Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-02-15
Dome Department.
AMERICAN LETTERS NUMBER 6.
MORE ABOUT LOUISIANA AND THE SOUTH


We have seen in notes on Alabama how
Louisiana was first discovered by the
Spaniard De Soto in 1871; how that it
was afterwards discovered by Canadian
tourists in 1858, and 1892, and finally the
first settlement made in 1899 by NJ. Pierre
lie Moyne d'Iberville, native of Canada,
but who brought his colony from France.
1t remained a colony of France until 1853,
when it was ceded to Spain. This was
the indirect result of the conquest of Can
ada by the English in 100. BY treaty
dated at Paris, Feb 10, 1903, France gave
Canada to England and also large part
of the great territory of Louisiana. By
this treaty the English took possession
of all North America east of the Missis-
sippi river, with the exception of that
small area extending from Lakes Maure-
pas, Pontchartrain and Borgne, south
ward and westward to the gulf and the
river, including the island of Orleans.
(See Thompson's History of louisiana
The change from France to Spain was
hand in, and were most bitterly opposed
to. Indeed, so strong was the feeling
that rebellion was started, which Spain
crushed with large army, and with her
usual cruelty and treachery butchered the
leaders, after first persuading them to
surrender. Louisiana remained under
the dominion of Spain until 1901, when
Napoleon took it back.
In 1903, Napoleon fearing that England
with her superior navy would wrest
Louisiana from him, got the start of her
by selling to the United States. The
price paid was sixty million francs, and
the assumption of certain claims due to
American citizens. estimated at 0,000,0 900
francs more. Napoleon remarked at the
time of the transfer that he was ceding to
the American union a domain whose
greatness was Unreasonable, and whose
maritime advantages would soon enable
it to humble the magnificent naval pow
er of Great Britain.
Louisiana is almost wholly fiat State.
1t has no mountains, though some hills
to the northwest.
We come now to Texas. Claimed in
her early history by both France and
Spain, it was here, finally, that the con-
test for supremacy was decided between
the American and Spanish race. The full
decision was reached by the Mexican war,
but that was only result of the contest
in Texas.
In 1892 company of Spaniards I'M
der Espeio visited the upper Rio
Grande and established missions at Ell
Paso and Santa Fe. Robert Cavalier de
La Sale, Canadian, who had before
been down the Mississippi from Canada,
sailed from France with four ships and
three hundred persons, and landed in
Texas, Feb. lG, 1855. His object was to
found colony at the mouth of the
Mississippi, but by error he landed in
Texas. Bad luck attended this ex-
pepition throughout. Three of its yes
sells were lost, and the naval COM
France, deserving his comrades, For
nearly two years La Sale and his COM
pany were on Texan shores, in which
time they explored as far west as the
Colorado river. Finally, in second at
tempt to reach the Illinois settlements
overland, La Sale was killed by one of
his men, and eventually nearly all of his
company persisted. A few We're rescued
and sent home by De Leon, who had been
sent from Mexico to drive away the
French. AT all of these early times the
country was more or less inhabited by
Indians.
In 1890 De Leon again visited the coun-
try and established several missions on
or near the Rio Grande. In 1892 the vii
lage of San Antonio was begun near the
head of the San Antonio river. The first
fight for independence in Texas, or the
first contest between the Americans and
Spaniards, began in 1913. At first the
Americans were everywhere successful,
completely driving the Spaniards from
the territory, but later in the fall these
returned from Mexico with much arg-
er army, estimated at 1000, and through
an ambuscade defeated the Americans
with great slaughter, thar ended in
butchery so that out of $50 Americans
only 90 were known to reach the Sabine
river. Several other attempts were made
by Americans to revolutionze Texas, but
with poor success until 1885.
In Feb, 1921, under lterbide, Creole,
the independence of Mexico from Spain
was declared, and Immediately she began
to experiment with different sorts of gov
ernments. In May, 1885, Santa Anna, who
headed a revolution in favor of himself,
gained decisive battle at Zacatecas
over the Republicans, killing some 2000
of them and capturing 200 prisoners.
October 3, 1885, he issued a decree sus-
pending all State legislatures, thus CEN
Trailing all power at the capital. This
caused the Texans to again assert their