4839. LOUISIANA, Government for.—[further continued]..
It is but too true that
great discontents exist in the Territory of
Orleans. Those of the French inhabitants
have for their sources, 1, the prohibition of
importing slaves. This may be partly removed
by Congress permitting them to receive
slaves from the other States, which, by dividing
that evil, would lessen its danger; 2, the
administration of justice in our forms, principles,
and language, with all of which they
are unacquainted, and are the more abhorrent,
because of the enormous expense,
greatly exaggerated by the corruption of
bankrupt and greedy lawyers, who have gone
there from the United States and engrossed
the practice; 3, the call on them by the land
commissioners to produce the titles of their
lands. The object of this is really to record
and secure their rights. But as many of them
hold on rights so ancient that the title papers
are lost, they expect the land is to be taken
from them whenever they cannot produce a
regular deduction of title in writing. In this
they will be undeceived by the final result,
which will evince to them a liberal disposition
of the government towards them.—
To John Dickinson. Washington ed. v, 29.
Ford ed., ix, 8.
(W.
1807)
