Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-08-05

Leaving IlOHAitNs en- EQult 10 OSlGuu,
we pass into Flanders of old; Flanders
with mighty past, an interesting his
tory of human events; an artistic peo-
pie in the medieval, warlike in the
crusade, We tarry for time in
Clients, a city that takes much pride
in having successfully resisted the Nor
men, and heroically stood against the
Duke of Alva and Phillip III, who came,
prosecuted and burnt at the stake those
who would not accept their doctrine of
divinity. We note the old windmills
that have pumped and millcd grain for
10 these many centuries; still go around
and around, while the canals are still
| the ways to the sea and inland.
The Flemish weavers wOve tapestry
for the royal houses of Europe. an art
| industry now conducted by the republic
of France. as successor of the Goblins,
who were renowned for celebrated
work. Goblin tapestry is now priceless
and is only found in national galleries
and salons of royalty and rich nobility.
| The Loggia Raphael, in the Vatican,
are drawings of Rapael which were
| sent to Client in Flanders and woven,
! The tapestry now hangs on the walls
of the Raphael Loggia, and has for
by the centuries intervening. The
cathedral is large and interesting;
churches numerous where marriages
| have been solemnlzed, confessions made
and blessings and benedictions pro-
nounced. The art galleries contain
much that is rare of the renascence,
much of historical interest in the mu-
scum, where is told the story of Fltnd-
ers under the counts who ruled with
knightly honor. We approach build
ing of much Importance TO an American
citizen, and enter to know more of its
| history. The treaty of Ghent, between
Great Britain and the United States
| to settle the dispute between the two
countries in the war of lSl2-l4, met
here. An English chronicler of that
period said, as to the makeup of the
/ commission, "'That the English com
missioners were not mediocre, while the
American commissioners, John Q. Ad
ans, Bayard, Henry Clay, Jonathan
Russell and Albert Gallatin were super
Tor in all things pertaining to treaty,
and great in tenacity. The English
held out persistently for full control of
Niagara Falls, free navigation of the
Mississippi, and equal rights in settle
ment of the country purchased from
the Indians under treaty of 1895. Not
withstanding the English troops had
besieged Baltimore, occupied Annapo-
lis, burnt the capitol and sacked the
white house in Washington, destroyed
the public records, and President Mad
isOn a~d family. refugees over the P0-
tomac, took to the woods in pure JEFF
fersonian simplicity and found shelter
in a Virginia manor house, and this
disgustingly uhprotecte9 condition OF
the country, h ,cIt says, WAS
Madisons carrying out jefferson
peace policy. The American commits
sioners demanded the withdrawal oi
English troops from American soil
frigates from the coasts and raise tbs
blockade, denied any right to settle IL
/. the Indian country, control of Niagari
or navigation of the Mississippi river
Peace articles were signed here, the
commission adjourned, when the mem
bers returned to their own country anC
reported their work.
1t was subsequently made knowr
that the English cabinet had sent, un
der secret seal, orders to PdkingEan
to sail for the delta of the Mississippi
land, capture New Orleans and hole
it, hoping thereby to obtain more fav
orable concession for the navigation oi
the great river with sources in the
Rocky and Allegheny mountains, flowing
through the most fertile of al countries
then known to the world. Pakinghan
was purposely beyond recall, marched
on the crescent city with veteran
troops, who had fought under Yelling
to- in the Nepoleonic campaign il
Spain. Their equipments were good M
that period afforded. their uniform:
red and snowy; the soldiers Injured TO hard
ship of fatiguing campaigns, made ligh
of the men whom General Jackson haC
brought from the wilderness Of Tenn
essee and Kentucky. They had me-
with no defense at Bladensburg, whert
Maryland militia fled at the imposing
sight oi the British drum major parad
ing the band. General Pakinghan
formed his army in splendid line be
fore the woodsmen In homespun clothes
and coonskin caps. The English com
mander fell with twelve hundred Of his
soldiers, while only two of Jackson
men were killed. Victory in Andalusla
disaster in the glades below New Or
leans is written in history, while The
soldiers were left to rot in the marshes
at Carondelette Such is fate, such il
the lot of soldiers sent to maintain tht