In the evening our host took me down to the office of the principal newspaper of the city. It has been started since the national occupation, on the ruins of old Rebel papers; is, in shape and size, a _fac simile_ of leading New York journals, is crowded with advertisements, and is paying a net profit of eight to ten thousand dollars a month. Yet, with such a start, its proprietors, though strong Unionists, are afraid to take any decided political stand. Its main rival, the Picayune, was already appealing to the returning Rebels, and there was danger, they thought, of their being “cut under.” It was the old, sad story of making principles as little offensive as possible, and softening them away, point by point, to conciliate imperious patrons. “You call our course hard names,” said one of the proprietors. “But look at our condition. We have the largest circulation and the business lead. The interior is just being opened up to us, and we want to occupy this new field in advance of any rival. If we denounce Rebels, or advocate negro suffrage, we lose what we have here, and throw away, at the same time, all chance of extending our circulation in the country; for, the moment we say anything particularly displeasing to the Rebels, the Picayune stands ready for the chance, and steps into our business. No, no. Our only chance is to make a good _news_ paper, and politically drift with the tide!” ----- Footnote 29: Since elected Congressman from one of the New Orleans districts, in the hope that his position and age might help to secure the admission of himself and his colleagues. The House, however, proved unimpressible, and he soon gave up an effort after such barren honors, and returned. Footnote 30: Throughout the English-settled portion of the United States, the British Common Law is the basis of all our jurisprudence. But the French and Spanish settlements in Louisiana have left it the legacy of the Civil Law, and so made the practice of law in its courts a matter requiring special study, and presenting special perplexities. CHAPTER XXIV. The Beginning Reaction—Northern Emigrants and New Orleans Natives.