Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-05-11
THE HISTORY OF LAFITTE, THE
REPUTED PIRATE.

REPUTED PIRATE.
Circumstances made us acquainted, at
one period of our life. says the Philadel-
phia Ledger, with the real facts of La
tits history, verified in u manner that
left no loop-holes for faIsehood to creep
in. Since then, we have read most OF
the novels that have been written res
pecting him. and greater hbels were pro-
badly never penned-for they represent
Lattte either as a romantic hero or as a
human hend when in fact he was neither.
On the contrary, he was man who had
been goaded by great wrongs to seek re-
venge, which he did in the wild Arab way,
SO often characteristic OF seamen, and
which is nourished in the blood partly by
the loneliness of the sea, and partly by a
life free from the conventlonalltleS OF CIV
ilization, for u true sailor has as Herman
Melville says spice OF the Wild morhli-
tv of the desert, and, is, AS 1t were, the
Bedouin of the great deep.
Jean Lafitte was born on the Garonne,
and not at Marseilles, and was from his
boyhood accustomed to the oceau--tor
he belonged to family which, for many
generations, had furnished some of the
most skillful and daring privateerSmen OF
Bavonne. In the great war OF the French
revolution, when the commerce OF his ma
tive province was almost destroyed, he
embarked as lieutenant on board prl-
yatc armed vessel, which, after running
brilliant career, was captured by su-
perior force and carried into an English
port. Here Laftte, with the other "ttl-
GERS and crew, were cast into prison.
Time passed, and his captain, his brother
Heuteuants, and common men even OBJ
tained freedom, but Latitte, himself re
NAMED a prisoner. His friends, howev-
er, and relatives, too, were active to pro-
cure his discharge. Several times were
prisopers of equal rank sent into the
English ports by the agency of his ola
CAPTAIN, in order to exchange for him !;
but it was not until many years has pass
ed that Lafitte found himself free. This
lonu detention raised in him almost saw
are thirst for Yengance against England,
and on his release he returned Immediate
ly to priyateering. principally for the harm
he might thas do England.
The paci6calion OF Europe after the
treaty of Fontainbleau deprived him from
legally carrying on his rev enge but long
wears of solitary brooding in prison, and
night watchings afterward upon the lone
" sea, had destroyed to a great extent
his reverence for human law-he had,
determined, accordingly. to continue his
career; vet he retained from attaekln9
any but English vessels, since 1t was only
against England that he sought revenge.
His relations in France heard ofhls course
with inexplicable pain, and demonstrated
with him earnestly, especially one who
had been a sort of guardian to his youth,
and who now expostulated with him almost
with tears. But Laftte was ineXorable
At last his early friend called in the aid
of religion, and reminded the erring man
of the awful destiny he was preparing for
himself in eternity. The reply was char
acteristic. "If so to -" wrote La
EnpIishmen after me!' His relatives,
aware how great had been his provocs-
ton; could say no more but from that
hour, for many long years, the name OF
the wandering outlaw ceased to be spo-
in the household of his father; and chill
dren, in whom blood rank kindred to his
own, grew up to manhood Ignorant of his
very existence.
The subsequent career of LaEtte is well
known. Though he committed actsi OF
piracy on British vessels, he paid no re-
ward to the revenue laws of any nation
For II long time he had under him quite
a considerable force at the Islands of
Barbados. But his early education
which had been strict. asserted its power
at last. old memories rc-awakeued, and
he sighed to return again to civilized
life. to lay down the branch Of pirate to
pass his days in quiet. The volcano Of
passion or insanity-for it was as much
one as the Cther-had burnt out of that
fiery hart. He made his peace with the
United States. rs is popularity known, lust
before the battle of New Orleans. Sub
sequently he returned to his native land,
where he died not many years ago. His
wife whom he married in America, is still
living, or was at the time we heard the
narrative we have given above.
@ The Norwegian Colony in Potter
county. Pa, established by Ole Bull, al
ready contains TOO inhabitants, and owns
l4O O00 ocrao OIa Rull baS a SuDarh