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Recent Change in Louisiana Chief Executives Recalls Some of the Picturesque 'Governors' I Who Ruled That Spanish-French-American State ? ??? i .1 ???J The Place d' Armes where Governor Galvei made bis stirring appeal (or French volunteers to enlist for serv ice against the British. The buildings shown are (left to right) the Cabildo, the St. Louis cathedral, the Presby tery and the Pontalba apartment, la the foreground is Jackson square and a replica ot the famous "rocking horse" statne of "Old Hickory." By ELMO SCOTT WATSON t (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) HE recent resignation of Gov. Richard W. Leche of Louisiana and the consequent installation of Lieut.-Gov. Earl K. Long in the executive mansion at Baton Rouge, once occupied by his brother, Huey P. Long, have added an other chapter to the colorful, and frequently turbulent, history of the chief executives of the Pelican state. It began while Louisiana was a French colony, it continued under Spanish domination and it characterized the early years, as well as the more recent ones, under the American flag. , ii me reaouDiaDie rung- - fish," when he was governor, ruled Louisiana more like the dictator of a totalitarian country than the duly elected head of an American com monwealth, he was only fol lowing in the footsteps of a predecessor ? an Jrish ad venturer who, paradoxically, was the "Spanish governor" of Louisiana just 170 years ago. His name was Alexan der O'Reilly. O'Reilly was born in the Em erald Isle in 1729 and at an early age enlisted in the army ot Spain. He fought in Italy dur ing the War of the Austrian Suc cession and later served in the armies of France and Austria. Then he returned to the Spanish army and was made commander of a brigade. Next he was sent to Cuba to repair and improve the fortifications of Havana and for his work there he was made inspector-general. He returned to Madrid in 17S5, just in time to help thwart a plot against King Charles III and aid in saving the life of that monarch who soon had an opportunity to show his grati tude to the Irishman and reward him accordingly. By the Treaty of Paris of 1762 63 between France, England and Spain, France was forced to sur render to England not only Can ada, but also that part of old Louisiana lying east of the Missis sippi, with the exception of the "island of Orleans" in which was included the city of New Orleans, the capital of thfc colony. ? Ceded to Snain. The "island of Orleans" . and all of Louisiana west of. the Mis sissippi was ceded to Spain, osten sibly as a free gift from France. In reality, of course, France was giving this country to Spain to keep it from falling into the hands of the English and with the hope, which was later realized, at getting it back again. Although France thus ceded the principal part of Louisiana to Spain in 1762-83, it was not until March, 1766, that Don Antonio de Ulloa arrived in New Orleans to supci sedc Aubrey, the French governor. But the inhabitants of Louisiana were not especially happy over the transfer of their country without their consent and the result was a revolution against the new rulers. In Oc tober, 1768, the superior council In New Orleans decreed the ex pulsion of Ulloa, who fled to Havana. When King Charles III of Spain learned of this, he determined to crush the rebels and he picked General O'Reilly for the task. He Appointed the Irishman gover nor of Louisiana, gave him an army of 2,600 picked men and a fleet of M ships. O'Reilly reached New Orleans OH August It, 1768, and at once issued a proclamation in which ha declared that .only those who had headed the movement against the Spanish would be punished. All of'the leaders, 12 in number, belonged to the nobility but that did not save them. One, already taken into custody, died on a Spanish warship. The others were courtm art La led and found guilty and six of them, including La freniere, former King's Attorney General in Louisiana, and Milhet, the wealthiest merchant in New Orleans, were shot. ' Next O'Reilly dissolved the old ; superior council of Louisiana and t replaced It with the Spanish su i preme council, or cabildo. He also put into practice the arbi trary colonial regulations of Spain and decreed a new "black code" which provided the sever est penalties for all kinds of offenses. For a year the people of Louisi ana suffered under his autocratic rule. Then he was recalled to Spain and in 177S placed in com mand of an expedition against Algiers which was unsuccessful. But he apparently did not lose the confidence of his monarch for he was subsequently made com mander-general of Andalusia and governor of Cadiz. In 1794, while he was on his way to assume command of the army of the east ern Pyrenees, he died and it is probable that there was no mourning in Louisiana when news of his death reached there. Quite different was the attitude of the Louisiana citizens, both French and Spanish, toward the man who became their governor in 1777 and their American con temporaries had a special reason for remembering him gratefully, too. For he helped them