orders that the prisoner shall "have no attendant in whom you have not the fullest confidence, and communications to and from him must be through the medium of a commissioned officer."

The governor now busied himself in ascertaining the conduct of the Spaniards in respect to the Indians, and in ascertaining the number of warriors among the latter, of old men and boys, women and children their means of offence and defence, &c., &c. He directs the agents to confine passports to Indian chiefs, and men of real consequence among the tribes, wisely thinking that the less the Indians and whites mixed, the better the prospect of harmony. "Horsestealing, robberies and murders might thereby be prevented, and our friendship, of course, longer continued." He informs the Indians that for all depredations, a deduction will be made from presents intended by the United States for the nation of the offender, and that justice will be strictly administered. All this is contained in a letter to Samuel Mitchell, Choctaw agent, September 3, 1798.

The following letter shows that the governor, usually so placid, was capable of strong resentment. It is addressed to Judge Bruin.

"September 5th, 1798.

"DEAR SIR:-The inclosed letter, so strongly marked by ignorance, as well as impertinence, is transmitted to your Honor, that you may know the writer, his attachment and connexion with Mr. Cox, whom I have thought proper to order into confinement, for such misdemeanors as have indicated the most treasonable intentions towards the United States. All which I have made you fully acquainted with.

"I believe it is material to the interests of our nation, that he should be immediately apprehended, and constrained to give security, that he will not, by word or deed, endeavor to disturb the peace and quiet of the general or territorial governments, or any of the citizens thereof; and if it shall appear, (as I presume it will,) that he has been one of Mr. Cox's captains, that he be held to answer at the supreme tribunal of this territory or the general government, as may be hereafter directed, for aiding and abetting the Mr. Cox before-mentioned, to contravene the laws of the land, or otherwise be dealt with, as in your judgment may be deemed best."

On the 8th of September, 1798, the governor published an order, organizing the militia of the state, and appointed the following list of officers; of whom many descendants now live in Mississippi, for whose gratification we insert their names and rank:

NORTHERN DISTRICT.

Cato West, Esq., Lieutenant-Colonel.

Naseworthy Hunter, Esq., Major of horse.

John Girault, Esq., Major of foot.

Thomas Green, Richard Harrison and Thomas Calvit, Captains of horse. James Truly, Jesse Harper and George W. Humphreys, Lieutenants of horse.

George Sulzer, Lacey Rumsey and James Spann, Cornets.

Roger Dixon, Tobias Brashears and Arthur Carney, Captains of foot.

John Brooks, James McIntyre and Gibson Clark, Lieutenants.

William Smith, James Davenport and Eden Brashiers, Ensigns.
James McIntyre, Adjutant.

LOWER DISTRICT.

Benaiah Ozman, Esq., Major of horse.
Sutton Banks, Esq., Major of foot.

Benjamin Farrar, William Moore and David Ferguson, Captains of horse.
William McIntosh, George Cochran and John Minor, Lieutenants.
John Lintot, Hampton White and Charles Surgee, Cornets.
John Ellis, Adam Bingaman and Joseph Calvit, Captains of foot.
Abraham Ellis, Daniel Grafton and Philander Smith, Lieutenants.
John Wall, Samuel Hutchins and William Dunbar, Jr., Ensigns.
John Watts, Adjutant.

These gentlemen were thus assured by the governor :

"It will be with the most singular satisfaction that the governor shall have it in his power to report to the sovereignty of the United States, that upon this western confine of their possessions, prevails the most laudable spirit of emulation.”

Owing to the great want of judges (there being only one) in the territory, and the numerous misdemeanors complained of, the governor then appointed, on the 9th day of September, 1798, the following persons conservators of the peace, viz.: Daniel Clark, William Dunbar, Isaac Gaillard, John Ellis, James McIntosh, Philander Smith, Thomas Wilkins, Joshua Howard, and Joseph Calvit, and Lewis Evans, sheriff, for the lower district; and Cato West, Sam. Gibson and Tobias Brashears, Esqrs., conservators of the peace; and Wm. Ferguson, sheriff, for the upper district, with power to the justices till the appointment of Federal judges, to examine felonies and commit offenders, and appoint constables; and to the sheriff, to quell riots and affrays, and to commit to prison all persons offending in their view. Justices were further authorized to administer oaths of allegiance!! till 30th October, 1798.

