Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-08-21
SPEECH
SPEECH,
DHLIyERnp By MS ExcELLENcr
GoYERN0R CLAIBORNE,
4 2s1s To THE
y LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
ON PRoRocyTvc ITEM, y0Lr 5, 1905.
Ire.1cn .~ 10 IHE

~.
! z'eaaos0 lifizens Of Ae Legislatipe Council
have attended in this hall fer the pur-
pose ofproroguing your session, and thus
10 close, perhaps foreycrthe political con.
nexion now slbsis.ing between us. The
occasion has given rise to the reflections,
calculated to excite on my part, great
degree of sensibili,y. To you, genie men,
who have participated with me The toll OF
J ieB'slating for territory situated as this
mas been where general innovation
Throughout the whole system of governs
ment, presented variety OF Legislative
iobJscss' that required the exercise OF a
more Than ordinary share oftaleut and dis.
tcrction where prejudice and former ma.
bits presented impediments 70 that pro.
gress OF improvement, which experience
had suggested, and reason SANCTIONED -
e above alb where party spirit, lighted up
tny restless, and occasionally by unpriUci.
pied Ambitions. was top successful in pro-
ducing distrust and inquietude permit
noe toobscrye that 10 citizeps, who neither
influenced by any hayward impulse of the
moment, or awed by the difficulties in.
view, attended with fidelity and remained
with hrmness at the post assigned them
by their country, great debt Of gratitude
IS due and my sincerity cannot be questi
oned, when for them profess much res
| pect, and a sincere regard.
Uncandid men have said, and many
have been deceived into the belief, thai
this country became annexed 20 the Uni.
ted States Under the most favorable aus
pices and that therefore every dissatisiac-
ton manife,ted by the people may be ate
tribu,ed TO The feebleness or WICK sdness
| OF the local administration. To what de-
gree OF credit this statement Is cnti,ied,
lyou gentleman. well know. But let the
stranger be Told, that at the period .ofthe
cession, the aspect of affairs in Louisiana
/ was not such as to justify an expectation
on the part OF those intrusied with the go-
sernment. fhailh administrations would
iorsom lime, be otherwise than painful
and pernlrxing.
In a'terutoiy whose citizens are Cor the
! most part either pat,ves, or descendants
lat natives OF France and Spa;D, who had
4 long cherished fond remembrance ofthe
country OF their forefathers ;--In o terri
tory That had been controlled by the will
oil ARBITRARY chiefs, for near century, and
harrasssd by frequent change of allegi.
ance where the lies Of BIRTH. affinity anu
language 1.-THE influence of habit and past
iayors, had made those Impressions, which
IKE causes every where produce, the man
indeed must be little acquainted with hui
man nature, who had supposed that in
territory thus situated the principles OF
she American government. could have
bsen introduced wthou, difficulty, or that
the public funeiionaries could have dis.
charged their duties in such a way, as 10
have conciIiated the good opinion of all.
That the people have experienced incon-i
ve7ie7'ee, must be admitted but that i'll
sas nseparaDle from the charge of doIni-
Dinn. During The first provisional govern
ment, probably some errors may have
been committed, and these have too of.
ten been exaggerates by The malevoient
and designing On this subj G., however,
tieel no uneaslress, as the errors Of
good intention viii readily be excused by
generous people !: but in relation 20 the
raf'tnrntfs 70 which have been subjected.
ana their aa'hors, look down upon them
with contempt. from that eminence on
which conscious reetIlude has placed me,
belisve may confidently assert that The
fprovsienss Decentralization in louisiana W as
commens ed and conducted with cousss.
tepcy as o the principle by which its aEts
were GOV, rned principle of mild and
lcoDciiiator., justice, resolved on at an ear
liyPercd, the best policy that could be
lPufsue IN district, where the harmony
OF thecitizei was secured but by slender
ties, and where IL was the daily labor Of
some 70 rend those lies asunder. Armed
rs that administration was with extensive
power, Il was, perhaps, difficult to avoid
The character OF tyranny without being ex-
posed 10 charges of dcfee on the other
extreme.
Superficial Observers, and perverted
minds are often unable TO view the arm
as otherwise than feeble, which, when
clothed with power, refuses to exert IL.
But the frircihe was fixed, add If occasi
ops did occur that might have justified a
depsrlurture from IL, nevertheless look
back with pleasure to the forbearance thai
was so happily perseyercd in, and l feel
proud in the reelection that no unwoTthy
spirit ofrescntment, was at aDy time ma