win their war for freedom from Eng land. Bernardo de Galvez was his name and he was born of a distinguished and powerful family at Malaga, Spain, in 1756. As a youth Bernardo de Galvez was ambitious to win military glory and did so on his first expe dition. Made colonel of the regi DON BERNARDO DE GALVEZ ment of Louisiana, <he went to the colony in America in 1778 and when Don Louis Unzaga, who had succeeded O'Reilly as governor, asked to be recalled, Galvez, through his family's influence, was appointed .to that post, al though he wad ' then barely 34 years of age. f The young governor promptly restored to the French colonials the right to trade with France, thereby winning their gratitude. His predecessor had followed a policy of "benevolent neutrality" toward the American colonies who were then in revolt against England. Galvez not only contin ued that policy but went farther. In 1778 the continental Congress sent a Captain Willing to New Or leans to get munitions which the Patriot army so sorely needed and Galvez not only permitted the sale of arms and ammunition to Willing but contributed $70,000 to the American cause. The king of Spain had offered to mediate in the dispute between England and her American col onies and when the offer was spurned, Spain followed the en ample of France and on May 8, 1779, declared war on the Eng lish. The following July Galvez received permission from his king to seize the British forts in Ala bama, Mississippi and West Florida. Galvez called a meeting of the French inhabitants of New Or leans in the historic Place d' Armes and as a dramatic gesture announced that he would re nounce the governorship if the natives would not support him in his expedition against the Eng lish. Since France had already joined forces with the Americans, since there were in New Orleans many Acadian refugees, who had good reason to hate the English, and since the boyish Spanish gov ernor had endeared himself to the French in many ways, the young men of that city didn't hesitate long before volunteering to ac company him. Rejecting the suggestion that he wait for reinforcements from Havana, Galvez, with 670 men, Spanish regulars, French Creoles, Acadians and American volun teers under Oliver Pollock, seized the British fort at Manhuac, cap tured Baton Rouge and received the surrender of Natchez. The next year Fort Charlotte at Mo Due leu. In 1781, re-enforced by a fleet and army from Havana, Galvez attacked Pensacola. When the men-of-war attempted to cross the bar, however, the San Roman ran aground and the commander of the fleet. Commodore Calbo de Irazabel, declined to risk any more of his frigates. \ A Bold Exploit. Galvez, who realized the im portance of having the fleet to be assured of arms and food on St. Rosa island, his base, "resolved to shame the commodore into co operating. He embarked, there fore, on the brig Galveston, com manded by Rosseau, a Creole, and raised his pennant on the brig. Followed by a schooner and two gunboats, he boldly en tered the port and acted with such valor that the main squad ron followed the next day and safely crossed the bar. After several months' siege, Fort George and Fort Red Cliff were taken and the way to the main defenses of Pensacola opened. A terrific bombardment was continued until an explosion made a great breach in the walls. Then a storming party rushed in and compelled the surrender of General Campbell with his garri son of 800 regulars. Aa a rPtvarH fnr RaIvby'i hril liant success, the king made him lieutenant-general of Louisiana, the Floridas, East and West, and Cuba. He was also given the roy al permission to place upon his coat of arms a figure of the brig, Calveston, with the motto "Yo Solo" (I Alone). In 178S he was made viceroy of Mexico to suc ceed his father. He died there in 1786 after having been viceroy for only a year. * The name of Don Bernardo de Calves lives today in the gTeat city or Galveston, Texas, but Americans have other reasons for remembering him. Not only did he provide the patriot army with munitions at a time when they were most needed, but his conquests of the British posts in the Southeast prevented their us ing them as bases of attack on the Americans in the old North west in Geofgia and (he Carolines. When the Revolution ended, had England held the Mississippi as well as-the St Lawrence the boundaries of the new nation, as well as its future destiny, might hare been far different from what they became. Spain later ceded Louisiana back to France and Napoleon Bonaparte sold it to the United States. England made one more effort to gain a foothold on the Gulf at Mexico when, toward the end of the War of 1812, she landed an army near New Orleans. What happened to it when it attacked Gen. Andrew Jackson's army on January 8, 1819, is history. The first American governor of 1 Louisiana, like some of his prede cessors and some of his succes sors, had his troubles. And one of his worst troubles was an In dividual named Jean Lafltte. This first governor was William 1 Charles Cole Claiborne, born in ' Sussex county, Virginia, in 1775. In 1801 his fellow-Virginian, Presi dent