Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-06-11
A LEAF FROM THE HISTORY OF
LOUISIANA.

~ bdltlE VI AaBW oIledHk3 TIE ltRIsidJUFB "
this state were in favor of surrendering tn,
city (and, Of course, the state, and even tn.
country itself) 10 the British. Not only haI
this accusation been brought against the le
g~islature Of 1914, but in the mouths of SOME
who seem to prefer h~ear-say to well-autheB
ticated evidence, the ignominy of traiterout
designs has attained the entire people Of Lou
isia1la. A dense and gloomy cloud of black
ened infany, in the minds Of some, rests upor
the gallant people Of this state and although
the facts from which this mort wrongful am
heinous error took its rise, have been timer
without number published and explained, sc
tenacious]y do certain spirits cling to all evi
report, thatit becomes our duty. az each sue.
ceedlng generation swarms upon the stage o
busy1ife. TO enter into fresh revelations--tt
tell again the oft told tale, which eyerr .oot
father should communicate 10 his children
rs a sad testimony of the truth, that even the
most upright, honest ana. patriotic citizen, ii
not beyond the scorrlon-sting of the .slanderer
nor purity itself proof against the stains oil
calumny ard lalsehood.
In the books, as well ar In the opinions b
certain neighboring states, it ia gravcly sci
down that the patriotism OF Louisiana during
the last war was Of a doubtful complexion
The aspersion is not more foul than false.
But the charge thus preferred against the
State, is urged still more positively against
the Legislature of 1914. We are prepared
to show that there is just as much truth III
the one accusation as in the other land the
probability is, that the former was predieated
Bponthe latter. On what other grounds the
former could have arisen, we are at Il loss to
conceive for certainly no people ever evin-
ced a more eager patrlotlsu-a more earnest
desire to meet the enemy--a more devoted
attachment to country, home and friends, than
did the citizens of louisiana at the epoch OF
which we write. Nor were the legislature
the representatives Of the citizens---a lot be-
bind their compatriotes in exertions to defend
the territory and chastise the insolence and
bold aggressions Of the ruthless foe. They
led the way they called on the citizens
TO arm they voted abundant supplies and
watched with argus eyes every boding aspect
of the times.
For the truth of these remarks, we can SAFE
ly appeal to the journals Of the two Houses
but as our present object il to make a plain
transcript OF a painful page in the his
tory Of the statetke shall do so, reverting in
cidentally only, TO those acts Of the legisla-
ture which fully confirm our words.
On the morning of the 25ffr of December
1914, the representatives of the people of
Louisiana, as they assembled at the State.
house to enter on the deliberation of the i1n-
portant functions then in their charge, found
the doors of the house defended against them
by armed sentinels. They naturally demand
ed an explanation, informing the soldiers who
and what they were. The brief reply was :
shave orders to prevent the members Of
both houses from meeting" The meeting,
was not prevented. At Is minutes
past five o'clock 2. NJ, the Senate assembled
at the nearest convenient place, for the pur-
pose of listening to statements and taking de-
positions relative to the fragrant outrage that
day perpetrated on the representative bodies
of the people. The statements Of Mr.. Skip
with, president of The Senate, and of bir.
Dent, one of the members, were heard, after
which proceedings we're adjourned until the
next day. The statstnant Of Mr.. Deaf we
here transcribe.
sMr. Dent then begged leave TO state that he
was in front of the government house at about
ten o'clock in the morning, when Governor
Claiborne arrived there on horseback, and
after appearing TO have given some order to
an officer of the militia, called him (Mr. Dcnt)
and informed him that in consequence of or
Hers given him by General Jackson, who had
(said hey received positive information that a
motion was to be made in the legislature, in
order to have the country surrendered 10 the
British, he (the Governcr) had directed Gene
raj Labatut 10 have the governmenthouse sur.
rounded, by placing armed sentinels at every
door Of it, in order to prevent the members of
the legislature from meeting and even to fire
upon said members, in case they should per-
siss in their attempt to meet"
What will be the surprise of the reader
whenh he learns, that tie allegation here made,
that s'General Jackson had received (or even
said he had received), positive information that
a motion was to be made in the Legislature in
order to have the country surrendered TO the
lis a total pervej sloh of fact, with hard
" a similitude oil truth to warrant it's repetition!
No such information had ever reached Gen.
nor had he given any orders for
the doors Of the state house.
1t could no. be supposed that a body of
honorable men, would sleep quietly under
he ignominy of an Insult such as had been
offered the legislature. With that honorable
sensitiveness which is the birth-right of a
brave people, this body resolved to ~investi-
rate promptly and thoroughly all the facts
hat might have led to the outrage. Accor-
iingly, on the 29th and Both December, the
resolution was passed by both Houses
and the committees appointed. The reply
If General Jackson was enthusiastically
prompt and explicit-entirely exculpating
himself from the guilt Of even suspeeting thu
integrity and patriotism of the legislature.
eResolved by the Senate, etc, that@a joint
of both branches of the legislature,
o consist Of three members from the house Of
representatives and two members from the
senate, be appointed to wait upon Major-Ge-
leral Andrew jackson, and enquire into the
,easons that have occasioned the violent mea-
sures used against the legislative bodies of
his state, on Wednesday the 2sth inst,-ghat
vas the order given-by whom it was given.'
We copy the Generals letter literally,
only the names Of the two indivi-
'uals-Tolonel -, and Nil. How
,ver, that the reader may not confound these
,ersons in the parts each is about to play, we
will assume as the initial the last letter in
he sir-name of each, and&speak of them as.
Colonel T. and Mr.. N.
Our reason for Withholding their names in
ull, is this both Colonel T. MIR. n. now re-
,ose in the cold embraces of the tomb ; JUS
ice holds no man accountable for the acts of
mother. 1T is net within the scope of human
jurisprudence to call up the dead to its frail
'ar ; and certainly we viii not err SO thought
essly and widely, as to make the living ap-
ear in the place of the dead, and pass upon
he former those reprools and penalties due
My to the latter.
That Col. r. was the sole author, the dis
onest fabricator of the foul aspersion on the
haracter of the legislature of 1914. and also
.ho ,rnninIo that a tale alwaus incraa.