Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I, Part 20

Author: Fortier, Alcee, 1856-1914, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Association
Number of Pages: 1294

USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I > Part 20

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"Sixth-The preceding proposals are outlines of a provisional treaty which his Excellency, the Baron de Carondelet, is desirous of entering into with the inhabitants of the western country, the moment they shall be in a situation to treat for themselves. Should they not meet entirely with your approbation, and should you wish to make any alterations in, or additions to them. I shall, on my return, if you think proper to communicate them to me, lay them before his Excellency, who is animated with a sincere and ardent desire to foster this promising and rising infant country, and at the same time promote and fortify the interests of his beneficent royal master, in securing, by a generous and disinterested conduct, the gratitude and affections of a just, sensible and enlightened people.

"The important and unexpected events that have taken place in Europe since the ratification of the treaty concluded on the 27th of October, 1795, between His Catholic Majesty and the United States of America, having convulsed the general system of politics in that quarter of the globe, and, wherever its influence is extended, causing a collision of interests between nations formerly living in the most perfect union and harmony, and directing the political views of some states towards the most remote from their former pursuits, but none being so completely unhinged and disjointed as

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the cabinet of Spain, it may be confidently asserted, without incur- ring the reproach of presumption, that His Catholic Majesty will not carry the above mentioned treaty into execution ; nevertheless, the thorough knowledge I have of the disposition of the Spanish government justifies me in saying that, so far from its being his Majesty's wish to exclude the inhabitants of this western country from the free navigation of the Mississippi, or withhold from them any of the benefits stipulated for them in the treaty, it is posi- tively his intention, as soon as they shall put it in his power to treat with them, by declaring themselves independent of the Federal government and establishing one of their own, to grant them privi- leges far more extensive, give them a decided preference over the Atlantic States in his commercial connections with them, and place them in a situation infinitely more advantageous, in every point of view, than that in which they would find themselves, were the treaty to be carried into effect."

Following the submission of this document-a strange medley of threats and cajoleries-Carondelet sent to Power about $10,000, concealed in bags of coffee and barrels of sugar, to be delivered to Gen. Wilkinson, who was then in command of the western army. Wilkinson directed Power to take the money to Louisville and turn it over to Philip Nolan. Power was instructed to make a strong appeal to Wilkinson's ambition, and also "to ascertain the force, discipline, and temper of the army under his command." But the hour of separation had passed. The firmness of Washing- ton, a train of fortunate events, foremost of which were the admis- sion of Kentucky in 1792 and the treaty of Madrid, had appeased the western people, who were now satisfied with their own govern- ment. Power, therefore, returned to New Orleans and made an unfavorable report, after carrying out his instructions as best he could, and again the attempts of Spain to dismember the Union ended in failure.

Carpet-Baggers .- Immediately after the war a large number of Northern men, many of them ex-Federal soldiers, were attracted to the South by the inordinately high price of cotton and the low price of lands, as advertised in the newspapers. Some, too poor to purchase lands of their own, became renters, and others worked as ordinary laborers. All believed that by the application of the ad- vanced agricultural methods with which they were acquainted they could increase the production of cotton, and that they could get along better with the negroes than could their former masters. Garner, in his work on "Reconstruction in Mississippi," says: "It is not too much to say that a majority of the Northern planters were unsuccessful, and with the inauguration of the reconstruction policy in 1867, they virtually abandoned the business and became officeholders. It is incorrect, therefore, to call them carpet-baggers. They did not go South to get offices, for there were no offices for them to fill. The causes which led them to settle there were purely economic and not political. The genuine carpet-baggers, who came

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after the adoption of the reconstruction policy, were comparatively few in number.'

