New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-27

SAVIOR more than 800 years ago, was "'hossou "
l5,000 to 10000 IpdiaBs.
De SOTO marched west through what Is now MIS-
souri, and then south through VIA. is nov Arkansas
spending nearly year in bis explorations west OF the
Missssipp-but everywhere he found q wilderness ia-
babited by savsges and wild beasts only AZ last, dis
pirited. he returned to the ssssipPi aad again en-
camPed, with view of building two vessels to send
down the river and to Havana r supplies Of provisions
ard men, and 10 communicate with bis wife. While
building these vessels, be sckened and died. HIS
tal remains placed in hollow live oak tree, BY
bis companions and the still hour of midnight sunk in
the middle of the Mississippi river in I9athoms water
The Indians were told that he not dead but gone
up to Heaven. De Soto was the first white msn who
saw and launched bis bark upon the Father of Wa
ters"-he was in search of cities, gold, and an empire
he was too early by 800 years.
De Soto being dead, his followers determined to
march westward in hopes ofreaching the Spanish set
dement's in Mexico. They left in June, 1912, and
marched west four months, and reaching the Pawnee
ard Camanche Indians, they despaired Of finding the
Spanish settlements and returned again TO the Mssis
sipp Their number was now reduced to 3d. and
these clad in buffalo deer aud bear SKINS resembling
Wild beasts more than human beings. They built ves
sells sailed down the river and along the coast reach
ing Psnuco near Tampieo, in Mexico in 1913 During
ali this time Isabella had heard nothing other husbands
she had vessels constantly cruising along the coast and
gulf in search of him. and after long and anxious an
interval the news of his death and Of the failure OF his
magnificent enterprise overwhelmed her with sorrow
She soon died of a broken heart.
.r,o n, Col .rofhar NM eeeasfnl
atempt 10 EXPLORE and settle Florida made By the
French PrOtestants under 8 commission to colon
ize il with Huguenots, with temporary success.
The expedition consisted of three ships and landed
bear the mouth Of the St. Johns River, and built
Fort. The ensuing year they received additions from
France and the colony hourisbed. This was the first
European or Christian settlement made in the United
Sstes-it originated in a desire for religious freedom,
and its destruction resulted from religious bgotry.
Fifteen months after its foundation this colony was
suddenly surprised and destroyed by party of Span
isrds under Pedro Meendez.
The HuguenOts were encouraged by the French
monarch to coonize Florida, but the King Of Spain,
Philip III claimed the country by discovery, and hated
the French ProtestaDs and he, therefore, contracted
with Melendez TO invade Florida with 500 men, and to
establish a colony Of at least 500 persons, vita IL
Prirsts and Jesuts-for which MelendeZ 70 have
commercial advantages and was made Governor for
life Melendez sailed for Florida, and landed at Sc.
Augustine Sept E. 1861 and after celebrating the mass
of the Virgin the foundations Of the town Of Sc. Au'
eusne were laid This was 26o years ago, aud St. Au-
justine u.s. therefore, the oldest town, by more than
forty years in the United States. Having said mass,
and four ded the town, Melendez suddenly marched
upon the Huguenot colODy the st. Johns aud bar
barously massacred men, women and children, and la
beled their dead bodies with this inscription" not as
FrsneLnen. but as hcr,ties" The French msnarch did
nothing to revenge this massacre but two years after
ward French Huguenot DOnini De Gomgues, htted
out three ships with $50 men and sailed for Florida
and for the express purpose of reyengng the death Oh
his countrymen He landed the ST. Johns River,
captured two small forts which the Spanlards had
erected and finding his force too small for further OPP
erations be hung up his Spanish captives and placed
upon their dead bodies this inscription not as Span
ords Jnt as murderers" Thus, it was religious bgotry
and ianatca hatred that oecasioned the establishment
of St Augustine and the destruction Of the first Ed
ropean colony in the United States.
In 1865, the country known in Spanish geography as
Florida, was of large extent and quite unknown. The
Spsniards claimed all tho country from Nova Scotia to
Mexico on the Atlantic and Guf-the British claimed
by discovery the country along the Atlantic coast aud
the French the country lying on the Sc. Lawrence aud
the Upper Lakes
For 200 years after the foundation of st. Augustine
the region now known as Florida as little known and
as little occupied By Europeans asn the days
During this large interval, England settling the Old
Thirteen Colonies and France was exploring and set
ting the regions now known Canada illinois, Missouri
rd Louisiana but Spain dong nothing, save occu-
pyDg ST. Augustine a military post, building wall
around it aid erecting forfto defend the Colonists
against the Indians and the fovers aud pirates of the
seas.
In 1885 Sir Francis Drake took possession of st. Au-
justine pundered it of IA pieces Of brass cannon and
the military chest Of E2000 He was the first bdcca-
neer or FbHster and Capt Davis was the second Fill
hbuster, who plufdered it in 1865.
In 1909, while war existed between Great Britain
and Spain, Governor Moore, of Carolina, again plum
dered St Augustine and broke up the missionary sta
items in Middle Florida Pensacola founded in 1896
by colony from Mexico.
In l754, Spain possessed Florida, which then en-
braced the Peninsula and extended from Alatahama
River in Georgia to the Perddo west of Pensacola
and this vas all she possessed on the C0ntinsnt north
Of Mexico At this time France possessed much the
largest portion of this continent but ten years subse-
quent she had not single foot of land upon it.
InI754 England and France went to war about their
American possessions and Spain took Part-ths was
the Old French War-and BY the Treaty OF Peace in
1863 France withdrew from this Continent, Florida was