, 1874-08-04

THE PIRATE or THE GULF.


From tho C1arieston Se,ss and Courier.
Joan Lai'tto, the "Pirato OF tho Gulr," Al ho
waa usually called, was Frcnclman BY BIRTH,
oar1y enlisted in the Frouch navy, mud eoou fell
ln:o tho lands Of tho Engiish, by whom 10 waa m
cruelty troated, kept long time In prison, aud
only l!borated when brought by confinement aud
torture to tic very borders Of tho grave. lie
thus acquired hatred of tue English, which lo
| took occasion to crafty on tho occasion OF tho
| memorable attack on Now Orleans.
! OF his carly life more than the nbovo ia not
known. That ho was wild, rostIesa, and daring,
cold, unscrupulous, aud cruel, may well DO I'M
mature life IL 1T tho 1aland OF Grand Tore, or
Darataria, an undulating piece OF land, or
mlleb luug. Some GO miles west OF tho delta OF
| tho mississippi. Hoo. in . good harbor, in a
strong natural position, mado stronger BY turis
aud battetics we'll armed and manned, joan La
ftte, With GOO OF 800 men and eight or ten vss-
1s07. ~ '~~'
From this stronghold bis cruisers went forth,
sometimes uader Que flag and sometimes under
another, pnuderi'1g tho rich merchantmon which
wero trAversing lhs guilt on ther Nay to a profit
able market. But Latitto ropouu tho appella-
ton q pirate. He claimed TO 10 ouly q "priva-
| teor." Spain had become involved iu war with
hor South American colonies, aud the latter
wero sonoing out privatcogs to prey upon Spanish
| conlmnlco. Fiom tho Government OF Cartugena,
Lalitta obtained u commission, aud ontBred upon
os1eor Of pluuder, little Curing what flag his
| Spanish, French, English. and American were
| all the aano TO him, aud ho soon beuano terror
to all honest uavisstorr. The r4yages Of the
Alabama aud other Confederate crnisers wore
piratcaE teet. 1t IL estimated that 400
richly laden ships wero captured by him and his
lieutenants, thoir cargoes being marketed in
Now Orleans, into Which port shoy wcre SNUG
gleI.
| Finally. to 1918. the authorities OF Louisiana,
weary OF tho jswleBBucss carried on 60 near their
borders. issued 3 proclamation through Gov.
Claiborne, dated Nsw Orleans. March Is, 1918,
reclting tho numerous acts OF piracy and sn1uy-
| Cling with which tho occupants OF Baratarin
wero charged, and ordered them to dspctse. Tho
proclamation was diarugardodt and soon after
the Governor offorcd 4 sewald of $1,000 for La.
couuter-proclamation from tho pirate, prou,is-
ing reward Vi t50.0 900 10 any one who would
deliver Gov. Claiborne iato H hands.
Matters woro III this condition. when. late In
1914 the English resolved to attack Now Or
leans. But tho dilliuutlrB in ascending tho
MissisHlppl wero numerous, and they iinully re-
| solved to seen paHsage through Barataria xnl
it's bayoua; and, considering our relation 10
twoen the authorities of Now Oricaus aud the
piratcal crew at tllat point, they wore confident
Ut Attaching Latitto to their interest," Tlus, on
| tho 30th Of August, 1814 Capt. Loclsyor, Of tho
British nh'p Sophie, saltcd On that 1nlssion. Tho
Baratarian chief tlon had !, lU0 men under his
| command. aud thirteen aimed vessels.
Capt. LOckyer vas pei nllttcu TO laud, and had
| private interview with Tho pirate ut which he
| offered MIN, ~ reward for h1B c0-opotation
s6D, ,00D in coi,l, commission in Ills AfajeBtys
| navy, and FREQ pardon for himself and follow
| ors. Lalitto requested ten dsys for cousldor-
alton, pretending desire to consult some Of Lis
| aaHoclateB WHO wero thon abBont.
As bofore iltimatod, L.atitse hated tho English
Oh ACCOUNT Of tleir cruelty to him In curly fo.
| His interest. TOO. waa With tho Americana. Now
| Orleans was h,B best market Tor stolou gonIs,
| and it WIS important that llo should conclllate
| The American Government. Therefore, ho ill.,
| stantly departed for Now 0roans, presented
before u!u tho dispatches iron, Capt. Lockyer,
| aud others from Lalltte, promising to nid tue
| American cause. il paraoned
] At tho time of hls uIriyal IN expedition WAS
hold, aud llo RakoA that it bo delayed. Claiborne
| laid tile lottcrH before his Council, but they
| would not holieye them gonuno, and the OK
podition was olderod to aalt. 8oraly dlsappoint-
| ed, Laliite returned, lut before he reached hls
| sunk or capturod and his men scattered. Tho
| spoil that fell into the Aands Of tic Americans
| amounted to S600000
It w.s 100 lato 10 accept tho iaSttoring over
clned. and hia only aa!vat!on was IN all Amer
| lean ALLIANCE. lie accordingly agaiu wrote to
Claiborne. saying that ho and his command were
'wlllsnB to enroll themselves against tho enemy"
! Gen. jackson .wys consulted, and was strongly
| in favor Of the Hchomo. Accordingly. Gov.
| Claiborne issued proclamation, concluding Us
| follows:
Btates, and am authorized to lay Tint should
| their conduct in tuo field merit tho appreciation
oil tho Mnjor.denoral, That TINT officer will unite
with tho uoyerror ln a roquest to tile President
Of tue United btateA to extend to ouch aud oy-
cry individual 80 marching aud 10 acting troo
| aud full pardon"
Iatitto and hundred CT 80 Of his followers