Had the government continued in
the hands of France, it is more than probable that the titles to these
tracts would never have been contested, even though the requisite
number of settlers had not been upon the lands to complete the grants
at the specified period; and it is also probable there would have been,
in proper time, the required number. But this transfer of dominion was
exceedingly distasteful to the French population.
The antagonism of races itself is a great difficulty in the way of
amalgamation, even though both may belong to the same great division of
the human family; but added to this the difference of language, laws,
habits, and religion, it would almost seem impossible. In the instance
of Louisiana it has, so far, proved impossible. Although the French
have been American subjects for more than sixty years, and there now
remain in life very few who witnessed the change, and notwithstanding
this population has, so far as the government is concerned, become
thoroughly Americanized, still they remain to a very great extent a
distinct people. Even in New Orleans they have the French part and the
American part of the city, and do not, to any very great degree, extend
their union by living among each other.
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