What was true of Mississippi was also true in greater or less degree of all the Southern states. These men, having failed to make money as rapidly as they had anticipated by agricultural pur- suits, found it more remunerative to exploit state and municipal governments for their private gain. They were not Southerners; they had nothing in common with the Southern people. Their sole object was to get rich at the expense of the community, and if the name carpet-bagger is one of reproach to them they have only themselves and the Congress which upheld them, to blame. In order to intrench themselves more firmly and perpetuate their power they formed political alliances with the ignorant negroes, upon whom their influence was bad and demoralizing, inasmuch · as they taught social and political equality and filled the minds of the negroes with hatred for their former masters. Under the ad- ministration of these carpet-bag governments the burden of taxa- tion became onerous and the dispensation a farce. Naturally, such conditions produced frequent riots, in which many lives were lost. The Southern people saw their birthright taken from them by men who cared nothing for the permanent welfare or prosperity of the state, and in their resentment resorted to means which oftentimes their own judgment did not approve. An instance of this kind was seen in the affair at Coushatta, Red River parish, in Ang., 1874, in which six Republican officials were killed. After the tragedy the white people of the parish issued an address to the public con- taining the following warning to the negroes: "To the colored people we have to say that our action in the present instance must fully convince you of the sincerity of our repeated declarations to you that our war was against only such of you as are silly and vicious enough to combine with the horde of scalawags and carpet- baggers, who, like vultures, have been preying upon our people for eight long years." The Committee of 70 passed resolutions deploring the conditions, in one of which appeared the following: "That in our opinion the immediate restoration of the state gov- ernment to the hands of its legally elected officers, from which it was arrested by Federal power, is the true remedy and would quickly compose all our difficulties and restore peace and good order." (See also Kellogg's Administration.)

Among the members of Congress who were zealous in their sup- port of the reconstruction laws and vindictive in their attitude toward. the Southern people, was Senator Oliver P. Morton, of Indiana. This fact doubtless led Judge W. P. Harris of Missis- sippi to say in a public speech in 1875: "If any 200 Southern men, backed by a Federal administration, should go to Indianapolis, turn out the Indiana people. take possession of all seats of power, honor and profit, denounce the people at large as assassins and bar- barians, introduce corruption in all branches of the public adminis- tration, make government a curse instead of a blessing, league with the most ignorant class of society to make war on the en-

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lightened, intelligent and virtnons, what kind of social relations would such a state of things beget between Mr. Morton and his fellow citizens and the intruders? When these people first flocked into the state they thought or assumed that they represented the majesty of an offended nation, and like the order of men to which they belong expected to act the part of public patrons, to be sur- rounded by clients and to pass amongst us amid salaams and genuflections; but they were instantly undeceived. We have, ever since the war, prayed earnestly that the true representatives of the Northern people might come among us; their merchants, their far- . mers, their professional men, the representatives of their industries. We got only the chevalier d'industrie, and we know him at sight." Such was the opinion of representative Southern men in all states of the carpet-bagger. It tells the whole story.

Carroll, a post-hamlet of Red River parish, situated on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation company, in the western part of the parish, is about a mile east of the Red river and 6 miles north of Coushatta, the parish seat and nearest banking town.

Carroll Parish, was created by an act of the state legislature in 1832, during the administration of Gov. Andre Bienvenu Roman, from parts of Ouachita and Concordia parishes. It was located in the extreme northeast corner of the state on the border of Arkan- sas and Mississippi; its original boundaries were as follows: Ar- kansas on the north; Mississippi territory on the east, from which it was separated by the Mississippi river; Concordia and Ouachita parishes on the south, and Onachita parish on the west. Carroll parish was settled almost entirely by English, Scotch and Irish immigrants from the older states, many coming from Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, some from Tennessee, and a large num- ber from the adjacent territory of Mississippi. Most of the early settlements were made along the Mississippi river, near Lake Providence, at the time called Stock Island lake, during the first years of the 19th century. On March 16, 1870, the seat of justice was removed from Floyd to Lake Providence, and by an act of March 27, 1877, Carroll parish was divided into two parishes, to be known as East and West Carroll parishes. May 11, of the same year, fixed Bayou Macon as the boundary between the two parishes. (See East and West Carroll parishes.)

Carroll, William, soldier and statesman, was born near Pittsburg, Pa., March 3, 1788. He received a limited education and in 1810 removed to Nashville. Tenn .. where he opened a nail store-the first in the state. He joined the state militia, of which Gen. Andrew Jackson was commander-in-chief, and in 1812 was elected captain of the Nashville Volunteers. Jackson soon after appointed him brigadier-inspector and a little later major. When Jackson was appointed major-general in the regular army in 1814, Maj. Carroll was appointed major-general of militia to succeed him. On Dec. 19, 1814, he arrived at New Orleans with 2.500 men, and in the battle of Jan. 8, 1815. repelled two attacks, inflicting severe punish- ment upon the British. For his gallantry on this occasion the

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Louisiana legislature gave him a vote of thanks on Feb. 2. After the war he returned to Nashville and became the owner of the first steamboat registered at that port. This boat he named the Andrew Jackson, in honor of his old friend and commander. In 1821 he was elected governor of Tennessee, was reelected in 1823, and again in 1825. While serving his second term as governor he visited New Orleans (Jan. 22, 1825), and was warmly received by the people of that city, a committee of citizens being chosen to pro- vide for his entertainment. To the expression of thanks of this committe he made a modest but appropriate reply. He was again elected governor in 1831 and 1833, but was defeated in 1835. He died on March 22, 1844, and his tombstone bears the following inscription, which is indicative of his character: "As a gentleman he was modest, intelligent, accomplished; as an officer he was energetic, gallant, daring : as a statesman he was wise and just."