Thomas Jefferson, made him governor of the Territory of Mis sissippi and two years later he was appointed commissioner, i with Gen. James Wilkinson, to I accept the transfer of the Louisi- 1 ana Purchase from the French. I He was appointed governor of the t province of Louisiana for three years and when it was made a I territory in 1804 he resigned con- i trol of Mississippi Territory to i govern the new one. j In 1810 Claiborne took posses- i sion of Baton Rouge and Mobile, which up to that time were still i held by the Spanish, despite the ' fact that the French had sold i Louisiana to the United States. '? Two years later, by an act of 1 congress, Louisiana was made 4 1 state and the people of the new 1 state elected Claiborne as their first state governor. And then his troubles began. The source of these troubles were two brothers, Pierre La fltte, and his younger brother, Jean?two Frenchmen who had come to New Orleans by way of the West Indies. At first they acted as agents for a colony of smugglers living in the Bay of Barataria. Then they became their leaders and moved their hoipe from New Orleans to the island. Grand Terre, in the Bay of Barataria. From that time on the record is not entirely clear as to the exact nature of the Lafittes' ac tivities. Jean Lafitte always in sisted that it was privateering and that they preyed only upon ships carrying enemy flags. But historians are pretty generally agreed that it was piracy and it is as "Lafitte the Pirate" that he has come down in history. The people of New Orleans were inclined to view these ac tivities leniently?they enjoying being able to buy ail sorts of goods at a lower price than that charged by more ethical vend ers of merchandise than the La fittes. But Governor Claiborne was not inclined to wink at such goings-on within his jurisdiction. So on November 24, 1813, he posted his famous proclamation offering a reward for the cap ture of "Jean Lafitte, pirate." Two days later Jean Lafitte, clev erly using the same language as the chief executive of the state, posted a proclamation offering a reward of $1,000 for the delivery of Governor Claiborne at Grand Terrel Thereupon New Orleans shook with laughter. But not Governor Claiborne. lie sew lo ix xnax au ox uie Baratarians were indicted for pi racy and when Pierre Lafitte was caught in New Orleans, he was held without bail. When he came to trial, however, two famous at torneys whom Jean Lafitte had hired for a fee of $20,000 suc ceeded in getting him acquitted. Soon afterwards, however, pub lic opinion changed and plans were made to wipe out the nest of pirates in the Bay of Barata ria. Pierre Lafitte was again ar rested and this time he was kept in jail. Then came the invasion of the British army, Jean Lafltte's of fer of his services and those of his men to the American cause, the efiort of British officers to enlist the services of the Bara tarians and Jean Lafltte's clever bit of double-crossing of them. He sent Governor Claiborne news of the Briti&h proposition and re newed his offer to serve the Americans. As a result Pierre Lafitte was allowed to escape from jail and the Lafittes and their Baratarians served valor oualy in Jackson's army which whipped Pakenham's redcoats at the historic Battle of New Or leans on January S, 1815. As a result of this patriotic service Jean Lafitte and his followers were legally forgiven by the fed eral government and reinstated to American citizenship. Presumably they were forgiv en by Governor Claiborne, too. At least he was troubled no more by the Lafittes who established a pirate colony near Galveston, Texas, then ruled by the Span ish. In 1816 Governor Claiborne was elected United States sena tor but died in New Orleans on November 23, 1817, before he was able to take office. 'Ideal Flower' For U. S. Found Developed After 46 Yewi* Work by Bur bank Kin In California. SAN FRANCISCO.?After 48 yean it searching and hybridizing at flowers, David Burpee, cousin <5 the late Luther Bur bank, believes he ias at last developed the "ideal American flower." Burpee, whose flower ranch is in Santa Barbara county, comes from > long line of flower experts. Be tides his relationship to the late Luther Burbank, his father also was s distinguished hybridist "I was only 15," he said, "when my father offered me a prize of $1,000 if I would develop a yellow sweet pea. I never earned that $1,000, but my work along that line started me in my search for a flower that would survive the heat and cold of all parts of the United States and have at the same time sufficient beauty to make it the country's ideal flower." It's the Marigold. It was 30 years later, he said, that be finally found it "It was the marigold, but it took years and years of further search and hybridizing to perfect it to what I wanted. In the first jflace, it had many serious disadvantages,- the most serictus of which was its odor. This, 1 discovered, came from little oil sacks on the under side of the leaves." Burpee then began a world-wide search for a marigold that did not have this disagreeable scent. This was carried on for several years, and finally abandoned. "Within