Washington sentinel., 1854-01-10
Laftte.

So many arguments concerning this cee-
brated individual have lately been published,
that perhaps the following article from the
Philadelphia Ledger will be read with in
terest:
circumstances made us acquainted, at one
period Of our life, with the real facts of Lattes
history, verified in manner that left no loop
holes for falsehoods to creep in. Since then
we have read most of the novels that have been
written respecting him, and greater libels were
probably never penncd; for they represent La
fitte either as romantic hero or as 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 a life free from the
conventionalities 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 LATTE was born on the Garonne, and
not at Marseilles and was, from his boyhood,
accustomed to the ocean, for he belonged to
family which for many generations, had fur
nished the most skillful and daring privateers-
men of Bayonne. In the great war of the
French revolution, when the commerce Of his
native province was destroyed, he embarked as
q lieutenant on board private armed vessel,
which, after running brilliant career, was
captured by superior force, and carried into
an English port. Here La6tte, with the other
officers and the crew, was cast into prison.
Time passed--his captain, his brother lieuten-
ants the common men even obtained their free
dom but Lafitte himself remained prisoner.
His friends however, and relatives too, were
active to procure his discharge. Several times
were prisoners Of equal rank sent into the Eng
lsh ports by the agency of his old captain, in
order to be exchanged for him, but it was not
till many long years had passed, that Lafitte
had 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 privateering, princi-
paly for the harm he thus might do English
ships.
aThe paci6cations of Europe, after the treaty
of Fontainbleau, deprived him of the means Of
legally carrying on his revenge But long
years Of solitary brooding in prison, and night
watches afterwards upon the lonely sea, had
destroyed, to great extent, his preference for
human laws; he had, in word, become an
Arab at heart. He determined accordingly to
continue his career Yet he. refrained from
attacking any but English vessels, since it was
only against England that he sought revenge.
His relations in France heard of his course
with inexplicabe pain, and demonstrated with
him earnestly, especially one who had been
sort Of guardian to his youth, and who now
cxpostulated 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 prepar-
ing for himself in eternity. The reply was
characteristic. "If go to -" wrote
LATTE, savagely, " | will drag plenty of Eng
lishmen along with me-" His relative, aware
how great had been the provocation, could say
no more. But from that hour for many long
years, the name Of the wandering outlaw ceased
to be spoken in the household Of his father; and