LETTER XXXIV.

FEMALE QUAKER'S ORATION—TEMPLETON'S CONCERT -LOUIS PHILIPPE'S HOUSE-SLAVE QUARTER— DEPARTURE FOR Α SUGAR PLANTATIONCOUNTRY HOUSE ON THE MISSISSIPPI-DESCRIPTION OF SUGAR-MAKING-THE CONDITION OF THE NEGROES-DEPLORABLE ABSENCE OF RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION RETURN TO THE CITY.

CARNIVAL AT NEW ORLEANS.

New Orleans-February.

WE

found

on our return to this place, that amusement and gaiety of all kinds and descriptions were going on. There were nightly balls, plays, and concerts without end; but besides these popular recreations, there was the (to us) far newer exhibition of a Quaker-lady giving lectures on temperance in the St. Louis ball-room. She was a middle-aged woman, very prosy, and to the regret of at least one portion of her audience, endued with a strength of lungs almost preternatural. Her lectures lasted for more than two hours, during which she exhorted her hearers to abstain, not only from fermented liquors, but from all exciting amusements.

She never hesitated in

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her discourse, which was entirely extemporary, nor did the well-plaited frills of her Quaker-cap vibrate with a single nervous emotion from the beginning to the end. Her lectures were evidently very popular at first, but after the novelty of seeing a woman address a large public assembly was once over, I confess that, for my own part, I soon grew tired of the monotony of her subjects and manner.

Templeton, the English singer, is also here, giving concerts, which are remarkably well attended: we went with a party of friends to hear him, and found the Assembly Room, though it is very large, disagreeably crowded. After performing some of his favourite songs, prefacing each with, what might be termed, a short musical lecture, there was an unanimous request preferred by the Americans for the 'Star-spangled Banner,' the fine and inspiring national anthem of the United States, which was beautifully sung, and produced great effect, being twice and most enthusiastically encored. The concluding words of the stanza,

"Tis the Star-Spangled Banner, oh! long may it wave, O'er the land of the Free, and the home of the Brave, made me think of the thousands of slaves outside, and as I thought, I rather shrank from the patriotic and enthusiastic demonstrations which were called forth.

After the excitement caused by the performance

AMERICAN ILLIBERALITY.

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of the popular air had subsided, a wish was expressed by some of the English and Scotch who were present, that the amusements of the evening should be terminated by the singing of 'God save the Queen.' After the satisfaction which they had shown, and the applause which they had lavished on the American air, her Majesty's subjects were certainly justified in thinking that the compliment should be returned, and that their countryman would be allowed to agree in their request; but, to my regret and surprise, (for I should have imagined that the Americans would have been both more liberal and more courteous,) they put a decided veto on the proposition. The discussion that ensued was beginning to grow rather stormy, when the Britishers' thought it more prudent to withdraw their motion, and to relinquish the anticipated pleasure of hearing their old national anthem performed in the United States.

I doubt whether, under ordinary circumstances, the Americans would have raised these objections, but the English government and country is just now decidedly unpopular, and the state of uncertainty in regard to the Oregon Question keeps the minds both of men and women in a state of ferment and irritation. I confess that there are moments in which I almost long for a declaration of war between the two countries, not from any vindictive or even martial feelings, but because I am tired of hearing

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the majority of the people boast so much of what they would and could do, in case of a struggle for Oregon actually taking place. All their boastings, however, are in themselves so exceedingly ridiculous, that they, as well as the terms in which they are couched, are becoming a standing joke, even with their own people, and, as far as we are concerned, generally excite more laughter than displeasure.

It was not without feelings of great interest that we visited the house once occupied by Louis Philippe, in the early part of his eventful life. It is a detached house, by no means large, and is situated in that quarter of the city still inhabited by the remains of the French noblesse: it is surrounded by a verandah, and is pointed out with great respect to strangers, as the abode of the son of. Egalité.'

In the same part of the town, and not far from this interesting spot, is the Slave Bazaar, as it may be called, for there the negroes, men and women, all dressed in their best, are generally to be seen, waiting for customers. On the appearance of any one likely to become a purchaser, they are marched out, and their merits enlarged upon by their respective owners. They looked cheerful enough, for Providence has happily endowed them with light hearts, as a counterbalance to the evils of their condition. But what condition has not its

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evils? And who can say, that the All-Wise Dispenser of good and evil has not apportioned to each of us a more equal division of both, than at a cursory view would sometimes appear.

The cotton presses at New Orleans are very extensive buildings; we visited one, the front of which extended for nearly two hundred and fifty yards, and it is capable of storing 25,000 bales of cotton. The process of pressing is performed by steam and, with wonderful rapidity, each bale being compressed into half its original bulk. Our friends and acquaintances grow rapidly in number, and invitations come thick and fast. Numerous are those we have received to spend any time on the plantations of some of our kind friends after the New Orleans season, when they return to the country; and we should gladly accept some of them could our stay in the south be prolonged.

I believe that people in England have very little idea of the riches and hospitality of some of the southern planters: we are acquainted with some, who, I am told, have as many as two thousand vassals in the shape of negroes, and their enormous fortunes are spent, not only in dissipation and hospitality, but also in ameliorating the condition of those who are thus dependent upon them. We have heard so many different accounts in England of the treatment of the slaves on the plantations, that we have determined to judge for ourselves