The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1886-08-14
CONFEDERATE DOCUMENTS.

| Found and Destroyed.
From time to time since the Su rrender
documents and papers of the Southern
Confederacy, long slowed away in forgot
ten corners, have been found and on exam
ination have shed light upon the past an.
furnished data upon which the truth of his
torical record has been based. No writing
contemporaneou with the events touche,
upon by it, can be under priced at the pres
ent day not far enough removed from tn
happenings Of l3GO-G5 for mere historical
assertion to be received without some con
tradiction, doubt or suspicion. History ha
just suffered what may be N almost ire
| trevable loss in the finding and subsequen
lnadvertent destruction, in this parish, O
some of the original war documents. Mr.
Andrew Gingry while recently overhaulint
tation, just below Donaldsonville, latel,
purchased by Messrs B. and NJ. Lemann
came across several old volumes, in tn,
attick of the house, which bore evidence O
having been stored away years ago. Think
ing that probably some of them might bt
of value, he brushed them off and set abou
examining them. Finding that the books
contained war bulletins, official orders
| proceedings of courts-martial and Other
| miscellaneous records of the late Genl
| Alfred Mouton and approaching their i'm
portance he laid them aside with Others
! containing the proceedings of the Common
Council OF Donaldsonville of the years 1s4:
and 1913 and records Of the parish Of Ascen
| sion of 1871, 1912 and 1843, also found b,
him in the building, with the intention Of
| consulting friends in Donaldsonville as te
whom they should be delivered but, or
! coming to town and returning he foune
| them reduced to ashes. It seems that 6
party of servants, instructed to clean az
the premises and burn all the trash found
| about, had, during Mr.. Gingry's absence
started their work and seeing the old musty
volumes, without knowing their value,
consigned them to the flames. 1t is ques-
ton how the records came to be in the
place where found. During the war the
late Edouard Gaudin was living in the At
| takapas country and became, through his
great loyalty to the South and his upright
and trustworthy character, the depositary Of
| great many public documents and papers
as we'll as of quantities of private property,
and it is supposed that these volumes, left
with him and never called for by the
authorities, when he removed to Ascension,
| were brought here and stored away, escap-
ing the memory of himself and family.
However this may be, their loss is to be de-
plored on account of the historical value
Of the original records themselves
Christian Education of Youth.
Communicated. .......... ...M........
The question of education is one Of the
most important concerns of modern times.
Everywhere in the civilized world we find
giant strides being made in its interests.
Here in our own midst 4 most laudab!e re-
viyal has been effected within the past year.
Gratifying as may be the results of such
efforts, the sincere disciple Of tie Catholic
Church ever yearns for one essential in the
education of youth for which the public
school system makes no adequate provi-
sion-the thorough training of Catholic
children in the practices and principles of
their religion. To pastors and others on
trusted with the salvation of souls, this pro-
ject is one of paramount importance
Againsapd again has tho Church exhorted
them 70 exert all efforts for the attainment
of this end-that of combining religious
with secular teaching.
Now the experience of the world pro
nounces that it is through the agency of
religious orders, devoted to the sacred duty
OF education, that the most satisfactory re-
suits have and can be accomplished. In the
present age these orders take most deligent
care to prepare and qualify their members
for the various functions of the school,
In their ranks arc to be found efficient
professors of science and literature, requis-
ties i'll any and every career in civil life. \
glance at the record Of their annual com
menceInents sufficiently illustrates this
And who that has fingered in the labyrinth
Of the Educational Exhibh at the late
Worlds Exposition, can fail to remember
that the most imposing spectacle from the
Z" dust of schools was to be found i'll the
exhibit Of brothers and Sisters
AS to their special adaptation to the re-
ligious department, it goes without saying
that there " they hold the fort" The hours
which we poor worldlings occupy in vanity
and pleasure are by them devoted to quiet
Of truths ETERNAL" or in
dustriously employed in self Improvement
and study, id majorem Del glo,iana" be-
ing the motto ever inscribed OH their ban
ners. Who more likely to be successful in
inducing youth to follow in the path of
virtue and honor with Excelsior ~ written
on his shield, than such as these?
Nearly every Catholic hearthside, aye and
several non Catholic ones too, will prompt
ly admit the domestic blessings accruing to
them through the agency of the daughters Of
Vincent dc Paul, in the work of female edu-
cation. Now why not try and emulate this
happy consumation Of woman's rights
IN favor of poor young man kind ?
The pastor of the parish of Ascension is
in most praiseworthy enterprise
81 Introducing a staff of Brothers to con
duct the Parochial Male School. Of course
money is needed to initiate the project. 1t
8 hoped that the trustees of the church
property will consider it incumbent on
hem to make an appropriation from the
sunds in their charge for this object an
appeal will also be made to the Police Ju-