New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-12

doctrine that 'all men are created free and
equal before the law" The Democratic
party has no dignifed and lofty pur.
pose; no grand principle through which
to appeal to the heart and feelings
of American manhood. 1t is like other
gigantic wrongs that have been organized
and perpetrated for selfish purpose, the
effects OF which time alone can wipe out.
Its character is not sustained by any digni-
fed action, but is held up by egotism and
vain pride, in which the adherents resemble
the tribe OF Pharisees who believed them
selves born to teach and to govern. In the
language of De Tocqueville: They glow
with Fictitious zeal; their language is We
hement, but their conduct is tinid and
irresolute. The means they employ are as
Wretched as the end at which they aim.
Hence it arises that when a calm state of
things succeeds violent revolution, the
leaders OF society seem suddenly to disap-
pear, and the powers of the human mind to
be concealed. Society is convulsed by great
parties; by minor onee it is agitated. 1t ls
torn by the former; by the latter it is de-
graded, and if these sometimes save it by
a salutary perturbation, those invariably
disturb it to no good end" 2. p. c.
A Submerged Ell Dorado.
For over hundred and fifty years. ever
since the galleOns laden with Spanish gold
NdDiSuCu III LILO udIh waves u lue HdEUOE
of NigO from the grasp of the conquering
Dutch and English fleets, efforts to bring
them again to the light of day and make
them disgorge their gorgeous carg0es have
been many and fruitless. These riches thus
took to themselves fins ard swan away, it
will be remembered, in 1902, during the war
OF the Spanish succession. Spain was ac-
customed to draw all her sinews of war
from her possessions in South America, and
her draft s olyyavg 1l1lv hopOpa1 hp<
the value received was apt TO get into the
pockets Of the wrong parties. The seas
swarmed with Dutch and English priva-
teers which made easy prey of the Spanish
treasure ships, rendered slow sailers by
their unwieldy build. Owing to these re-
peated anticipations of the modern custom
house seizures, Spain, from 1893 to 1902, i'm
ported no treasure; but at last her necessi-
ties became so great that she resolved to
brave the Dutch and English Jayne OF
those days.
Accordingly in the spring of the latter year
a feet of twenty-three galleOns, laden with |
treasure which had accumulated to larger |
amount than ever before through the inter |
val of nOn-importation, and conveyed by |
twenty three French ineof-battle ships |
France being the ally of SPAIN and nearly |
the entire Spanish feet, set out from the |
Spanish South American ports bound for |
Cadiz, and evading the Angle-Dutcll feet |
sent to intercept them arrived safely in the |
harbor Of VigO on the twenty-third of Sep |
TENDER. The treasure ships were brought |
within the lower bay, the narrow channel |
leading to which was lined with forts, and |
to make assurance doubly sure boom was
thrown across the entrance. Some tech
nicality due to Spanish etiquette caused a
a delay in landing the treasure, which the
enemy's fleet took advantage of, and on the
twenty first of October, after severe
struggle, cut through the boom and tri-
entered the supposed secure
inner bay. The Spaniards seeing their
dreaded despOilers thus successful, aban-
only thought OF preventing the spoils
from falling into the hands of the
victors. The Immediately began to burn
and scuttle the treasure ships, with such
success that only nine fell into the hands
Of the conquerers, two of which had to be
and one-the richest prize of the
entire feet-taken by the English frigate
struck on a rock when leaving
The harbor. and was lost. The English and
Dutch made Off In triumph with their six
captures, and the remaining seventeen gal
cons with their treasures have remained
1t the bottom of the harbor of Vigo tc the !
present day. The amount of treasure on |
BOARD the galleons at the outset is estimated
1t 5O,OOO,O 600 of pieces Of eight, which is
equivalent to that number of dollars in |
,old, from which is to be deducted the
amount landed, which is computed at |
100000. and the amount captured. which |
s 5000, 900 more, leaving 81 ,000, 900 Of pieces
# eight, or S3 100000, now submerged in
he harbor of Vigo.
During the last century, before the div
ngbell had been invented, it was out of the
question to attempt the recovery of what |
vas thus, though lost to sight, dear to the
lemory of the Spaniard. But in 1925 an
,nglishman named Dickson, armed with a
oncession from the Spanish government,
lade an unsuccessful attempt to rob Vigo's |
arbor OF the treasure it had guarded so
ing. In 1859 another Englishman succeed.
IN finding two of the galleons, but not 6
aving the capital to raise them, abandoned |
le undertaking. Ten years later Colonel '
owan, an American, who had distinguished |
imself by raising the Russian fleet of sew g
MY vessels, with all their armament and
ltht. which had been sunk in the harbor | /
Sebastopol, during the Crimean war was il
pplied TO by the Spanish Concessionaire, il
nd he having satisfied himself of the feast I
llty OF the project formed a company in ! t
ngland to carry it out. The Spanish au- |,
orities took advantage of some technical
J to transfer the concession to o French il
mpany, which. however. was prevented \
ON pursuing the project very far by the L
eaklng out Of the Franco. Prussian war,
succeeded, however. in recovering sew y
al bars gold and silver, which, on being o
sted, fully sustain the estimate made Of
g value of the entire treasure. and Colonel | 81
oven succeeded in purchasing the good b
il OF the French company, which he has d
ansferred to an American association, IL
lich intends Immediately to enter upon 8.
1indlng OF the long-lost treasure.-Ne,c d.
Jrk World. a,