Carson, a village in the northwestern part of Calcasieu parish, is a station on the Kansas City Southern R. R., about 5 miles south of De Ridder. It has an international money order postoffice, an express office, telegraph and telephone facilities, and is the eastern terminus of a short line of railroad called the Missouri & Louisiana, which runs west to "Carson Mill."

Carter, George W., politician, was somewhat active in Louisiana affairs during a portion of the reconstruction era. In 1871 he was a member of the legislature, and when Mortimer Carr resigned the speakership of the house. Mr. Carter was elected to the vacancy. Soon after his election to this position he aligned himself with S. B. Packard as a leader of a faction of the Republican party op- posed to the policies of Gov. Warmoth. He was a delegate. to the Custom House convention on Aug. 10, 1871, which convention was denounced by Gov. Warmoth as "a company of Federal office- holders." The contest was renewed in the session of the legisla- ture which met on Jan. 2. 1872, but he was finally ousted as speaker and expelled from the legislature. (See Warmoth's Administra- tion.)

Carterville, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Bossier parish, is near the Webster parish boundary, and about 8 miles northeast of Redland, the nearest railroad station.

Casa Calvo, Marquis de, 8th Spanish governor of Louisiana, came to the province with Gov. O'Reilly in 1769. being at the time only 18 years of age. He was a close friend of O'Reilly, whose son mar- ried a niece of Casa Calvo. His full name and title was Sebastian de la Puerta y O'Farril. Marquis de Casa Calvo. In 1793 he was in command of Fort Dauphin, St. Domingo, when 77 Frenchmen were brutally murdered by negroes, an outrage the marquis permitted withont offering any assistance to the unfortunate Frenchmen. Shortly after the death of Gov. Gayoso, the Marquis de Someruelos. captain-general of Cuba and Louisiana, appointed Casa Calvo to be governor ad interim. and on Sept. 13, 1799, he took possession of the military government of Louisiana. One of his first acts was to transmit to the captain-general the petition of the planters, asking

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the removal of the restrictions on the importation of negroes, so that they might be brought to the colony in unlimited numbers, or at least enough of them to supply all the labor necessary for the successful conduct of the plantations. About the middle of June, 1801, he was succeeded by Gov. Salcedo and immediately sailed for Havana. In the spring of 1803 he returned to New Orleans, having been appointed to act as joint commissioner with Salcedo in turning over the province of Louisiana to France. Lanssat, the French commissioner to receive the colony, says that as soon as he arrived, "he summoned all the militia officers * *

* to come to his lodging, and declare by yea or nay whether they intended to remain in the service of Spain." The transfer of the province was formally made on Nov. 30, 1803. but Casa Calvo remained at New Orleans, where he spent a considerable portion of his time in encouraging the belief that Louisiana was to be receded to Spain. On Oct. 15, 1805, in company with Morales, the intendant, he left New Orleans for the old post of Adaise (or Adayes), near Natchitoches, and Gov. Claiborne, fearing it was the intention of the two Spaniards to stir up dissensions among the people in the western part of the terri- tory, sent Capt. Turner along with them to keep an eye on their movements and report. Early in Jan., 1806, the two Spaniards returned to Natchitoches, and on the 25th Claiborne wrote to Morales: "I esteem it a duty to remind you that the departure from the territory of yourself and the gentleman attached to your department will be expected in the course of the present month." Casa Calvo came back to New Orleans on Feb. 4, and was almost immediately asked to leave the territory by the 15th. On the 12th Claiborne sent him a passport, with "best wishes for the health 'and happiness of the nobleman whose presence has become so unacceptable." Casa Calvo was highly indignant at this treatment, though there was nothing to do but to accept the passport and leave Louisiana never to return.

Casa Capitular .- (See Cabildo.)

