americans were inferior to the English in phvsicial strength, his Majesty’s subjects in the late war were ordered to board American ships and capture them sword in hand.It is well known that these orders cost Great Britain many a noble vessel and gallant crew. The Tnitar race, so long the terror of thp world for their strength, agility and bloody ferocity, found themselves weak as women or children, when they came to grapple with American freemen under Decatur. It is impossible at this day to say how much the settlement, improvement and commercial business of America were retard *-d by European misrepresentations. Even Indian corn and potatoes had so many prejudices to encounter in consequence of their being American plants, that centuries passed by before they were cultivated to any extent in Eli rope. Only a few years ago the Duke of Tuscany had to btibe his subjects to cultivate potatoes. Before that time, they were accustomed to live on worm-eaten chetsnuts and to starve when the chestnut crop failed Now they are a happy people in comparison. having overcome their prejudices against the American potato. They have also began the culture of Indian corn for the sake of the shuck and the stalk, but have yet to learn the use of the corn, and to overcome their prejudices against using it as food. The reproaches which the interested politicians of Europe heap-d upon America, toe press of NpwOi leans would heap upon the soil and climate of the sea-coast rnnnli* • of Mississippi It represents the said counties, Jackson county in particular, as being ‘‘too poor for whigs to live in, for fear of starving; that nothing but pine trees will grow upon the soil, and that the location is unhealthy.” But what are the facts? Numbers of the wealthy inhabitants of N. Oi leans, with the best information in their possession in regard to the healthiest locations in the South, have already purchased tracts of land on the sen-coast of Mississippi, built houses, made gardens, planted orchatds, and have fully demonstrated that something else will grow on the soil besides pine trees. More flourishing olive trees for their age, cannot be found in all Europe, than are now growing in the sea-coast counties of Mississippi.Many vaiietiesof the European grapenre also cultivated with success. If these counties had be* n selected by the Swiss, instead of Vevay, in Indiana, the experiment of estabiishrg profitable vineyards on this side, of the Atlantic could not have proved a failure. The soil, on examination, will be found to contain every element necessary lothestiece sful cultivation of the vine. If these elements are not, in all places, combined in proper proportions, they all exist near at band and could be easily mixed. The country also produces figs, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, and nearly every variety of fruit, root and garJen vegetables. The coast is also linedto supply the whole Stale with solar salt.There is a native shrub which grows in gteat abundance on the sea-coast of Mississippi, called the cassinia; it will grow in the very poorest soil, where nothihg«Ise will, but its growth in poor land is not so rapid as in rich. The cassinia makes the best hedge in the world; it grows fifteen or twenty feet high, and strong enough to turn a herd of bufftlocs; it is nevertheless so close at bottom, as Jo prevent the emull-est pig'from getting through it. They sea-coast counties of Mississippi are heulthyto a proverb. It is true, the yellow fever has infested some of the towns on the coast; but it is likewise true, that they have not been ntflicted hulf, one-third, or one-fourth as oftni during the fast half century, as either New Yotk, Philadelphia, or Baltimore. Bilious fevers are almost unknown on the sea-coast of Mississippi. The mosquitoes are sometimes troublesome, but not more so than the house-flies in Pbiludel-phia.The northern people would he ashamed of the morus multicaulis which they talk and write so much about, if they could seethe morus multicaulis and other varieties of the mulberry tree in Southern Mississippi. Some of the native mulberry trees are three or four feet in diameter. The paper mulberry and the inorus multicaulis have been found to grow luxuriantly in South Mississippi.No country is better situated for canals and rail roads. The land is high and level, intersected with numerous swamps, bayousand inlets, generally running east and west,which, with very little expense, could be united with the streams which atise in North Mississippi and fill into the Gulf of Mexico. All have heard of Mississippi City and of the deep water iu front of it, inside of Cat Island, where the British vessels anchored; but very few are apprised of th,e fact, that steamboils and schooners, can, at present, come within a mile or two of the back part of Mississippi City. An arm or inlet of the sea, called Back Bay, coines close up behind Mississippi City and abruptly terminates. There is already a saw mill and brrk-yard established at this point, for the purpose of supplying New Orleans and Mobile witli brick and lumber. By means of this bay and a bayou which puts into it, called Old Fort Bayou, steamboats and schoonerscan go from the back part of Mississippi City to within a very short distance of Pascagoula river. A canal of only a few miles in length, through low flat land, would connect Old Fort Bayou with Pascagoula river, and give to twelve counties in the State a direct inland water communication with Mississippi City. Another canal of thirty miles in length, would reach the great river formed bv the junction of the Tombigbee and Alabama, and would open a direct inland communication with Mobile. A canal about the same length would unite Mississippi City to Pearl river. Such is the nature of the country, that a canal, large enough for steamboats, could not cost more than a single track rail road in the Northern Stat* s Thesupply lt;f water would nevoi fail—no locks would be necessary—ntfreshets could injure the canals-^-lhe) would never freeze over, and when cnct made, would be attended with no further expense. The transportation of the hea viest articles would not injure them, anc the expense of transportation would be i mere trifle. The Manchac has been closei contrary to law. Simply opening thlt; mouth of that bayou, would gi*e u frei and uninterrupted steamboat navigatiot between Mississippi City and all the town on the Mississippi river.There is no reason why the territory c Mississippi, lying on the Gulf of Mexicr should not be made as rich and prolifi as the Venitian territory on the Adriatic the climate, soil and nature of the tw countries being similar.The low marshy land on the Gulf c Venice has been reclaimed by dykes am ditrhej, and turned to profitable account ii growing grain of various kinds, and tha luxuriant grass, s good for cattle am horses, called llrrba Spagna. One of th two hundred and fifty voters whose poll tics seem to he considered so obnoxious b the New Orleans True American, has a! ready reclaimed, by dykes and ditches, al ter the Venetian manner, an extensiv marsh in Jackson county, on the Missis sinni sea-coast. H-: has obtained from Pa
Newspaper Details
Macon Intelligencer
Macon, Mississippi, US
Sat, Dec 21, 1839
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Kevin M.
USA 24 Jun 2023
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