The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-22
A RUN TO THE COAST.
CURIOUS NEW ORLEANS.

To see New Orleans in the early winter Is
not to SCI it in its beauty. but whatever may
be tho season the stranger cannot fail to find
in this curious city very world Of enter
tainment The globc-trotter notes in Chicago
much that reminds him Of New York, and
In st. Paul much that reminds him of Bos-
ton. An architectural notion which has
seized the popular fancy in Philadelphia is
not long In crossing the continent so that
the tourist, wandering hither and thither
about the land, is sensible OF certain mo-
notony Of reduplication in the physical be-
longings OF other cities that tends 10 weary
the spirit. AT home in one city, he Is at
home In all cities, save in this strange city OF
New Orleans. Here he obtains new sensa-
tons at the moment of dcbarking, and
though he larry month and day, he en-
joys an uninterrupted succession Of sur
priscs. Away yonder in the far southwest,
along the Mexican border, where the greas-
or and the adobe spill over into
tho territory of the star span
gled banner the traveller encounters
social conditions OF the mislit order, Just rs
he does In the Chinese quarter Of San Fran
cisco, but he sees also the evidences OF the
steady aggression and ultimate triumph OF
the genuine American lea. Southern Cali
fornia, Arizona, New Mexico and the region
OF the Rio Grande are still new country, 10
speak comparatively, and though the trav-
cler find there much that bespeaksa bustling
civilization, he is reconciled by the thought
Tia. the traces Of the ancient Spanish domi-
nation arc vanishing under the policies and
preachments Of Uncle Sam. II Is an his
torical fact that Spain has blilhted every
region in which she has set the standard Of
discovery. Not one Of her colonial posses.
sions has ever kept step in the march Of
nineteenth century progress, and whenever
her colonies have thrown off the yoke Of her
rule they have still remained dormant and
without prestige among the nations. The
United States man and the Spaniard have
nothing in common whatever, notwi b
standing Ferdinand and Isabella. DeSoto
preceded Penn and Marquette, yet he
could not permanently fix the Spanish
banner In North American soil. We should
bok upon Spain rs the mother country,
but we do not England is but step
mother, after all; yet whatever there be OF
filial affection In the nation that now occu-
pies this broad land goes out to her. The
possession Of the land was contested at arms
by France and England. England won,
but only 20 lose to the colonies she had
herself established. France, however had
renewed her grip upon the mouth Of the
Mississippi, and was holding II long after
England had been dispossessed Of every pro-
prieiary right in the vast territory now
known as the United States. In 1919 Iber.
Vile established the first colony at the mouth
OF the Mississippi, and New Orleans was
founded In i7is From these early colonists
the country derived its geographical and
communal nomenclature, and tho popula.
ton was given q Gallo bent 80 positive us
to endure even unto this day. France lost
Canada In faif fight, but she lost Louisiana
In bargain, In which Jefferson took ad.
vantage Of Napoleon's necessities and press
ing engagements with the allied powers OF
Europe. That was early In the century Just
| closing. Louisiana then comprised about
everything from the delta, on the west Of the
Mississippi rs FAR north rs Iowa. Jefferson
paid Napoleon si5, 900 900 for this vast tract.
The sage Of Monticello was a good
trader. Now, when one comes 10
think Of the desperate struggle that
Franco made to possess North America.
Washington gaining his first military expe-
rience In fighting against French soldiers. &,
would seem but natural thata certain degree
Of enmity should have survived as between
the two nations. But such has not been the
case. When the HeSsians sold their swords
TO England In the war Of the Revolution,
Lafayette was Washington's volunteer lieu.
tenant. The American remembers Lafayette
afiectionately, and has forgotten Montcaln.
Since Lafayette the American and the
FrenchmAn have gotten on very well togcth.
or. We see this excmplihed In New Orleans,
We saw II manifested at the Yorktown ccle.
bration, and the Liberty statue In New
York harbor affords another demonstration
OF the same thing
To cross Canal street In Now Orleans Is 10
90 5000 miles 10 France. As the French
quarter was In the beginning. 80 Is Il
even unto this day. II the visitor
DO from the land Of Samuel Adams
or OF Andrew Jackson, or Of Patrick Henry,
he feels triile FESTIVE ON noting how firmly
have been imbcddcd here traditions wholly
foreign 10 the American spirit. "Royal, I"
'Daul him." saint" Bourbon" these be
dcscripiiycs which ayor too much Of mon.
archy and ccclcsiastieism 30 please the aver.
agc American mind. lie sees here nothing
that bciokcns identification with American
aspirations, yet, remembering Lafayette. he
grows tolerant aud 10 to.eraic n fcnchman
Is TO sucoumb 10 his winsom mess. II 10 not
to be believed that the people Of any other
nationality could have 90 long exercised a
controlling influence upon the social charac.
tcristics Of an American commercial metrop.
oils rs the French have maintained In New
orl,aE. Tho Dutch laid the foundations Of
New York city, but how little OF the old
knickcrbockcr element survives In Gotham
Here on the south side Of canal street the
French are very olannish and exclusive. II
will be told you that some OF the oldest rcsi.
dents Of the quarter have never viewed the
Clay statue from the other side. They main.
tain vigorously social customs that were
brought over by their fathers from France.
They read French newspapers. they live In
French houses and have established an en-.
yironmont Of French idiosyncncy ~ com.
plctc aud consistent a. ono may find Ia
France. Against this alicnistic condition
the tide Of American life has beaten In vain.
Jacksons statue stands In the French quar-.
ter nnd Ciay'a ronfnonia n uhfie the ma.