a month after I quit my search," Burpee said, "I received a letter from a missionary in China who had discovered an odorless marigold. I had him rush me some seeds and planted them at once on my California ranch." The first flower was small and was sterile. But there was no odor. "In the next one, however, a mu tation occurred and produced a flower with female reproductive parts, but no male parts," he said. Crossed With French Flower. "I then conceived the idea of crossing the French marigold?a small red flower with male repro ductive parts only?with the large African marigold, which was yellow. "This was done by planting a five acre field in alternate rows of French and African marigolds and then putting 600,000 bees in the field." The result, Burpee said, is a beau tiful red and gold hybrid. They have been flown across the Atlantic to see if they would stand the change of temperatures and climate with complete success, and he is con fident that he now has the ideal flower that will thrive in all parts of the United States. Siam Changes Its Name; Becomes 'Land of Free' BANGKOK, SIAM.?Siam, one of the few remaining independent king doms in Asia, has changed its name to Thai. An official proclamation issued by the government inaugurated the change. The recommendation by the Siamese cabinet that the change be made had been approved by the assembly of the people's represen tatives. Thai, meaning "free," is the old name for the country, and it em phasizes the emergence of the Siam ese race from the fusion of the Lao Tai and Khmer races. The name Siam comes from the word "Sayam" which Siamese Nationalists, who now control the country, say origin ated in Cambodia, once part of the kingdom but now within the bound aries of French Indo-China. The change to Thai means that Slam is now known as "Land of the Free," which is in keeping with the feelings of the Nationalists. Long Idle Fire Engine Misses Big Opportunity BUFFALO, N. Y.?The Are engine at the Buffalo Municipal airport waited for five years to answer an alarm, and when it sounded, arrived too late to be of any use. A shanty, used as a storehouse by the WPA, which is modernizing the airport, burned to the ground before the ap paratus arrived. Loss was set at $73, which includ ed a quantity of oakum rope and Blled lunch pails belonging to 50 WPA workers. Llama Follows Him ST. LOUIS.?Mary had her lamb, but Gene Nichols, attendant at the municipal zoo here, has his llama. Nichols has cared for the llama ' since shortly after it was born, rais ing it on a bottle. Now it follows him patiently wherever he goes. He calls it Henry. Fifteen Perfect Tears HARTSVTLLE, S. C?Miss Eloise Hayes, of Latta, set a record when she took her bachelor of arts de cree from Coker college. She had completed 15 consecutive years in school without missing a class. Rome Plans Subway to Fair ROME.?A subway to accommo date 82,000 passengers an hour is being constructed between Rome and the site of its 1842 World's fair. nHB By L. L. STEVENSON Grand Central terminal is never a quiet place. Throughout the 24 hours there is activity. Grand Cen tral never sleeps. Ordinarily, it is noisiest and busiest when the flood of commuters reaches its crest These summer days, however, there are hours when it is just about as busy and far more noisy though all the commuters may be at their desks. Hundreds of youngsters, carefully shepherded by adults, come swarming in and with their arrival whatever dignity Grand Cen tral may have vanishes. The groups are noisy. They couldn't be quiet if their lives depended on silence. They are entirely too excited for successful repression. And so a clatter of conversation has over tones of shouts, yells and whistles which blend into sound waves that rise to those twinkling stars dotting the ceiling of the lobby. Travelers hurrying to trains forget their haste, and baggage-laden porters grin. The youngsters come from homes where rooms are apt to be dark and stuffy, where there are steep stairs instead of elevators, and where cold water may be the only suggestion of modern conveniences. They are bound for the mountains, the country, the seashore. They will be away from the slums for a week or two weeks and in some in stances even longer. In the main, their vacations have been made pos sible through the generosity of the more prosperous. It doesn't cost much to give a tenement kid a vaca tion. Various organizations, through years of experience, have worked things out to such a fine point that a week's stay costs only a little more than $5. In this supposed-to be granite-hearted city there are al ways those willing to help the less fortunate. And so those noisy, happy regiments at railway termi nals. ? ? ? Pale faces. Pinched bodies. The tale of cramped living, scanty food and sidewalk playgrounds told in human documents. Yet on most of those young faces, a strange bright ness. The brightness of anticipa tion of close contact yrith old Moth er Earth. Of swimming without be ing chased by cops. Of a real beach instead of a fireplug. Food that doesn't come from a pushcart . . . dreams of freedom from the slums J . . freedom