PAPERS OF 1IIR.ADE.AU BuoN.AP.ARTE LAMAR 229 After the Battle of N. 0. Lafitte went to Baltimore, fitted out a vessel there, commissioned under the Buenos-Aryrcn [Ayres] Govt- His father and brother were with him at that time- Lafitte trans- acted his business there through the House Guestier Peter A. and [sic] old ::Merchant of Baltimore still remembered there.- While l\Ir Adams & Don Onis were treating about Florida and Texas, Mr. S. Williams, met Lafitte in Washington City-this was in 1818 month Deer Mr Williams boarded with him in the same house. Don Onis & Lafitte conferred about the exchange of prisoners; Lafitte had in his power, several distinguished Spaniards which he was willing to exchange for some sailors of his who were then prisoners in Cuba- 1819 Mr Williams met Lafitte in N. 0.- Lafitte informed him, that he had received Orders from the US Govt that he must break up hi,; Galveston Establishment, by ,virtue of the US. negociations and settle- ment of the Florida question with Don Onis. Paul Lanusse During this meeting, Lafitte conversed freely with Mr Williams, and vindicated himself against the charge of piracy, stating that he had only warred against Spain, and that under rightful authority; and that his only offence against law was that of introducing his good[s] into the Country contrary to the custom laws- They met usually at Maspero's Coffee house, where the San Louis now stands- Lafitte walked very erect, usually with his hat on one side of his head, and one eye partially shut when in the sun. His hatred of Spain grew out of persecutions which that nation had afflicted on himself and family; he frequently became greatly excited while speaking of the wrongs recd from Spain- • The merchant through whose house he Lafitte conducted his business was Paul Lanusse- The Hotel, Lafitte & l\Ir Williams boarded at in Washington City, was the Washington Hall, Kept then by l\Ir Butler, from Connecticut.- When l\Ir .Williams saw Lafitte in Washing[ton] City, he Lafitte, did not know then tha[t] he would have to evacuate Galveston [no ] such intimation being given to hi[m at that.] time; but soon after when the [treaty?] between Mr l\Iadison & Don Onis was [made] the removal of Lafitte was· one of [the] stipulations.- Lafitte was born in Bayonne- 81 11 There seems to be a wide difference of opmrnn about Lafitte's birthplace. No. 1614 states that he was born in Brest. A. Fortier, in his History ctf Louisiana, III, 85, makes the following statement: "He (Lafitte) was said to have been born in Bordeau," and H. Yoakum, in his History of Texas, I, 186, likewise states that Jean Lafitte was a native of Bordeau, France. An article on "Lafitte, 'The Pirate,'" irr De Bow's Review ( 1855), XIX, 145, describes him as a blacksmith from Bordeau, France. Another article in De Bow's Review ( 1851), XI, 372, though of a more literary than historical nature, says that "Jean Lafitte, the terror of the Gulf of Mexico, was a Frenchman and was born at St. Malos, about the year 1781." An editorial on the subject in the same work (1852), XII, lll, has the following to say: "Jean Lafitte . . . wa~ no other than: the afore3aid blacksmith from·•Marseilles." What appears to be more authentic data is found in an extract from an editorial published in De Bow's Review (1852), XIII, 102: "Jean Lafitte was born on the Garonne,
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