The following is the form of the oath of allegiance prescribed :

"We, the undersigned, acknowledge we owe allegiance to the United States of America, and we do most solemnly swear that we will support, and maintain, and defend the constitution thereof."

It was about this time reported to the governor that a union and combination had taken place between the four nations of Indians; but he declares, in a letter dated 19th September, 1790, that he does not believe it-that he has information that the Choctaws are friendly to the whites, and inimical to the Creeks. But to prevent danger, he recommends that the agent desist from running the boundary. He declines sending additional troops, considering the American and Spanish, with Andrew Ellicott, equal to the protection of the frontier from marauders. In his letter to Mr. Ellicott, he says:

"I'cannot, however, close, without congratulating you, that the old and illustrious commander of our armies has again resumed the sword, and his example has been followed by a whole train of worthies, Knox and Pinkney, Major General Hamilton, Inspector, and a whole host of brigadiers. Military ardor beats high in every breast, and the whole American world are in arms. French privateers bringing in by our American cruisers. The President is authorized to banish aliens as he shall think proper, and I have seen the skeleton of a pretty comfortable sedition bill, which has since passed the House."

About this time the Indians banished Col. Hawkins, the United States Agent, from their settlements, and an attack on the Americans by the Indians was apprehended. In a letter to the Secretary of State, dated 11th September, the governor communicating this intelligence, recommends the establishment of a small garrison and trading houses in the Choctaw towns. He says:

"We live here only upon sufferance and their good will. Our settlements are scattered over a great extent of country, and not to be defended. Our whole militia, free male inhabitants, from 16 to 50 years of age, may amount to 800 men, and I have taken measures to organize them without delay. Nearly half of this number will probably be mounted."

He then complains of the want of civil officers, the multiplication of crimes and misdemeanors, and declares himself to be "the veriest slave in the world." He adds in the same letter:

"There seems to be an opinion still prevailing, (I know not upon what ground,) that Louisiana will be added to the French. For such a government the creoles, who are very tolerable soldiers, would, I am persuaded, fight. The whole number that might be embodied from the same on both sides the Mississippi to the Balize, would amount, I am told, to about 2,500 men, armed with smooth bores, and without bayonets. Their slaves are said to be as four to one.

"This communication is made unto you, sir, to enable you to form a judgment of the due provision essential; with all deference, I take leave to suggest an opinion, that a body of volunteers might be raised in Tennessee, Kentucky, and the North-West Territory, upon a promise of land, to prevent the possession of Louisiana by the French, in case the Spaniards should be disposed to cede it. But early arrangements and sudden execution should be provided for,-as a fleet and army at the Balize,-perhaps possess the whole lower country, might accompany the first intelligence of the cession. A few French troops, with the cordial co-operation of the Spanish creoles, and arms put into the hands of the negroes, would to us be formidable indeed. The Indians, (now I fear wavering,) would be induced to join them, and in the aggregate, constitute an enemy by no means contemptible to the United States.

"Believing it is the intention of our government to cultivate a good understanding between the citizens of this country and the subjects of his Catholic Majesty, I have granted passports to all good men, requesting the same to pass the line. In some cases, commandants have informed me, our citizens could not be admitted but by special orders from Governor Gayoso, to whom I have signified the friendly disposition of the United States, but there must be reciprocity in all things. The Spanish treaty, it seems to me, provides for their traders going into the southern Indian nations within the United States; but until otherwise instructed, I shall make it a point to place them under the same regulations as our own traders."

To Mr. Ellicott, who had been the subject of charges from a subordinate officer whom he had removed for cause, the governor wrote thus on the 10th September, 1798:

Subsequent events justified this apprehension, but circumstances converted the cession by Spain to France from an apparently dangerous event into one most auspicious to the interests of the United States.

"I should believe your reputation so firmly established, as not at all to be affected by vague insinuations or unsupported assertions. It would be enough, I presume, for the sovereignty of the United States and all your friends, that you simply contradicted such reports, however speciously made, or industriously circulated; and for myself, also for you, I I would deem it a most undue condescension to enter upon defence, under any of the vilest calumnies, till called on by legal authority."

On the 18th September, 1798, the governor addressed a letter to Don Manuel Gayoso, Governor of Louisiana, &c., in which, after assuring him of his "faith in his Excellency's disposition to render ample justice to all men, and reciprocating the very friendly intentions of the United States to his Catholic Majesty," he demands from his Excellency the arrest and surrender of the person of Francis Mitchell, "accused of having piratically depredated the ships and citizens of our Republic, in an armed vessel, called the Henricque."

