Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-11


ably the most foreign of all American sea-
ports, and is no commonplace town.
There are many things TO attract notice
no matter how much one has travelled, or
now many other strange and more an
cient places and things he may have seen.
We slt know, in a general way, that this
city has had an interesting and romantic
history. We have always considered it
simply Americanized- French; but, as a
mates of fact, 1t is and has been almost
everything. II has been under five gov
ernmenis, and but for the gallant victory
of Gen. Jackson, with the help of his loyal
Choctaw Indians and Barataria pirates ON
the Plains of Chslmette, another flag
would have, for time, waved over the
city.
From its foundation, the most lofty
piety has lived side by side with the
depths of sin; chivalry and pride have
walked beside all that was ever the most
brctal and vile. To-day the piety may be
less intense, the evils moi SO open or so
great. All this might be said OF many
other cosmopolite communities, but of
this one, past history and present obser-
walton proclaim it more loudly.
Down around the old French market Is
the place to see a greater variety OF the
human family than may be met with in
any other spot on earth. Every state and
dialect OF Europe is reprented-or the In
dian and the Moor, the Mexican and the
Chinese-ali specimens Of the earth's chill
dren, from the cccidcnt or the orient, are
gathered here the black and the white,
the creole and the quadroon.
The real Louisiana Creoics are amoag
the proudest people in the world, and the
much-abused and misunderstood word
here stands for all that Is good and I'M
tainted. In the West Indies and on the
Spanish main, a Creole is one OF mixed
blood with q great preponderanee OF the
European. Here, the first French and
Spanish settlers of the better class took
the name, and their unmixed descendants
are as proud of il to-day as ever. To be
one would not here be called Creole.
Their domestic language is still French
their English is but for convenience and
an accomplishment. The Louisiana Cree
ole women have been well considered TO
be among the tmost beautiful in the
world.
New Orleans was first settled by the
French in about IT'S. Some thirty years
later the country was ceded to Spain. The
people rebeiled, drove the Spanish governor
aray, and declared their independence,
and set up government of their own.
Spain sent out a powerful expedition,
destroyed the leaders and "pacifedn the
people. Later on. governor and other
high officials marrying Creole bellies, the
| Spanish rule became popular and the
people loyal; the colony turned from
French to Spanish arts and ways. After
nearly fifty years OF this assimilation Of
hearts and evolution of taste, the country
| was coded back to France against the cry
ing protest OF the people.
But events followed fast, and within a
| few weeks they were sold "iike lot Of
cattle" to the government OF strange and
unholy people-the United States; less
than sixty years later, one OF the proudest
cities of Confederate government to-
day contented, loyal and pr, sperous
city of the greatest government on the
| earth.
All OF its vicissitudes and displeasing
| forced changes of allegiance were only
leading ever onward towards happy
salvation and no doubt to yet more brill
liant future.
In sauntering about the city, in the old
French quarter, the most interesting and
| historical spot is Jackson square. Here,
and near by, were held all the meetings Of
note, of vital interest to the colony. Here
the great formality OF turning the country
over to Spain took place, and here the
abortive first declaration of independence
on American soil was made. Here the
leaders were shot to death. In the centre
of the square is an heroic equestrian
statue OF the hero of Chaimette. The
horse stands high on a granite base, on
which is boldly cut this inscription:
1.-THE Union must and shall be preserved"
Though the monument is older than the
Civil war, that bold declaration did not,
and could not, face and withstand the
year or more Of Confederate rule. The
words were cut by the order OF General
Butler after the city had fallen and he was
in charge.
| Facing the square, side by side, are the
old st. Louis cathedral and the ssCabildon.
Within the latter building, on the second
floor, in what is now the supreme court of
Louisiana, great events have occurred
Here various changes of government, haya
been signed and keys changed hands.
Lafayette was here received in pomp, and
Mckinley formally welcomed to the state
| just before his death.
My friend and sat at the desk and in
the chairs OF honor where events had
taken piace-honored guests-we feed the
janitor and owned the building. Around
the inner court are the ancient Spanish
prison cells, used to-day for the confine-
l mani of ntaU and 49,