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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMA!l
know anything of his early history. It is stated in some publications extravigant and unreliable, that he was born at St :Maloes in France in 1781; that he was brought up on the sea, and that his youth was distinguished by activity, talent and lawless exploits. It may really be ·so-yet there is no certainty of its truth. So many embelished and exagerated accounts have been given of him, that it is now almost impossible to distinguish what is true from that which is purely fic- titious. There is indeed no satisfactory history of his career, as far as we have seen, prior to his appearance at Barrataria; and the circum- stances under which he took possession of that Island and its bays, as well as his conduct whilst abiding there, have been very clearly ex- hibited in the Historical Memoirs of Latour, and the history of the war of 1812 by Judge Brackenrige. We refer the reader to these authors as the source from which we deriYe the materials of our present sketch.- Gaudaloupe, lying in the Caribbean Sea, is one of the most valuable of the West India Islands. It now belongs to the French; but in 1810, it was taken by the British, who held it until 1814, when it was restored to its former owners. Prior to its capture in 1810, the Gov- ernment of that Island had been pretty liberal in the distribution of Privateer Commissions; and it was from this source that Lafitte ob- tained his first license to depradate upon Spanish Commerce. It was a proper and legal Commission-one which sent him forth against an enemy at war with his own native Country; and one to which no pos- sible censure can justly attach. Whether he ever acted piratically under that Commission, is, in our opinion very questionable.-The crime has been imputed to him; but it wants ~uthentication. At the time that Gaudaloupe fell into the hands of the British, many of the Pri- vateers sailing under the authority of that Island, was still out on a cruize; and not being able to return to the Port whence they had sailed, in order to have their Captures condemned, and where they might be able to vend their prizes., they were compelled to seek refuge, as well as a market in some other quarter. Fortunately for them, they struck upon Barrataria; perhaps one of the most favorable positions for their necessities which the world could afford, it being near a large mart (New Orleans) into which they could easily introduce their goods, and at the same time remain in almost perfect security, inasmuch as the waters which they occupied were at that time but little known to any one except themselves. This was the beginning of the Barratarian set- tlement, of which Lafitte became the acknowledged head. In this secluded and almost inaccessible point, the Privateers, amount- ing to the number of five or six hundred, continued for some time vend- ing their goods and probably deliberating upon their ·future course. The Commissions which they had received from the Government of Gaudaloupe, was now about expiring; and unless they could have them supplied by others from some power at war with Spain, it was evident that they wouJd have to disband, or to act piratically. In this dilemma, they applied to the Government of Carthagena, which had recently de- clared its Independence. They were well received by the people of that country, and found no difficulty in obtaining the boon they sought. Under the flag and authority of this Govt they blockaded the Ports of the Royalists for a long time- capturing many valuable prizes and
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