Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-05-04

those who ever succeeded in the attempt to ac-
cumulate wealth oy the exercise Of foresight and
judgment as to the prospective value Of uncultl-
waited and wholly unoccupied land though lnsan-
ces OF success in such speculations have since
become numerous, while cases of utter ruin and
disgrace in unsuccessful attempts of the same
nature, have been undoubtedly ten thousand
times more numerous.
The well-establshed high position of Daniel
Clark in the ancient capital of the new territory,
and his unusual facilities for free intercourse a.
mong the French aud Spanish creoles Of the
province of Louisiana, aided by the address char
acterizing peculiarly accomplished, thoroughly
educated commercial man, had naturally made
him very popular among his fellow citizens and
the prominent part he took in securing the union
Of Louisiana to the great republic was grateful
y appreciated by its most intelligent inhabitants,
who were little behind him in percevng the
solid benefits resulting to them from the transfer
of their allegiance from the Emperor Napoleon,
then in name only first consul, to the Federal
Government. 1t is said to have been the almost
universal expectation of the people of what is
now the State Of Louisiana, that Daniel Clark
would be their first territorial Governor under
the appointment of the President and Senate of
the United States. If Mr.. Jefferson had been
accustomed or disposed to regard the popular
WILL or to pay respect to the claims Of gratitude
or natural justice in his appointments, it might
have been so. But instead of diminishing his
own glorles by giving prominence and distnc
ton to the man to whose suggestions and argu-
ments he owed the greatest achievement of his
administration, he gave the appointment to per-
sonal friend and political supporter, who was not
likely to intercept any rays of popular admira-
ton which might be directed towards the author
OF the accession of Louisiana. Governor Clai.
borne was the nominee of Mr.. jefferson, and was
confirmed by the Senate. He was very esti-
mable and patriotic man, though in 1914 and
1873 he was not so fortunate as to agree with
absolute servile uniformity to all the notions of
General Jackson Governor Claiborne and Dan
iel Clark had some unfortunate difficulties which
led to personal collision resulting finally in
duel between these two distinguished men.
The people of the new territory of Orleans,
$50 called before it was admitted into the Union
under its present name of thesState of Lousiana)
sided warmly with Daniel Clark, and so actively
sympathzed with Lin under the supposed ingrat-
itude of President Jefferson, that they promptly
elected him, and repeatedly, by triumphant
vote, their first delegate in Congress. He there
distinguished himself by his active devotion to
the interests OF his constituents, and by his bus
mess capacity" for his duties at Washington,
though not said to be eminently endowed with
the gift of eloquence. He was respectable
parliamentary speaker, expressing himself on all
subjects which he considered appropriate to his
position, with proprlety and force.
10 trace his career in Congress would be q
task wholly unnecessary in this connection
Those who may feel curiosity on this subject,
Will find In the old volumes of the National In
ttHigenctF reports of his speeches and casual re-
marks IN those Congressional debates which af-
tected The interests Of his constituents, during
his period of service as q Delegate from the
"lerritory of Orleans" 1t should be remem.
bered that, though the whole region west of the
Mississippi acquired by the United States from
France, was at the time Of the acquisition, called
Louisiana" yet The present State of Louisiana
was first organized by the Federal Government
under the title OF the "Terrory of Orloans."-
When admitted into the Union as a sovereign
State 1t recovered and wholly appropriated to it
self the name of Louisiana the remainder Of
the old province being then called the " NILSSON
ri Territory"
These particulars of the personal and politica
history Of Daniel Clark are given here, not as
essential to an understanding of the subject, bu
merely to crafty any curiosity as to who ant
what he was-since to the great majority of thi:
| generation he is known only as his name is men
toned in connection with this extraordinary lit
| cation. These circumstances are now of Sigh
Moment and only OF incidental interest weighty
though they must have seemed to him when hi
performed Il part 50 important III the history o
all North Americas as viewed in the light of re
! cent and present movements. lie was then lit
tie conscious of far more important position
Which he was destined to occupy in hstor
j which, involving his most secret and sacred at
fectlons his most unparalleled personal and pri
vate trials, was in time to become las this will be
THE ROMANCE OF THE AGE, shaming the wildes
vagarles of fiction by the sad and solemn poetr
of reality To the point where this peculiar dra
matte series of incidents developes itself, tn
| present narrative is now conducted.
On one of his frequent journeys to the norl
Daniel Clark became acquainted with u yer
young and beautiful lady mere girl in age
though already as she had supposed, marie
woman. She was a native OF France, original
named Zulime Ca.riere, and had been, in du
form, married to Frenchman named DE Grain
ges, whom she had accompanied from Paris t
New York. Not long after her arrival here, sh
ascertained that he had lawful wife still living
and OF course, she immediately separated frol
him. remaining in very peculiar condition
neither VIE, widow, nor maiden, and yet Of pei
fecily innocent and irreproachablo character
1t was when she was known us u victim I
these remarkable and cruel misfortunes, tno
Daniel Clark first saw her; and such were he
Charms such her manifest innocence and mort
purity that all the peculiarties Of her cond
ton, so far from checking the natural and spor
IuiiOOuS movement VI MS lCtlllbS Vi
towards her, only heightened the passion All
affection with which she inspired him He love
her; and she, stranger in strange land fol
elgn IN birth, IN speech, and in associations p
triendless and alone, overwhelmed by the dreat
full calamity to which she had been thus sui
jected in the very dawn of her youth, (for sh
was but fourteen years old at the time o. he
: fictitious marriage to the villain De Oranges
soon gave willing ear TO the consultations whic
her distinguished and accomplished admrer S
lavishly administered. The sincerity and rc
5 spectiul devotion, as well as ardor, of the a
i fiction Of Daniel Clark for the unfortunate bl
innocent Iulime, were soon demonstrated by
e proposal of marriage. All that was necessal
to make such a connection no. only honorab
= and morally right, but safe and proper, was ii
3 legal proof Of the previous marriage of L
Oranges. This was soon put in process of
g lucidation by his arrest and indictment und
l. this charge at New Orleans, which, at that tia.
II was still under the French dominion. lie WI
u tried and convicted, but under the tardy pr
u cedure OF colonial law, lie remained in prise
unsenlenced, while the transfer of Louisiana
u the United States was in progress. During Il
~ cohiiict OF jurisdictions arising out Of the disc
ganlzailon OF the old tribunals and the tormltit
u OF the new courts DE Oranges, by some acc
le dental MISUNDERSTANDING or conniyarce