The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-08-27
The Romance Of Southern History.

The Romance of Southern History.
More than seventy years ago, when the star
of the great Napoleon was beginning to de-
scend from the meridian of his glory, France
held all that portion of the United States west
of the Mississippi. Her American possession
extended from New Orleans to Oregon, and had
come into her hands by virtue of the discove-
ries of La Sale, Joliet and Father Hennepin.
| Even to-day, in many portions of New Orleans
| there are the characteristics that mark the
prominent national fruits of the earliest set
| tiers. Frenchmen jostle the shrewd Yankee
| speculator and the merchant of Louisiana in
| the Cotton Exchange Frenchmen minge in
| the discussion of questions to advance the
public good-or rather check the public bad
| and the French market is eloquent with sug-
gestions Of some of the quaint old quarters of
Paris. 1t is a bit of Old World life trans
planted and reset amid the hustle and activity
of the New.
There is strange romance about the history
of these former French possessions a singular
illustration of the remarkable strides that our
country has made in settlement and prosperity,
that makes it exceedingly interesting to the
student of human advancement.
When Joliet the Canadian fur trader, and
bis pious companion descended the river, the
banks on either side were but the borders of
wilderness that stretched away for hundreds of
miles. Now and then, on their lonely journey
they would see the face of some wondering say
age, and tarry while to minister spiritual
food to the copper-colored tribes. Often they
passed through hostile countries, where the
dark woods were pregnant with trcachcry and
ambush, while again they would be received
with hospitality and friendship Time passed
The Rev. Father had given up his life on the
shores Of the mighty river, and once more it
belonged to solitude. But civilization ad-
vanced and built her outposts on the present
sites of the cities Of New Orleans and the st.
Louis, and the Mississippi was no longer an
unknown river. France held all that mighty
domain until the birth of the nineteenth CEN
tury when it was cedcd to Spain. That coun-
try held it but a short time. Napoleon appre-
ciatcd its value, and after much negotiation it
was retroceded to France. The great French
Consul intended to make it a province OF
France, and with it offset the possessions OF
his hatred rival, England, in the New World ;
but it was reserved for a grandcr destiny. The
United States then but struggling nation,
had up to that time, been sorely troubled TO
obtain the right to navigate the Mississippi:
The Minister at France, Mr.. Livingstone, had
been instructed to negotiate for the purchase
~
At last, circumstance, came to his aid. France
was threatened by another war with England,
and it vas currently reported that it would be
part of the policy of the English ministry to
send feet into the Gulf of Mexico. AS Ma
poleon was then situated he could not prevent
the invasion, so he choose the lesser horn OF
the dilemma and sold what was then known
as Louisiana to the United States for fifteen
millions Of dollars.
Seventy years ago, when the sale was made,
the country purchased was mighty Wilder
ness. The bosom Of the river was only broken
by driftwood, and, perchance, the canoe OF
some stray Indian, or the bark Of some sturdy
fur trader. How different to-day. 1t is divided
into cities and territories; great cities and
marts Of trade; thriving villages, farms, schools
all of the characteristics of i prosperous
population-haye risen up on the sites OF the
great forests. And the transformation has but
barely begun. The old Spanish adventures
who dared death in a hundred different forms
to obtain the wealth Of the New World were
not so far wrong in thinking it an El Dorado,
but they did not know where the riches lay. 1t
was not to be found in mines OF gold and pre-
cious stones, and in the rivers and gulches, but
in the broad plains, the rich ores, the bounteous
soil and the magnificent tcr-courses-natural
was gold that would come as rich reward for
honest toll that constituted the wealth Of the
New World, and the practical eyes of the set
tiers saw and appreciated the fact But the
South is only in its infancy. 1t has received
stimulus during the last few years. that will
develop its rich resources in manner that
even its most enthusiastic admirers do not
dream of. Capital is flowing towards it; its
agricultural wealth is growing greater every
day; its mines are being operated; great man
ufactories are rising everywhere; the people
are throwing off their indifference, and pre-
pairing to engage in the commercial battle for
which she mas so many natural advantages,
and to-day her future is more assured than
ever. There is no place in the broad universe
where capital may be more safely and profta-
bly, invested; and the Southern press and peo-
pie owe it to themselves to keep this fact be-
fore the world.
Is there no romance IN all this? No romance
in the quick and sure conversion OF wilder
ness into civilized nation-prosperous, en-
lightencd and contcntcd? Aye, there is more
than romance in it. 1t is one Of the great
miracles of modern progress of which our coun-
try has given the most magnificent illustrations.
The waters of the broad Mississippi that three
quarters of century ago were dcsolate with
the silence OF DarDarlSnl, are to-uay co'eicu
with richly freighted barks that ply between
the marts of trade upon its banks the silence
has been broken by the voice of civilization,
and the steady puff, puff of the stately steam
boats. Rats and fiat boats float down its
waters with their wealth Of lumber and grain
the forests have given way for broad plantations,
and the voice of the iron horse shrieks out
"rrogress" as ii thunders along its banks Tile
South.
LAEoR.--It is mistake to suppose that la-