Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-05-05
Gbc Dailp i)ireiniou.
Lsafiffe.

e delpha LEDGER will be read with interest
r Circumstances made us acquainted, at on,
= period oil our life, with the real facts of Lafitte
history, verified in MANNER that left no loop
!, , holes for falsehood to creep in Since them
J have read most OF the novels that have beer
written respecting him,and greater libels wer,
probably never penned; for they represent La
htte either as romantic nero. or as a man
who had been goaded by great wrongs to seek
revenge, which he did in that wild Arab way
SO often characteristic of seamen and which is
nourished in the blood partly by the loneliness
OF the sea, and partly from life free from the
conyentionalies of civilization. For true
sailor has, as Herman Melville says, spice of
the wild morality of the desert. and is, as it
were, the Bedouin of the great deep.
Jean Lafitte was born on the Garonne, and
not at Marseilles; and was from his boyhood
accustomed 10 the ocean. for he belonged TO II
family, which for many generations, had fur
nished the most skilllul and daring privateer
ism OF Bayonne. In the great war Of the
French revolution, when the commerce of his
native province was almost destroyed, he EN-.
barked a lieutenant on board private arm
ed vessel, W hch after running brilliant career
was captured by superior rec and carried
into an English port Here La6tte, with he
other officers and crew, was cast into prison
lime passed. his captain, his brother lieuten
ants. the common men even, obtained their free T.
DOM but Lafne himself remained a prisoner
His friends, ,however,and relatives toe, were &C.
tive to procure his discharge. Several times
were prisoners of equal rank sent In to the
English ports by the agency OF his old captain
in order to be exchanged for him, but il was
not till many long years had passed that La
itte found himself free This long detention
raised in him an almost savage thirst for ven
geance against England and on his release he
returned Immediately to p'ivateering. princi-
pally for the harm he thus might do English
ships
The pacifcation of Europe after the treaty
of Fontanebleau, deprived him ofthe means of
legally carrying on his revenge. But long
years of solitary brooding in prison, and night
watches afterward upon the lonely sea. had
destroyed TO IA great extent his evercnce for hu
man laws; he had in word, become Arab
at heart. He determined accordlngl " to con-
tinue his career. Yet he refrained from attack
ing any but English vessels, since i, was only
against Engan that he sought revenge. His
relations in France heard Of his course with in
explcable pain, and demonstrated with him
earnestly, especially one who ha been sort
of guardian to his youth, and who now ex
posiulated with him almost with tears. But
Laftte, was inexorable. AT last his early friend
called in the aid Of religion, and reminded the
erIing man of the awful destiny he as prepar
ing himself in eternity. The reply was charac
teristc. "If | go 10 h." wrote Lafiue. say
agely, II will drag plenty of Englishmen
along with me-" His relative, e,aware how great
had been his provocation. could say no more.
But from that hour, for long years, the name Of
wandering outlaw ceased to be spoken in the
household of $ father; and children who ran
blood Kindred 10 his oWn,grew up to manhood
ignorant of his very existence.
The subsequent career of Laftte is well
known. Though he committed acts of piracy
only on British vesses,he paid no regard to the
revenue laws of any nation. For long time
he had under him quite a considerable force at
the Island of Baratara But his early educa-
ton, which had been strict, asserted its power
at last, old memories re-awakened, ,and he sigh
ed to return again to civilized lie, to lay down
the brand of pirate, to pass his days in quiet.
The volcano of pession or insanity, for 1T was
as much the one as the other, had burned Out
in that fiery heart. He made his peace with the
United States, as is popularity known, just be
fore the battle of New Orleans. Subsequent
| iy he returned to his native land. where he
died not long ago. His wife, whom he mar.
/ red in America, is still living or was at the
time we heard the narrative given above.
We would have to violate the sancuty OF
private life if our authority was to be glven.--
At the time we heard the history of Lahtte.we
were told the name Of his old captain, OF the
privateer in which he was captured and 9th
ar facts which we have since forgotten. We
could repossess ourselves ofthem, indeed,ln a
month or two, for his relatives still live in their
native province, and we may do 1t yet.
Hogarth was once applied to by mlserly old
nobleman, to paint on his staircase represen'
tat,on of the destruction of Pharaoh's hosts In
the Red Sea. In attempting TO fix upon the
price Hogarth became quite dissatisfied. The
: miser was unwilling to give more than one hal
the real value of the picture. At last, Hogartf
out of all patience, agreed to his patrons terms
Within day or Two the picture was ready,
The noblemau was surprised at such expedl
ton. and Immediately called to examine 1t, th'