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HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.
Rivalry of Laussat and Casa Calvo .- In the meantime there was a great deal of rivalry between Laussat and the Marquis of Casa Calvo, each trying to outdo the other in a series of magnificent dinner parties, given to the chief in- habitants of the colony. It was the French Republic vying with the Spanish Monarchy. Each representative wished to prove how much affection his country felt for the Louisian- ians. In a history of Louisiana, by a French traveller named Robin, who attended some of these banquets, there is an in- teresting description of the guests, and from it we translate the following: "The ladies of the colony appear at these " fetes with an elegance which is truly astonishing ; the prin- " cipal cities of France can offer nothing more brilliant. " These ladies are generally tall and dignified. The white- " ness of their complexion is set off by light robes orna- " mented with flowers and embroidery ; so that one of these " fetes is like a scene in fairyland. Sometimes as many as " four hundred guests are grouped around the tables at sup- " per. What a pity," he continues, " that a taste for such " pleasures should spread in a new country, which has so " much need to practise economy !"
QUESTIONS.
Who was Napoleon ? What bargain did he make ? Give an ac- count of Jefferson's purchase. Who was Laussat ? How was his address to the people received ? Describe the act of taking posses- sion. Describe the banquets of that day.
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FROM COLONY TO STATE.
CHAPTER XXI.
UNDER THE AMERICAN FLAG.
The American Government Takes Possession .- On the 17th of December, ISO3, Wm. C. C. Claiborne, Gover .. nor of Mississippi, accompanied by General Wilkinson, arrived at New Orleans to take possession of Louisiana in the name of the American Government. The 20th instant was chosen as the day of the cession. That day, for the third time in the memory of a generation then living, the people of Louisiana, without their feel- ings being consulted, were trans- ferred from one government to another. The Commissioners GOVERNOR CLAIBORNE. met Laussat at the Cabildo, The keys of the city, held by France for twenty days, were now presented to Governor Claiborne, and as the "Stars and Stripes" ran up to the head of the flag staff, loud huzzas filled the air. These came, it is said, from a group of Americans. The rest of the population, who felt that the change of government was not an act of their free will, showed no enthusiasm. As soon as he had received the keys Governor Claiborne arose and addressed the people. He congratulated them on becoming citizens of the United States, and praised the government which he represented.
Limits of Louisiana. 1803 .- Thus it was that the United States came into possession of the great province of Louisi- ana. What were the limits of this new purchase? They embraced more than one million square miles and more than ninety thousand inhabitants. The boundaries were about as
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HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.
follows: On the north, the lower limit of Canada; on the south, the Gulf of Mexico ; on the east, the Mississippi river and a line drawn through Bayou Manchac and the lakes to
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Division of Louisiana .- On March 26, ISO.4, the Con- gress of the United States passed an act for the government of the great territory purchased by Jefferson. This territory was thereby divided into two parts: first, all that portion north of the 33d degree of latitude (the present northern boundary of Louisiana) was to be called the District of Lou- isiana. The name was afterward changed to the Territory of Louisiana, and then to the Territory of Missouri; hence that part of Louisiana will no longer concern us in this his-
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tory, Secondly, "All that portion of the country ceded by " France to the United States which lies south of the Missis- " sippi Territory, and of an east and west line to commence " on the Mississippi river at the 33d degree of latitude, and " extending to the western boundary of the said cession, shall " constitute a territory of the United States under the name " of the Territory of Orleans." We shall see that eight years later the Territory of Orleans became the present State of Louisiana.
This new territory was to be under a governor and a legis- lative council, both to be appointed by the President of the United States. The introduction of slaves from Africa was forbidden, and as the inhabitants thought the negroes neces- sary for the cultivation of their plantations, this measure caused great dissatisfaction.
Claiborne Made Governor .- ()n Friday, October 5, 1804, Claiborne * was sworn into office as governor of the new Ter- ritory of Orleans. He had just suffered a great domestic affliction in the death of his wife and child ; and in his open- ing address he touched the hearts of his audience by declar- ing that the only happiness left to him would consist in try- ing to govern wisely those who had been put under his charge.