On the 28th day of September, 1798, the governor addressed to his Excellency, Don Gayoso, a letter, requesting the arrest of Zachariah Cox, who had escaped from confinement on the 26th instant, "under circumstances so base, as extremely to aggravate his guilt to men of honor, and who was said to have taken the way to NewOrleans." This letter is worthy of publication, and it is therefore inserted here without apology:

"The compact, sir, subsisting between our nations, has most happily provided for rendering ample justice, at their respective tribunals, to the subjects and citizens of either, in the recovery of the smallest property, payments of even trifling debts and damages, of what nature soever, that may have been sustained by either party, whether the causes of complaint be against our own citizens or subjects, or foreigners who have taken refuge within our domains.

"With such generous, such liberal provisions for matters which certainly can be of no very great national concern, we must necessarily infer that our sovereigns have never intended an asylum for criminals within the realm. Mr. Cox's conduct cannot be investigated but in the territory of the United States. If, therefore, your Excellency should decline to give him up, (which I cannot believe possible,) it might have the fatal tendency to countenance and encourage every species of villany within our respective governments, for it would foster the hope of impunity amongst the most abandoned men. To establish as sacred and immutable truth, that first article of the treaty now subsisting between our nations, I fondly hope your Excellency and myself shall pass no occasion of cementing the public amity, by the mutual interchange of good offices. The delivery up of Mr. Cox will rank high in this order, and be considered as rendering very eminent service to the United States and all good government. On my part, I shall but wait an opportunity to demonstrate equal accommodation, and follow the example of your Excellency."*

* In publishing the foregoing letters, my object has been to portray the character of the first Governor of Mississippi, which could not be done by mutilating or condensing them. Hereafter they will only be introduced where they naturally interweave with the main narrative,

ART. III-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL SKETCHES OF LOUISIANA.*

THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE-EARLY GRANTS AND SETTLEMENTSOPERATIONS OF GOVERNOR GALVEZ-TAKING OF SPANISH FORT AT BATON ROUGE-THE KEMPERS-LITERARY REMINISCENCE-ORGANI

ZATION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA"-STATISTICS, ETC.

DUPRATZ, in his history of Louisiana, speaks of Baton Rouge as being "situated on the eastern bank of the river, at the distance of twenty-six leagues above New-Orleans. It was the concession of Diron D'Artaguette. It is there you see those famous cypress trees, from one of which a ship carpenter made two pirogues one of sixteen and the other of fourteen tons measurement. As the cypress is a red-colored wood, one of the early voyageurs playfully remarked that a splendid cane, or walking-stick, might be made from one of those trees. From that time the place was called Baton Rouge, or Red Stick."

After the failure of Crozat, large concessions of land were made to wealthy individuals, who on their part were obligated to transport to Louisiana a number of colonists proportioned to their grant. Nearly all that portion of this parish, fronting on the Mississippi River, was included in the grant to Diron D'Artaguette. We have no record of the number of settlers that were brought to this concession, or what progress they made in the art of agriculture, as the settlement is not mentioned until many years subsequent.

Dupratz says:-"One league above Little Point Coupee (Proffit's Island,) are situated the" little cliffs, where was the concession of the Marquis of Mezieres. There was upon this concession a director and sub-director; but the surgeon has found out the secret of remaining the sole master thereof.

It is a pity this land has been abandoned. It was a beautiful concession.

The above-mentioned concession was partly within the present limits of this parish, comprising Port Hickey, Fontania, and the beautiful plantation, now the property of J. P. Benjamin, Esq., (Mount Pleasant.)

The concessions of D'Artaguette and Mezieres were the earliest French grants made between 1712 and 1718.

In the year 1763, the Floridas passed into the possession of the British, and George Johnstone, a Captain in the Navy, was appointed Governor of West Florida. He sent detachments of troops to take

We are indebted for this interesting paper to Judge Carrighan of Baton Rouge, who has taken some pains in its preparation. It pleases us to find a better spirit abroad in the state regarding historical researches. Our hopes are still strong that we will succeed in obtaining papers upon every parish-the fuller the better. We have published already Assumption, Jackson, Concordia, Baton Rouge, Feliciana, besides scattering and imperfect papers on other parishes.