 By the early 1840s , Benjamin was wealthy from his law practice and , with a partner , bought a sugar cane plantation , Bellechasse . This purchase , and the subsequent construction of a grand house there , advanced Benjamin 's ambitions ; the planter class controlled Louisiana politics and would only trust a man who also owned substantial land and slaves . The Benjamin marriage was by then failing , and he hoped in vain that his wife would be content at the plantation . Benjamin threw his energy into improving Bellechasse , importing new varieties of sugar cane and adopting up @-@ to @-@ date methods and equipment to extract and process the sugar . He purchased 140 slaves to work the plantation , and had a reputation as a humane slaveowner . 