Legislative Council .- To assist Claiborne in the govern- ment of the Territory, the following council was appointed : Julien Poydras, Morgan, Bellechasse, Watkins, de Boré, Dow, Cantrelle, Clark, Roman (of Attakapas), Jones, De Buys, Kenner, and Wikoff (of Opelousas). The first judges appointed were Dominick A. Hall, district judge of the United States, with E. Kirby and J. B. Prevost, judges of the Superior Court.
* Win. Charles Cole Claiborne was sprung from an old Virginia family. In 1793 he had moved to East Tennessee, where he held high offices. He was chosen judge of the Supreme Court and member of Congress. In 1801 he was appointed, by Jefferson, governor of the Mississippi Territory, which position he occupied until he was sent to Louisiana by the same President.
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HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.
Discontent of the Louisianians .- Thus the new govern- ment had been organized, but there was still a great deal of dissatisfaction among the inhabitants. To forbid the impor- tation of slaves was a great grievance, but a more serious one was that the legislative council was not elected by the people, as in the other Territories of the United States. The new Governor, moreover, it was declared, was ignorant of the manners and customs of the people over whom he was placed, and even spoke the French language very imperfectly. The discontent reached such a point that four members of the council resigned, and Claiborne had to appoint others in their places.
Before this, however, a committee of three-Destrehan, Derbigny, and Sauve-had been sent to Washington with a memorial, asking that the Territory of Orleans should be admitted into the Union as a State, and that the slave trade should be continued. These requests were not granted ; but Congress passed a bill allowing the Louisianians to elect a territorial legislature of twenty-five members ; and this legis- lature was permitted to send on to the President the names of ten individuals, from whom he should choose a legislative council or senate of five members. It was further declared that the Territory of Orleans should be admitted as a State as soon as the population amounted to 60,000.
Something had been gained, but neither the native Louisi- anians nor the American settlers were satisfied. Was there any excuse for such treatment of the Louisianians by the Congress of the United States? Had the American Govern- ment not promised that the inhabitants of the Territory should be admitted as soon as possible to the enjoyment of all the rights and privileges possessed by the citizens of the United States? Why then should the Territory of Orleans not be formed into a State, and the inhabitants permitted to choose their own governor and elect their own judges? Such were the bitter questions asked by the Louisianians. The
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only answer of Congress was that the number of inhabitants in the Territory was only forty thousand, and that the great majority were Frenchmen and Spaniards, who were not yet acquainted with the laws and Constitution of the United States ; hence it would be wise for Orleans to serve its ap- prenticeship as a Territory before being admitted into the Union as a " sovereign State."
This answer did not satisfy the Louisianians, and the old newspapers of New Orleans are filled with anonymous letters criticising very sharply the American Government and its representative, Governor Claiborne. The latter had be- come unpopular because he vetoed several bills passed by the legislature .*
Other Causes of Discontent .- From one of Claiborne's letters we learn that the trial by jury, to which the Louisian- ians had not been accustomed under the Spanish Govern- ment, and which was now introduced, was at first very un- popular. Moreover, a number of lawyers crowded into the Territory, and, by investigation of the titles to lands, and by sharp practice, succeeded in amassing large fortunes and gaining the hatred of the people. f Last, but not least, the introduction of the English language into the courts of jus- tice was a serious cause of discontent. "These courts," says Judge Martin, " had interpreters of the French, Span- " ish, and English languages. They translated the evidence, " and the charge of the judge when necessary, but not the "argument of the lawyers. The cause was opened in the " English language, and the jurymen who did not under- " stand English were then allowed to withdraw to the gal- " lery. The argument of the defence being in French, these " were then brought back; and the rest of the jury, if they " were Americans and did not understand French, were al-
* It was not possible under the territorial government to pass a bill over the governor's veto by a two-thirds vote of the legislature.
¡ Gayarre.
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HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.