Casey, James F., a native of Kentucky, was appointed collector of customs at New Orleans by President Grant during the recon- struction era. In 1872, while Pinchback was acting as governor, Casey sent to Washington a number of sensational telegrams, which doubtless had some influence in securing the presidential recognition of the Republican state administration. One of these telegrams, sent on Dec. 11. 1872. said: "Parties interested in the success of the Democratic party, particularly the New Orleans Times, are making desperate efforts to array the people against us. Old citizens are dragooned into an opposition they do not feel, and pressure is hourly growing. Our members (of the legislature) are poor and our adversaries are rich, and offers are made that are difficult for them to withstand. There is danger that they will break our quorum," etc. The next day he sent another telegram in which he suggested that. "If a decided recognition of Gov. Pinchback and the legal legislature were made, in my judgment, it would settle the whole matter." (See Returning Boards.) After

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the restoration of the state government to the people of Louisiana, Casey and others of his class disappeared from the arena of Loui- siana politics.

Casket Girls .- Among the passengers on board a vessel which arrived at New Orleans early in the year 1728, were a number of young women of good character, each of whom brought with her a chest of clothing, linen, etc .. from which they received the name of "filles a la cassette,", or "casket girls." They were placed in charge of the Ursuline nuns until such time as they should be taken in marriage by the colonists. Cable, in his "Creoles of Louisiana," says there were three score of them. that their trunks were the gifts of the king, and after regretting that their names have been lost, adds: "But the Creoles have never been careful for the authenti- cation of their traditions, and the only assurance left to us so late as this is, that the good blood of these modest girls of long for- gotten names, and of the brave soldiers to whom they gave their hands, with the king's assent and dower, flows in the veins of the best Creole families of the present day." (See also Women Colo- nists.)

Caspania, a post-town in the southern part of Caddo parish, is situated on the west bank of the Red river and the Texas & Pacific R. R., about 20 miles southeast of Shreveport. It has a money order postoffice, an express office, telegraph and telephone facili- ties and a population of a little over 100.

Castille, a post-hamlet in the extreme eastern part of Acadia parish, is about + miles southeast of Branch, the nearest railroad station and 6 miles northeast of Rayne.

Castor, a village and station in the western part of Bienville parish, is a station on the Louisiana & Arkansas R. R. It has a money order postoffice. an express office, telegraph and telephone facilities, and is a trading center for a considerable district.

Catahoula Parish was established in 1808, during the territorial administration of Gov. William C. C. Claiborne, and received its name in memory of the Catahoula Indians. The parish has an area of 1,399 square miles. It is situated near the center of the state and contained within its original boundaries part of the present parish of Caldwell. As now constituted it is bounded on the north by Caldwell and Franklin parishes : on the east by Tensas and Concordia parishes : the Red and Little rivers form its irregular southern boundary, separating it from Avoyelles parish : Little river separates it from Grant parish and forms most of the western boundary, which is completed by Winn parish. Settlements were made in Catahoula as early as 1796 and by 1810 farms and planta- tions were opened and under cultivation in nearly every part of the parish. Edward Meeks settled about 1796: David Jones and Richard Earle a year later, and from that time the settlement had a steady growth. The bluff lands of Sicily island were settled up by such families as the Lovelaces, Kirklands. Holsteins and others. It was here that the powerful tribe of Natchez Indians made their last stand against the French troops and traces of their intrench-

