Louisiana capitolian., 1879-07-05
S&lqtt Ylistqllar1p,
Written for the Capitolian.
THE FRIENDS,
OR,
A HOME IN LOUISIANA.
By NoRAH NJ. JoNEs.
CHAPTER /.

CHAPTER I.
PREDATORY.
Oh! if America can yet be great,
If neither chain'd by choice nor doom'd
by fate
TO the mob-mania which imbrutes her
now,
She yet may raise the crown'd, yet civic
brow,
OF simple majesty.
1t has been observed, in speaking
of the intellectual powers of man,
that if we could trace distinctly all
that has passed through the mind
from the first beginning of life and
sensation, till the full development Of
reason; how the infant faculties first
began to work, and how they brought
forth and ripened the various senti-
ments and opinions, with which the
mature mind feels itself endowed, that
this would be treasure in natural
history, throwing more light on the
human faculties, than philosophers
have ever been able to discover. As
great analogy exists between the indi-
vidual man, and mankind consolid-
ated as a nation, it may be safely
affirmed, that if all the facts could be
traced, perhaps much would be dis
covered, throwing broad CLEANS of
light on the future prosperity, or the
premature decay Of kingdoms, en-
pires and republics. But as the keen
est observers have never been able to
trace the human mind, SO the most
unbiased historians can only speculate
on the main-springs which set polit-
ical machinery at work.
"Felix 9ui potuit rerum cognoccre eau
sas.o
Towards the close of the eighteeth
century the most stupendous events
had been enacted and were still en-
acting on the political arena of the
known world.
Men of impartial and philosophical
minds were contending to promote
systems of government, founded on
the highest integrity, and the justest
equality, when all systems seemed to
be t0ttering to their foundation, and
men became drunk with the mad ex-
citement of political liberty.
France had thrown aside even the
mask of religion, and the Goddess Of
Liberty reigned supreme. The lilies
dropped, stained with the blood of
Louis; the manners of the people
were corrupted, their traditions oblit-
Grated, their opinions shaken, and
freedom expelled the realm.
Statesmen stood aghast since re-
ligion had lost it's empire over the
souls Of men, the very elements of
the moral world were undermined;
both princes and people appeared to
be guided by chance, and even the
most prophetic could not define the
limits of despotism or the bounds of
license.
The limbs of dismembered Poland
still quivered, her annihilation was
not yet complete. Russia, Prussia
and Austria, like birds of prey, still
contended for the subdivision of the
remains, the best portions of which
were reserved to pander to the bad
passions of a so-called strong minded
woman.
The British lion, with wonted feline
Witness, lay crouching and chatting
under the recent defeats with the
American colonies. AS England had
been banked in her tyrannical meas
ures towards her American offspring,
she drew still tighter the CALLING
chains about her Irish subjects. Ire
land lay prostrate, enduring unparal-
lelled wrongs. For years she had
been leading life of martyrdom, for
the very love of her religion was only
an additional source of oppression
but rather than apostatize she chose
famine, flight and death itself. And
blessed be God, even up to this day
she has kept the teachings of the an /,
cient faith unviOlated and untouched
Her despOnding children were scat
tered to the four winds of heaven,
when the finger of destiny pointed to ,
America; "a voice from the New
World shouted Libertym To America 1
they came, hoping that here as the {
antipathy to British control was in
nate in every American bosom, they ,
might be true to their country and
their creed. &
Unfortunately, about this time COM |
menced the administration of Mr.. !
ans, the second president, he was at
this time on terms of the strictest in- +,
timacy with Sir Robert Liston, the ,
British minister, and we may in pal q
liation suppose that it was under his |
influence that the "Alien and Sc 4
ditean Laws" were passed. The pas c