" lowed to withdraw in their turn. All went together into " the jury room-each declaring that the argument to which " he had listened was the best -- and they finally agreed on a " verdict in the best manner they could." To add to the confusion in the courts, the Territory of Orleans was gov- erned partly by a set of laws drawn up in imitation of the Code of Napoleon,* and partly by the old Spanish laws, which very few lawyers understood.
Governor Claiborne, who appreciated the feelings of the people, and hoped that in time these feelings would change for the better, bore all the attacks upon himself with patience, and tried in every honorable way to draw over to his side those that opposed him. He nobly declared that the news- papers could not injure him as long as he did his duty, and that he believed the freedom of the press should be main- tained, even if injustice were sometimes the result. By his simplicity and his pleasant manners, Claiborne soon made many friends for himself. At first he seems to have dis- trusted the old inhabitants of Louisiana, and to have be- lieved that in case of war they would prefer the govern- ment of France to that of the United States ; but gradually his opinion changed, and he declared that the great majority would, under all circumstances, be loyal to the American Government. In the war of 1812 the conduct of the Creoles proved that he was right.
QUESTIONS.
Why was Claiborne sent to Louisiana? What was the extent of Louisiana? How was Louisiana divided? Who was made governor? Why were the people of Louisiana discontented with the new gov- ernment? Why did the United States decline to make Louisiana a State? Describe the courts of justice. Show the limits of Louisiana on map of 1810, and on large map of the State.
* This Code was drawn up in France by order of Napoleon; it was based on the Roman law. It is still the foundation of our civil law in Louisiana.
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FROM COLONY TO STATE.
CHAPTER XXII. DESCRIPTION OF LOWER LOUISIANA AT TIME OF CESSION.
New Orleans in 1803 .- The little city already had over Sooo inhabitants. They were, for the most part, French and Spanish Creoles, but the Spaniards had intermarried with the French, and the language of the latter was generally spoken. The number of the Americans was increasing daily, and many refugees from the island of St. Domingo sought a home in Louisiana. Houses were being built with great rapidity. Those along the river bank were the most attrac. tive. In a desirable street the best stores rented at eighty dollars a month .*
The streets at that time, even the principal ones, were almost impassable. There was no paving as yet, and the vehicles in rainy weather sank to their hubs. A street was generally called by the name of the principal inhabitant, as the proper designations were to be found only in the city archives. As soon, however, as the Americans took posses- sion, there was a change for the better. The streets were raised and kept cleaner. Already the city was very prosper- ous. The Mississippi was crowded with barges bringing down the products of the rich countries above, and the mei- chants of New Orleans were growing wealthy. As yet there was no Carnival in the winter season, but splendid entertain- ments were numerous, and the different classes of society were devoted to gayety.
The Parishes .- When Claiborne became governor of the Territory of Orleans, his legislative council divided it into twelve settlements, which at first were called counties. These were the counties of Orleans, German Coast, Acadia, La-
* The increase in the value of property at the present day is shown by the fast that a fine store dow rents at over five hundred dollars a month.
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HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.
fourche, Iberville, Pointe Coupée, Concordia, Attakapas, Opelousas, Rapides, Natchitoches, and Ouachita. The limits of these divisions were not clearly fixed, and the divisions themselves differed very much in size and population. Some were three hundred miles in extent, and others only forty- five ; some contained ten times as many inhabitants as others. Finally, by an act of the legislature, approved March 31, 1807, the Territory of Orleans was divided into nineteen dis- tricts, to which the name of " parishes " was given, from the fact that the old Spanish division for religious purposes was used as the basis in fixing the boundaries .* In no other State of the Union are the counties so named. Since that time it has been found convenient, as the population increased, to divide still further the larger parishes, and they now number fifty-nine. t
Robin, who visited many of the Louisiana parishes in the early part of the century, gives us some idea of the inhab- itants and their manner of life. If a traveler ascended the river to Pointe Coupée, he saw along the banks rich planta- tions, pretty houses, and numerous settlements. In the Parish of St. Charles a large number of Germans had set- tled as far back as the time of John Law and his " Missis- sippi Bubble." They had always been industrious, and many of them were now rich. Owning few slaves they tre- quently worked their own plantations, and from their gar- dens New Orleans was supplied with every kind of vege- table. Sixty miles above the city began the " Acadian Coast," where the wanderers from Nova Scotia had settled . more than forty years before. In the early days they had been largely supported by supplies from the Government ;
* Hence the names of the Saints in the designation of the old parishes. t The 19 parishes of iso7 were: 1. City of New Orleans, 2. St. Bernard, 3. St. Charles, 4. St. John the Baptist, 5. Plaquemines, 6. St. James, 7. Ascension, 8. As- sumption, 9. Interior Parish of Latourche, 10, Iberville, 11. W. Baton Rouge, 12. Pointe Coupée, 13. Concordia, 14. Ouachita, 15. Rapides, 16. Avovelles, 17. Natchi- coches 18. St. Landry, 19. Attakapas, called Parish of St. Martin. Four more parishes were added from West Florida at a later period.