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ments remained down as late as 1825. The first store in Catahoula parish was situated at Catahoula prairie and was kept by Oliver J. Morgan and John Henry. When the parish was organized and laid off it contained a population of about 1,000 souls. Harrisonburg was made the seat of justice and Benjamin Tenille was appointed judge of the court. Dr. David Phelps of Kentucky was the first physician in the settlement. In 1819 the first steam boat ascended the Ouachita river, from New Orleans to the post of Ouachita, making the trip in 12 days. During the Civil war the only mili- tary operations in Catahoula were those around Fort Beauregard, situated on high ground overlooking Harrisonburg, where Lieut. George W. Logan was in command with a garrison of 400 men. The Federals sent three expeditions against the fort. The first two were artillery fights, but the gunboats did not succeed in passing the fort. The third was a land force which attacked the fort from the rear and Lieutenant Logan evacuated the fort, taking what artillery he could and spiking the remainder. Harrisonburg, on the Ouachita river, is the parish seat and most important town. Cata- houla is not thickly populated, and has no large towns, but several thriving villages, such as Eden, Jena, Jonesville, Leland. Manifest, Olla, Sicily Island, Rosefield, Urania and Wild Wood. The parish lies in the "long leaf yellow pine region." The southeastern por- tion is flat, subject to overflow and swampy in places. The north- ern and western portions are broken, with rolling uplands, broken creek bottoms, pine hills and bluffs. Many different soils are found, which result in a diversity of products. Catahoula and Larto lakes lie within the southern boundaries. . There are a number of mineral and sulphur springs in the parish, those most valuable - and noted for their medicinal properties are. White Sulphur and Castor springs. The principal water courses are the Ouachita, Tensas and Black rivers; Bayous Louis and Saline; Castor and Gaston fords, and many small streams, all of which are used in the extensive lumbering industry. The timber resources of the parish are enormous, and up to a decade ago were practically untouched. The principal varieties are "long leaf yellow pine," oak, ash, cypress, gum, hickory, locust, sassafras, maple, sycamore, beech, magnolia and persimmon. Over the hill country it is estimated that there is an average of 14.000 feet of good marketable lumber to the acre, and several extensive cypress swamps afford fine fields for the lumberman. The soil may be divided into three classes. alluvial, sand and clay. The first is best adapted to the growth of cotton, which is the great export erop. Oats, corn, potatoes, tobacco and peas all yield abundantly, while fruit trees of all kinds grow rap- idly. The parish is not well supplied with the railroads necessary for the development of its great resources. A branch of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R. R. crosses the northwest cor- ner; the New Orleans & Northwestern crosses the northeast corner, running through the towns of Greenville, Copeland, Flor- ence, Peck and Lee Bayou : a branch of the Louisiana & Arkansas runs from Georgetown to Jena, and the Boston & Little River R. R.

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runs westward from Eden. The following statistics concerning farms, manufactures and population of the parish are taken from the U. S. census for 1900: Number of farms, 2,273; acreage, 197,031 ; acres under cultivation, 59,657 ; value of land and improve- ments exclusive of buildings, $737.400; value of farm buildings, $340,420; value of live stock, $517.465 : value of all products not fed to live stock, $868.892; number of manufactories, 29; capital in- vested, $126,275; wages paid, $15,715; cost of materials used. $+2,- 421 ; total value of products, $97,493. The population for 1900 was 9,518 whites, 6,793 colored, a total of 16,351, and an increase of 4,349 over the year 1890. The estimated population for 1908 was over 20,000. (See La Salle Parish.)

Cataro, a post-hamlet in the central part of St. Landry parish, is situated on Bayou Carron, abont 6 miles west of Begg, the nearest railroad station and 9 miles northwest of Opelousas, the parish seat.

Cathedral of St. Louis .- Soon after the founding of New Orleans. Bienville located the site of the church for the new settlement and designated the ground on the left to be used as a presbytery. The first building was of wood and adobe, erected under the anspices of the French government and was named in honor of the King of France and the patron saint, St. Louis, about 1720, from which time date the archives of the Catholic church of New Orleans. In Jan., 1722, Father Charlevoix, a Jesuit missionary, reached New Orleans from Canada and in his letter describing the infant capital of the new province says that, "a shed was used as a chapel." In Sept., 1723, a tornado devastated the colony and blew down the little parish church, the first place of worship in Louisiana. In 1824 or 1825, a much more substantial parish church was built of brick, which served the community for over 60 years. On Good Friday, March 21, 1788, a great fire took place in the city of New Orleans, and the second church was destroyed in the terrible conflagration. Mass was celebrated in a temporary building for some time, but toward the close of the year 1788. Almonester (q. v.) offered to the superior council or cabildo, to rebuild the church on a still grander and more massive scale, at his own expense, the government to repay him for his expenditure when the edifice was completed. His propo- sition was accepted, the foundations of the building were laid in March, 1789, and within 5 years, notwithstanding many obstacles that had to be overcome, the building was completed. Hardly had the new church been built, when, on the fete of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, 1794, another great conflagration broke out in the city and the newly built cathedral escaped as if by a miracle. The church cost Almonester $50,000. The original design was the usual heavy Spanish style, but about 1814 the great round towers were added and the belfry in 1824. In Feb .. 1850, the principal tower of 'the cathedral fell, injuring the roof and walls to a great extent. It is the prevalent but erroneous belief that the cathedral was torn down and rebuilt in 1850, but this is a mistake. When the wardens started to have the building repaired, they concluded to

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Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I, Part 20

Author: Fortier, Alcee, 1856-1914, ed. 1n Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Association Number of Pages: 1294

Author: Fortier, Alcee, 1856-1914, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Association
Number of Pages: 1294