New-York daily tribune., 1859-02-09


hend that the prophecy Of the "juiicous minister
was about to be ful6 led. II was soon seen, how
ever to be only part Of the exercise, which being
over the Boston commander drew bis men into
90 march, and the French, falling into the mid.
die. were escorted TO their boat giving volley OF
,hot Of their departure, and showing much admi-
"ration 10 see so many meu Of one town 50 well
EARNED. La Tour protesting that he would not
a. have believed il il be had not seen it"
The final upsbot, however, Of this affair was not
80 fortunate. We proceed to relate it, not as
having any bearing on the expected visit OF our
British military guests, bu! as containing good
lesson for such of our adventurous merchants as
may be inclined to abandon the regular pursuits of
trade for military Intervention in the affairs OF our
peshbors, and perhaps even Mr. Buchanan himself
night do well to take hint from it,
La Tour iperatisted himself with some Of the
Boston merchants, more especially with Sergeant
Msjor Gibbons, who, as commsuder of the Boston
regiment, bad shared probably in the military
courte.ies extended to La Tour. Gibbons had
originally come to Massachusetts, as a wild con-
psnion of Morton of Merry Mount, who figured so
little to his credit in the early history Of Massachu-
setts Bay, but having joined the Boston church, he
had established himself there as a merchant, in
which business be had acquired handsome pro-
periy. He gave also great attention to military
matters, being, as we are, told BY Capt. Edward
johnson, author Of "Zon's Savior in New-Eng-
land" and contemporary Of bis, " . man of reso-
Lutte spirit and bold as lion" 1t is TO be feared,
however that there Was still left in him something
of the old Adam; st all events, he entered zealous.
ly into Ls Tours plans, who, though he hardly
pretended TO be Hugoenot, yet, escorted by
good guard Of halberds and musketeers, went regu.
larly to meetings aud lectures, in company with
Gov. Winthrop, whom he earnestly entrested to
allow him to charter vessels and hire men for the re-
lief ST. Johns exhibiting commission aud latters
which gave color to the idea that he still had some
interest in France. Winthrop thought it would
be good policy to uphold La Tour ag.in,t D'Aul-
nay, and thus to secure a share of the Eastern
trade. This same view being sustained by the
Boston merchants, in spite Of the opposers who
quoted, among other texts, the speech of John the
Seer to Jehoshaphat: "Should st thou help the
ungodly ard love them that hate the Lord"
also, from Proverbs: I" He that pssseth by and
meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is
like one that taketh dog BY the ears Ls
Tour was allowed 10 hire at Boston four ships and
pnnsce with eighty men, by the help of which
be raised the blockade of st. Johns aud persued
D'Aulnsy to Port Royal, where the Boston
men landed and committed more depredatcns
A.,
thrcp replied in somewhat Of the same e7a.iye
style which has characterized more recent diplo'
matte communications on similar tubjects-thst
this and another expedition which La Tour with
the aid Of some New-England sdyenturers had
fitted out against D'Aulpay's fort at Penobicos,
had rot been set on foot "by any counsel or act
"of permission" on the part of the Massachusetts,
authorities.
The upshot Of the whole matter was, that,
finally La Tours foIt was taken by DAulnay, the
Carr .on being hanged as rebels, and Madame La
Tour dying of grief. The husband sought refuge
in Boston, where he owed Gibbons $4,000, who
was greatly impoverished as well as other Boston
merchants, by their advances to him. They
finally fitted him out with goods aud small vessel
to trade with the Eastern Indians, but he betrayed
his trust, forced the English part Of his crew on
shore at Cape Sable, and ran away with the
vessel ard cargo, whereby" says Winthrop lit
"appeared, as the Scrip tare saith, that there is
/" no confidence 10 an unfaithful or carna man."
Winthrop himself was a great sufferer by him, if
nc. pecuniarily, at least politically having incurred
mapy censures for this attempted piece of inter-
vention-the first mentioned in our history-aod
having even lost bis Office in consequence.
La Tour, who, however de6cien. in honesty, did
not lack capacity and enterprise, established him
self as fur trader in the distant region Of Hud-
sons Bay, and ten years after, upon the death Of
D'Aulnay, msrried his widow, and thus recovered
possession of St Johns, to which he now added
Penobscott, Port Royal and other trading posts.
Even the Epglish seizure Of this coast about this
tine did not di,possess him, since be managed to
get his name inserted as one of the grantees in the
new patent of Nova Scotia Issued BY Cromwell.
1t was in vain that the impoverished Gibbons
solicited pay ment Of bis debt now sweled by inter-
est and charges to double the original amount.
Bankrupt and depressed, he moved from Msss,-
chuletts to Mary land, wherehe engaged in the some
what characteristic enterprise of building wind
nil, the proprietor advancing the means therefor,
and where be died the next year--a warning to all
merchants who leave the regular pursuits of trade
to engsge in fllibusteriDg enterprises.
TIE CITY SCHOOLS.
A few days ago, we commented at some length