, 1861-01-16
Blood VIII Tell.
fErnu1 the n Y Eynnint. Pnst ]


The striking way in which the Gascou blood
Is revealing itself in South Carolina has ava
kened a curiosity about the Gascon family OF
our race, In satisfying which VIC may, perhaps,
be instrumental in explaining to some extent
the infatuation which seems to rule in the
councils Of South Carolina.
The province OF GAscony Lies in Southern
France, between the Garonne md the Bay of
Biscay. aud extends to the Pyrencan noun
tains. When held By the Ronlans it WAS known
by the appcllatfon AQuitiani.t ltr!ia, but after
the expulsion Of tho Vasconcs from Spain, in
the sixth century, by the Goths, that people
settled in Gaul, and .arc their name to the
lower part OF the province.
The people arc principally Of the lberian
stock, cognate with the Cantahri or Basaucs
ofSpain, Berbers Of Africa, and Ligurians Of
Italy, adark-complcxioncd race OF unknown
antiquity that occupied Europe previous 70
the enigration Of the blond Celtic and German
tribes, from the primitive seats Of the civilized
A1ian nat!onalitfes. They were also the pris-
tine inabitants Of Brittany, ireland and some
parts Of Great Britain, md the dark-skinued
Irish, with whom We meet, arc their descend
ants.
The characteristics of this race are set forth
BY Bodlchon, one OF the highest ethnosrapl,i-
cal a@horlties, to be, aversion to all unifary
Systems or great assemblies or leagues pc
cullur disposition to live in q social state ly
provinces; tcnacity Of their locality; prefer
ring infantry to cavalry, defence to attack am
bnscades to open movements, and 5ucrillas to
pitched battles. These pccrliarities Indicate
the chronological character as manifested III
the tactics employed by the spaniaTls against
the first Napoleon, By the Aexicaus and South
Americans In their wars OF independence, aud
by the means employed by the few patriots Of
the Revolution who existed ii South Caroliua.
SITTER its conquest By Lord Coznw:l1is.
The same author also states that the Ihc-
rian5 await danger with tirmness arc unconl-
m1uicatiYc, per.idious and reserved; credit
lous. intolersnt and Ganatical; attached to re-
liE1ous forms rather than the idea; reject dis
cussion, doubt aud inquiry; hold strongly to
ancient usages; feel Tcpugnancc to strangers;
arc unsymI'athetic; possess, to an extreme
point: the genius OF resistance; tend peculiar
ly to ilnmobllity and Isolation; bnloUg to hot
climates aud develop in the South; produce
in preference or1tors, artists, poets, men
whose genius manify6ts itself by thc cx,ta-
ton Of sentiments aud ide:.s, By enthusiasm
and rapid conception.
They seem to have originated in Africa, if
they did not e1ni:ratc from tue famcd A,autis
aud probably crossed frnm Morocco anl Al
giers to Spain, BY WY Of the Istlulus aow in
tcrsccted By the Strait Of Gibraltar. Their
iormcr gods were black; and the icons or i'm
ages Of those which have been transferred to
hue.
fncy hare always bcen circumscribed to
localities, but have maintained their individa-
ality Of character. Proud and impetuous. OBJ
siinate and perycrec, regardless OF Ill laws r1-
cept their own traditiors, Carthaginians, Ro-
mans, Goths, Sas2ccns, French md Spaniards.
hnvc never been able to unite them with their
own people. Charles AIartel drove the Sara
Gems back across the Py7enccs, bnt the inalit-
ants Of the region set upon and DESTROYED
Robert and the palaGins of Charlcmasne
After the accession OF Marguerite If valois
n x,ftE IT,
riaus or Gascons embraced the Calrapi.tic
faith- Their bilious, mclaucholc tc,npcra-
1nent, and their unsympathctic, iutolerant dis
position Is snld to have had something tn Ito
with this change. The lext We hear Of them |
is rs powerful party 1T the French Court, |
where their tactious conduct ant. the multi !
pliclty Of their intrigues gave great annoyance |
TO tue government.
Finally, civil war ensued; and the Gaseous,
under lie Rohau antl De Soubisc, sttcrptc,l to |
Il 'seccdr," und establish IN independent State |
of their OWL Fora while thc nrs,ject appeared |
likely to succeed, when Richelien formed IN
alliance with Savoy and Holland, and turned
the tide Of fortune. Tha Isle Of Rhc was taken
rom them in 1Ga5; but short peace was
made with them the ensuing year, which was
broken in 1637. Rochelle, their metropolis,
vas besicgcd and surrendered to the French on
he 50th Of October. The next summer The
French became masters Of all Languedot; and
he paciflcation at Eis1nes, July 14th, 1929,
concluded the attempt, On thu other side of
hc Atlantic, to establish Gascon monarchy.
lie fate Of similar experiment, now making
N this side, yet remains to be determined.