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but at this epoch they were very prosperous. They raised rice and corn, and they owned immense herds of cattle. Their lives were very simple, but they were as fond of dane- ing parties as they are at the present day.
At Pointe Coupée, where Julien Poydras owned a large plantation, there were many old and aristocratic French settlers. They lived in great luxury, surrounded by large numbers of slaves, who did all the work. There were hardly any taverns along the banks of the river. Indeed, they were unnecessary, for a traveler was welcomed wherever he went ; and Louisianians were as famous for their hospitality in those days as they are at the end of the nineteenth century.
After passing Pointe Coupée, houses became much scarcer, and as one ascended the river, one saw only small settle- ments here and there, which were protected from the Indians by forts. Above Baton Rouge, on the east bank of the river, the inhabitants were, for the most part, Americans. These supplied their French friends across the river with slaves and all kinds of provisions. Some of them had passed over to the west bank and settled the Red river district. In the prairies below the mouth of Red river, on Bayous Lafourche, Plaquemines, Atchafalaya, and Teche, there were, says Dr. Monette, numerous French settlements. In St. Bernard parish * and on the Amite river there were many Spaniards. who had come over from the Canary Islands during the Spanish domination. These were the Isleños or "Islanders."
Traffic on the Mississippi .- All kinds of craft plied on the river, from the cumbersome flat-boat to the swiftly glid- ing pirogue. When they reached New Orleans the flat-boats were broken up and the timber sold, it being almost impos- sible to haul them back against the current. In ascending the stream other boats made use of sails, oars, and sometimes of a rope dragged along the levees. The traveler making a trip
* Named in honor of Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish governor.
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HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.
up the river usually engaged some Canadians or Indians as oarsmen. What a difference between this method of travel and a trip on one of our magnificent steamboats at the present day !
Chief Products of the Territory in 1803 .- The prod- ucts of Louisiana at that period seem very insignificant when compared with those of our time. For instance, there were seventy-five sugar houses in the Territory, and the whole yield was only five million pounds, which is equaled by a single plantation of to-day. The one sugar refinery of which the Territory boasted produced only 200,000 pounds a year, and as the process of refining was not well understood, the sugar was poor. In his history, Judge Martin tells us that only 20,000 bales of cotton were raised,* and that there were only 5000 casks of molasses. The prairies of Opelousas and Attakapas, however, were covered with great herds of cattle, and furnished New Orleans with more fresh meat than could be consumed.
Domestic manufactures hardly existed at this period. The Acadians wove their homespun cloth as they do to-day, but slavery was unfavorable to the rise of factories. The slaves, though skilful enough in the cotton fields, seemed entirely unsuited for the cotton factory.
Indians .- In IS03 there were still a number of scattered Indian tribes in Louisiana. On Bayou Vermilion, for in- stance, there was a village of Attakapas (man-eaters-so called because they were once cannibals ). On the Ouachita and Red river were found the Caddos and the Choctaws, the former tribe still having a force of five hundred warriors. The Indians, however, seem to have given very little trouble to the whites, who traded with them for skins and other fruits of the chase. In fact, the savages were dependent upon the whites for the powder and ball they used in their hunting
* The sagar drop of 1891 Was 494,000,000 pounds, and the cotton crop of Louis iana aver iges about halt a million hales.
