﻿HISTORICAL 
  OUTLINE. 
  81 
  

  

  The 
  production 
  of 
  tobacco 
  under 
  this 
  arrangement 
  was 
  

   found 
  so 
  lucrative 
  that 
  it 
  was 
  engaged 
  in 
  extensively, 
  

   and 
  for 
  a 
  few 
  years 
  the 
  prosperity 
  of 
  the 
  country 
  was 
  

   rapidly 
  advancing. 
  This, 
  however, 
  could 
  not 
  withstand 
  

   the 
  blighting 
  and 
  injurious 
  effects 
  of 
  the 
  competition 
  

   with 
  the 
  Kentucky 
  tobacco 
  introduced 
  under 
  Wilkin- 
  

   son's 
  contract, 
  when 
  the 
  patronage 
  of 
  the 
  king 
  was 
  with- 
  

   drawn. 
  

  

  The 
  cultivation 
  of 
  tobacco 
  consequently 
  gave 
  way 
  to 
  

   that 
  of 
  indigo, 
  which, 
  however 
  disagreeable 
  and 
  offensive, 
  

   was 
  much 
  more 
  profitable. 
  To 
  this 
  succeeded 
  cotton, 
  

   which, 
  up 
  to 
  the 
  present 
  day, 
  promises 
  to 
  maintain 
  its 
  

   stand 
  against 
  all 
  competition. 
  

  

  In 
  1788, 
  another 
  census 
  was 
  taken, 
  and 
  the 
  population 
  

   of 
  the 
  Natchez 
  District 
  was 
  found 
  to 
  amount 
  to 
  2,679 
  

   persons, 
  an 
  increase 
  of 
  1,129 
  in 
  about 
  three 
  years. 
  

  

  In 
  1789, 
  General 
  Wilkinson 
  visited 
  New 
  Orleans 
  for 
  

   the 
  second 
  time, 
  and 
  was 
  informed 
  by 
  Governor 
  Miro 
  

   that 
  he 
  was 
  instructed 
  to 
  admit 
  the 
  immigration 
  of 
  set- 
  

   tlers 
  from 
  the 
  western 
  country. 
  

  

  Accordingly, 
  several 
  tracts 
  of 
  land 
  were 
  granted 
  to 
  

   such 
  settlers 
  as 
  presented 
  themselves 
  ; 
  these 
  established 
  

   themselves 
  chiefly 
  in 
  the 
  Natchez 
  District 
  and 
  Feliciana. 
  

   Many, 
  however, 
  under 
  the 
  pretence 
  of 
  settling 
  perma- 
  

   nently 
  in 
  the 
  country, 
  took 
  advantage 
  of 
  the 
  permission 
  

   to 
  make 
  several 
  trips 
  and 
  to 
  introduce 
  their 
  goods 
  and 
  

   produce 
  duty 
  free, 
  and 
  in 
  this 
  manner 
  a 
  market 
  was 
  

   gradually 
  opened 
  for 
  the 
  produce 
  of 
  the 
  Ohio. 
  

  

  On 
  the 
  1st 
  of 
  January, 
  1792, 
  the 
  Baron 
  de 
  Carondelet 
  

   was 
  appointed 
  Governor 
  of 
  Louisiana, 
  and 
  the 
  following 
  

   July 
  we 
  find 
  Don 
  Manuel 
  Gayoso 
  de 
  Lemos, 
  governor 
  

   at 
  Natchez. 
  

  

  At 
  this 
  time, 
  the 
  possessions 
  of 
  Spain 
  on 
  the 
  Missis- 
  

   sippi 
  were 
  seriously 
  menaced 
  in 
  different 
  quarters, 
  of 
  

   6 
  

  

  