Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-03-29
From the Free Trader.
NATCHlTOCHES.

Since the pecuniary reverses and
distress in Mississippi ,occasioned by
the credit, banking and bonding system,
and by the arrangement of all parties
and all classes on these subjects, the
town OF Natchitoshes has acquired
much notoriety ,the point that most
unfortunate d Drs seek in their flight
from home Preside, TO a land OF
strangers. the story of many that
hurry thro III its streets could be told
how heart ending would be the details!
What Wig Fsitudes! What disappoint-
ments! What dreams ofhappiness bro
ken up! and blythe monster, DEBIT
Wherecould tbS ilosopher novelist
find better positiN than in its venera-
BILE streets, witness Nv by day trains
of fugitives, as me as funeral
professions! But IS not of these,
but Of the antiquiI s ofthe town we
intend to speak.
ST DENIS, a foil wer of Crozat pas
sed from the Ere ch colony OF Mo-
bile, to the r 5rande, in 1712.-
His anpss Pct was to open
uafil pie Of New Spain,
but was to explore the
and extend the
therein. St Denis
zgM 1I519 IA fenchmen at tue point
-Iolul O, ucclI hes now stands, which
was then Il Chief town Of the Nat
chitoos India In 1717, the Gov
ernor Of Mo e sent Captain with a
band Of sold Is, TO garrison the place.
AS soon as e Viceroy Of Mexico, 1.-The
Duke de- mares, heard of these
movep be despatched troops and
missile into Texas; and on the
DIST III. AIonzo de Leon no
ti6ed at he had constructed fort
called Miguel de los Adaes, with
in five ues of the French post
Whe a Frenchman settled, a
SpanS Immediately followed The
ieaIouA bf the Spanish Government is
strong ILLUSTRATED by an incident that
occurred in 1742. The old fort st
Natchitoches stood on the bank OF the
river. 1t was inundated and endan-
gered by the greatest food ever known
there before or since. The French
commandment obtained leave from
| Don Manuel de Sandoval, the Spanish
Governor Of AIDES, to move il a mus
ket shot farther back. The Viceroy
of Mexico, Disappearing of this con
cession, though granted under sucI
peculiar circumstances, despatched
Col. de Brito to Aades, to suppressed
Sandoval, and to send him under guarC
to Mexico, where he was cOurtmaruaE
ed and dismissed the service. Thl
Spanish Governor afterwards received
orders to drive the French from botl
Natchitoches and Natchez, and advan
ced with his forces to execute the or
der; bet the French commandant a
the former place, either by bribery o
by that adrot diplomacy for which hi
nation Is distinguished, induced tn
Governor to suspend his march unit
the two courts could be heard from
and in the interim 10 consider the N
roya Hondo, midway between 'atch
itoches and Aades, as the line of de
marcation, and so it remained unit
, 1862. when louisiana was coded t
Spain, by whom it was re-ceded t
France some years afterwards, and a
our readers know, sold by Bonapart
to the United States.
, The mission of Aades grew to be
village ofconsiderable importance, HAY
ing population made up of veteran
$ from cid Spain, Mexicans, and ii
+ mongrel race of Indian and Africa
[ blood which constituted so peculiar
feature of the settlements made by II
g French and Spaniards on This cont
8 nent. In 1905, it was visited by ii
d Bishop of the new kingdom Of Leo
Don Feliciano Mario, who celebr
= ted high mass, christened two hundre
y children, and consecrated a grave-yar
e But the town has now almost disa
d peared, and scarcely supports a so
e tary priest. Three years ago, howe
e er, the struggling village could ST
IS boast some bright-eyed senoras, wi
3 lust enough Castilian blood to gil
'i that hautear of manner, which on We
y yery, beautiful women, sits graceful
! enough-end few Spanish ladies a
/ not beautiful
IS Their dark e,es flashing through their TEL
e like skies that rain and tighten; as veil
Waved and DER shading the rich cheek;
Il l. l.