to play to (lie heart's content. God love all thpee young sters. May all their dreams tome true. ? ?it r The city of New York also pro vides outings for underprivileged children. And for underprivileged mothers. Among other activities are those three ferryboats that go up the Hudson every day. The pas sengers are mothers and children from the slums. Everything possi ble is done to make the outing pleasant. There is milk for babies and ice cream for older children. Also there are doctors, nurses and police. The cops are taken along not to keep order but to protect the' kids. The outings are only for a day. But they are better than none at all and by the end of summer thousands will have enjoyed them. ? * ? The hospital ship of St. John's guild has been mentioned in this space previously. But I like to write about that trim, white, engineless vessel which each morning is towed down to Sandy Hook, if the bay is smooth, or up the Hudson if the waves dance. The passengers are mothers and children. Tired mothers and sick children under 12 years of age. The list is compiled from names supplied by various organizations and city hospitals. That sail down the bay or up the smooth river is not a mere outing. It is a part of treatment designed to bring back health. And it too is made possible by generosity, the ship being main tained by private contributions. ? ? *. A real hospital ship is the Lloyd 1. Seaman. A part of the crew are doctors and nurses. There are dietitians also and others to look after the comfort of passengers. The comfort of passengers is the reason why there are no engines aboard the Lloyd I. Seaman. Vibra tions might be bad for the patients. A cargo of sick youngsters ... I always see the Lloyd L Seaman through a mist. IB*D Syndic.t*? W S U Service.) Bridge Key Misplaced; It Weighs 100 Pounds MODESTO, CALIF.?Everyone has lost a key or two, but can you imagine misplacing one six feet long and weighing 100 pounds? A key answering that descrip tion, used to open the span of the Nine Mile bridge across the Tuolumne river, disappeared, and it had authorities worried. It was feared the thief might use the key to open the draw siring, unused now for 30 years, and go away without saying any thing. WORLD'S FAIR TOURISTS?room* In pri vate home, ten minutes to Fair Grounds. Rates reasonable. MRS. F. SCRERBKRR, Xl-M Mtk Street, AaterU, L. L, M. V. STOVE A FURNACE BgJUBS STOVE, MIME DCDSIDC SS'mtSm mb ratiucf KLrRIKO 2?. uS Aak Your IWW m Wrtf Urn m-JRUS** * "Z2ZSZ. ^ ' POULTRY BUD FOB PRODUCTION: Dub BRIBED FOR PROFIT! CktaBa SOLD B* ?l ALITTi T.rk.y. STARTED CHICKS: PlBtb MILFORD HAICHtET^Si.'/t Beautiful Crocheted Doilies for the Table Pattern 1935 'Add that touch of luxury that marks a well-kept home. Crochet a large lace doily for a center piece?a large and two medium sized ones for buffet set?three sizes repeated for a luncheon set! The large doily measures It inches, the medium one 12 inches and the small 6 inches. Pattern 1935 contains directions tor mak ing doilies; illustrations of them and of stitches; materials re quired; photograph of doily. Send 15 cents in coins for this pattern to Hie Sewing Circle Nee dlecraft Dept., 82 Eighth Ave., New York. 'NJ?I9Jstjion and One D?t Proves It If the flm dose of tills pi assent-tastlna mfls black tablet dan't brim joo tha futaat and Mb SftVSZ fngSfanSSf Bell-ant tablet helps the ttonacb digest food, makm the sir as i stomach Balds bamlsss and km ns aat tha ooSrlafalng foods joa aasdL Far beast bum. akk headache and upaeta ao often caused be ezeeaa stomach fluids making yoa foal soar sad sick all over?JT" ST ONE r>oe* ot Bell-ana mm speedy relief. SSe naitteia. Real Nobility If a man be endowed with a generous mind, this is the best kind of nobility.?Plato. How Women in Their 40's Can Attract Men Havrt food adrlea for a woman during Imr change (usually from S8 to 62), who Lara she'll lose bar appeal to men, who women about hot flashes. loaa of pep, dimqr spalls, upset nerves and moody spell*. Gat mora freah air, 8hr*. sleep and If yam need a food feneral system tonic take Lydia E. Pinkham a Vegetable Compound, mada cspseioZIjr /or woma It halpa Nature biifld up physical resistance, thus helps flea moro efraaty to enjoy Ufa and assist raluiif jittery nsrrss and disturbing sympt?n thai often accomdkny chanfe of Ufa. WELL WORTH TRYINGl Father of Pleasare Novelty is the great parent at pleasure.?South. WNU?4 3i-9 Greatest Want He that wants hope is the poor est man alive. Don't Neglect Than 1 Mitn Msm4 tha kUbMn to tm m Z3??2:s?j?2M taakltopatltka. TW aat at Matof?MM ?nf-4 fonindy pndada not nw tha Mmh nan nnm Iran Ua Mood If food baaltb U to mini. Wtoo tin bldnaya loll to ftmrtioo oo Notora tetoxM. lint k naantka W naato that may caaaa body-wife dk tiaaa. On aaay ml* naotaf btittiba. ftnklnitltaadaitn.attoAaBl illttlat aadar tin*una latl tiradTaamaa ? nan oat. Fraaaaat. araaty ar banks no?o "re* ?Tbkato7\gS7? ka&5SS*nVb3?t?tid!5t Bi twJ^^PT5?Sl?bad aaa *
The Alamance Gleaner (Graham, N.C.)
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Aug. 24, 1939, edition 1
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