The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-08-27
The First American Revolution.

How many people are there who
know that in Louisiana, as far back as
176e, there was an attempt made TO es-
tablish republic upon the soil of North
America, and that FIVE citizens of New
Orleans paid for the attempt with their
lives? Yet such Is the fact. and the
dusty records in the official archives at
Madrid and Paris bear testimony to
their gallant bat fruitlezs endeavor.
1t occurred shortly after France had
ceded Louisiana to Spain. The help
less inhabitants diSliked the transfer,
but they were powerless to help them
selve4 Although the Spaniards form
ally accepted the gift in 1862, the first
Spanish Governor, Ulloa, did not arrive
in Louisiana until four years afterward.
The collnists had made up their min6s
to dislike him, and they did so. He
seems to have been gay, good humor-
ed, not very dishonest ruler, who tried
to suit his unruly subjects. and found
that ne had set himself an impossible
task. They were scandalized because
he married without the consent of
Father Dagobert," and hurt because he
sent to Havana for a nurse for his child.
Was not Louisiana able to furnish
good-enough nnrse? The colonists
com planned of his presence at New Or
leans but declared that he had insnlted
them when he stayed at Balize for eight
months. They shut him and his wife
ont of society, and then accused him of
naughty exclusiveness. One of the Sc
we're charges against him was that he
made the inhabitants of New Orleans
go six miles ont of town in order to
whip their slaves, because, forsooth,
Mime. Ulloa's nerves we're disturbed by
the shrieks of the victims of the lash.
When he saw that tie colonists had
agreed to disagree with him in every
thing he gave up trying T. please them,
secluded himself and studied science, to
which he was a devotee. Meanwhile
the popular discomfort; grew apace
| Twelve prominent citizens formed a
plot to overthrow the Spanish authori-
ty and establish republic under the
protection of the British officer then
commanding at Pen.acola. Oct. 25
1868, the crisis came. Armed bands
occupied the streets of New Orleans
Ulloa fed to frigate which lay off the
city. The Superior Council met, ex-
PEELED, in the style of more recent days,
| all the adherents of the other side, and
adopted an address declaring that the
colony's allegiance was due to France
not Spain This was blind. The
real intent, as the archives of Paris
show, was to establish republic mod
eled after the Swiss Government. UIloa
reported to Madrid: "One plan was to
transform the colony into a republic
under the protection of England, but
seeing that they could not obtain from
her the assistance they wished for, they
came to the determination to rise with
out it, and to trample under foot the
orders of their sovereign"
For several months the colonists were
left to rule themselves. Then the fu-
ture grew dark. France and England
both refused their aid. Spain sent the
Irish O'Reilly, with twenty -four ships
and more than 5000 troops, to seize the
rebellious colony. When the feet came
in sight, advancing up the Mississippi
one of the conspirators, Marquis, pro
claimed the Republic, but less than {
hundred men responded TO his call fol
troops. O'Reilly landed undisturbei
Four days afterward the twelve Leaders
were arrested. A month of torture anf
trial ended in the sentence of one o
them to death. One had already beer
killed while trying to speak to his wife
The lack of a hangman saved the fv'
from the scaffold. They we're shot oil
the morning of Oct. 26, 1769-the frs
martyrs to American independence
New Orleans Picavune
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