The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-30
gf~n ais 81 tsu- os~.B~m>r..s


cnv0y Of the Frenek Government.
hassened back to Quebec and comma
niczted the Information that the
French ministry vas seeking and de-
ssrfng as q means Of curing English
power on the continent
Tire First Formal Possession.
The Spsnizrds had 4 tentative claim
10 sIi Of the country east Of the Mis-
sissippi and vest OF that stream. IN
der the explorations Of De Soto. more
than q century earlier than that Of
Marquette and Joliet De Soto had
pushed his explorations 10 a point as
far vest Of the Mississippi as 200
miles. and had fraverSed. on the east.
al Of the country lying between the
Mississippi and the Atlantic The
Spaniards claimed all Of the country
between the two mountain ranges as
q part OF Florida. and in all the old
Spanish maps practically all Of what
the French afterward called Louisiana
Is SET down as Florida This eonten-
ton made little OF no difference TO
the French King. who had set about
erecting bar 70 English progress in
North America. but who was equally
willing 90 put q stop 10 Spanish az
gressfon In that part Of the world.
What be aimed at was an echoing
drum beat rolling from the northern
Gulf Of ST. Lawrence down to the
Southern Gulf Of Mexico. II was an
imperial dream. and the first step OF
Louis TO make 1t a reality was TO COM
mission the Sieur de la Sale to pro-
coed from Canada through rivers fall
ing into the Mississippi and thence
down the Mississippi 10 its entrance
into the Mexican Gulf. making trea-
ties with the Indian nations and tribes
as he went. and on arriving at the
Mississippi outlet, to claim the entire
country for France How faithfully
Ia Sale performed his great trust
is part OF the tragic history of Louis
lana he erected at the mouth Of the
river memorial OF the claim OF pos
session made by the French King. and
took formal possession of all the coun-
try tributary TO and watered by the
Mississippi in a process verbal, which
Is now In the archives of the French
Marine Department. In this manner,
and without the slightest regard for
or consultation Of the claims Of Spain
in the country. French sovereignty in
Louisiana was declared
This was in 1892 II is claimed by
some historians that the first settle
ment In Louisiana was made by La
Sale az Kaskaskia on his return from
the Gulf OF Mexico to Canada. There
is nothing in the way of records upon
which to base such claim Kaskas-
kia was the first settlement IN Louis
lana. and 1t was made before the end
OF the seventeenth century, but the e
IS nothing to indicate that 1t was made
as early as 1852. That year is made
more memorable from the fact that il
marks the first formal possession taken
Of Louisiana in the name OF any sover-
eign. and the beginning of that strug-
gle between diplomats. statesmen and
soldiers which resulted at last in the
country being ceded to the United
States. How the designs of the French
against the English came TO be under
| stood at London. and how vigorous
means were taken to meet and repel
the danger: how the animosities arts
ing from the rivalries in the new
world added to those already existing
| In the old. and famed smoldering pre-
| iudices into a flame of war. Is fascinat-
/ ing world history, In which Louisiana
| nlays conspicuous part. Louisiana was
the stake PLAYED for on many chess
/ boards. the PLAYERS being English.
French and Spanish. and later Amer
leans. There is hardly another part
+, OF the world so long and valorously
eontended for At many stages Of old
Louisiana history there is plot and
scores Of historical romancers. who
appear to have neglected their oppor-
tunities.
Face to Face with England.
The hatred of the English was at
that time. as it seems to be still, a
feeling so mutual to the French and
Spanish that the Spaniards did moth
ing more than protest against the
seizure Of the country by La Sale.
The diplomatic notes in the case. so
far as they have been preserved to
us. make interesting reading. The
secret understanding between the two
governments. to which the notes give
expression in that diplomatic langu-
age made. as Talieyrand SAYS. to con-
ceal thoughts. was that either power
which could hold the Louisiana coun-
try against England would not be dis
tuxbed bv the other. and SIS France
was then in occupation the right to re-
tain possession against England he
longed 10 her In the first half OF
the eighteenth century it was made
Main that France would not be able
70 hold the country without a strug-
gle with the English. and It was in
nreparation for this struggle that the
long line Of forts all the way from
Quebec 10 New Orleans were built.
The strongest Of an OF them was
Fort Charities. built az Kaskaskia. or
within mile or so Of the town. as
L then stood. ANYBODY with the time
and curiousity 10 hunt the ruins will
hnd. even IN them. some evidences OF
the strength Of the building. The
excavations were cs solid rock and
over , feet IN thickness The walls
we're Of an equal thickness. The walls
we're taThicaned. snd cannon were
mounted. Here were CHARTERED for
MANY yesrs large number Of French
troops who xere NOT needed In the
eoentry for operations against the
! Indians. and who were held ia anti
cipation Of the Inevitable struggle with