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expeditions, and they gradually lost their hatred of the "pale- faces." It must not be supposed, however, that they had been civilized by their intercourse with the white men. Cath- olic missionaries from the earliest times had attempted to convert them to Christianity, and change their savage dispo- sition, but they had met with very little success. The In- dians, from their manner of life and their traditions, were neither willing nor able to accept the laws of civilization. They possessed, however, many fine qualities, and the story of their gradual disappearance in Louisiana has a pathetic interest. The Indian women who to-day sell sassafras and herbs in the French market are descended from the once dreaded tribe of Choctaws; while those on the Teche, who make the wonderful baskets, are all that are left of the Attak- apas .*
QUESTIONS.
Tell something about New Orleans in 1803. Why are the counties in Louisiana called parishes ? Describe the German, Acadian, and French settlements along the Mississippi. Who are the " Islanders ? " How was the Mississippi navigated before the day of steamboats ? What were the chief products of Louisiana ? Was there any manu- facturing ? Who were the Attakapas ? The Choctaws ?
CHIAPTER XXIII.
TROUBLOUS TIMES.
Aaron Burr .- One of the most remarkable men in the early part of this century was Aaron Burr. In ISoo he was elected Vice President of the United States, and while hold- ing this office he fought a duel with the famous statesman
* A great deal was done for the Indians around New Orleans by the poet-priest, Father Rouquette, who devoted his life to this work. He died in 1887.
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HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.
Alexander Hamilton, in which the latter was killed. Some time after this Burr made a journey through what was then called the Western Country. His manners were very attrac- tive, and he made many friends among the prominent men of the time. To some of these he seems to have confided his reasons for traveling in the West, but the exact purpose of his journey has never been discovered. Burr purchased 300,000 acres of land on the Red river, and he afterwards declared that his only intention was to settle this vast planta- tion. But when, in 1806, his secret agents were to be found in Louisiana and Kentucky, it began to be whispered around that Burr was a daring conspirator. His design, according to some, was to invade Mexico and make himself master of that country. Others declared that he intended to separate the Southern and Western Country from the Union, and, seizing New Orleans, make this city the capital of a new Union.
General Wilkinson, who was commander of the United States troops in the South, threw New Orleans into a state of defence, and arrested by military orders several of Burr's agents, who were stirring up trouble in the city. All of this caused the greatest excitement in New Orleans. Troops pa- trolled the streets, and Wilkinson felt justified in suspending the writ of habeas corpus-that is, he arrested suspicious persons and refused to surrender some of them when he was ordered by the courts to do so. This high-handed conduct stirred up a violent opposition to him, for the people thought that the laws were sufficient to protect the city.
In the meantime, however, Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, having been informed of Burr's strange conduct, had issued a proclamation against him, and in 1807, while Burr was passing through the Mississippi Territory, with one hundred men in his train, he was discovered. HIe gave himself up, but afterwards escaped. A reward of two thousand dollars having been offered for his arrest, he was
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captured and sent on to Richmond for trial. No act of trea- son, however, could be proved against him, and he was released. All the excitement that he had caused was soon at an end.
College and Schools .- As early as the year 1805 a college - was opened to students in New Orleans. It was situated near the corner of Hospital and St. Claude streets, and was called the College of Orleans. For twenty years it offered courses of instruction to the young men of that day. One of the most distinguished of its students was the Honorable Charles Gayarre, the historian of Louisiana .*
Some years later, at the suggestion of Governor Claiborne, public schools were established in the different parishes, but so little money was given for their support that, except in the parish of Pointe Coupee, they did not flourish. There were, however, a number of private schools in New Orleans, which were well attended. It was not till a good many years later that the importance of popular education was more fully recognized, and larger appropriations were made for the public schools.
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