PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
29
given to McGregor; and that the course of the people on the island had "plainly shown the enterprise to be a private, unauthorized ad venture." The American pictorial historian 96 gives a bad picture of the affair, and, Frost attempts to chill it by remarking that "the island (Amelia - not Galveston) was made a channel (how can an island be a channel?) for the illicit introduction, of slaves from Africa into the United States; and asylum for fugitive slaves from the neigh boring States, and a port for all kinds of smuggling." Here comes the slander on Lafitte and Galveston. In connection with this sub ject, the President also stated the formation of a similar estahlishment "on an island in the Gulf of Mexico, on the Texan coast." It was held by the administration that this place was within the limits of Louisiana. "The latter establishment was much more considerable than that on Amelia island, as well on account of numbers, as for the greater facilities for piracy and smuggling." An adventurer named Aury was at the head of this last establishment; "and he called around him a regular civil government." (What do you think of that, old Dot-and-Carry-One?) "Finding his proceedings noticed by the Ameri can government, he left his first rendezvous �nd moved to l\fatagorda." Was not that respectful and friendly towards the United States? If it was not right, we ask our friend MacFarlane, 97 in his present history of Texas, to make' it so, and vindicate our town while he sustains the fair fame of his own. Mr. Frost observes, "The Lafittes (there was but one) and others of the Barratarian pirates were conspicuous in his company, and took several prizes. Some of these were sent to New Orleans for sale, where they were claimed by the Spani&h Consul and delivered into his charge.'? It is evident that piracy did not flourish at Matagorda; for Mr. Frost says, that, finding smuggling difficult at so great a distance from the United States, Aury returned to Galves ton, which, in the mean time, had been resorted to by some thirty other "smugglers," when he formally left the island, and soon after united all the adventurers in the Gulf of Mexico who would join him, and sailed to Amelia island "giving notice that Galveston was no longer under his protection." Citizen McGregor, before the arrival of Aury, had left Amelia island in charge of Hubbard and Ironil. These men united with Aury; they were joined by twenty half-pay British officers, thrown out of employment by the peace in Europe; and the whole party devoted themselves to practical free trade on the Gulf of Mexico and Spanish Main; but writers who did not like them say that "the flag of no nation was respected by them when a rich cargo excited their cupidity." They seem to have been abolitionists, after the fashion of British philanthropy. They overhauled the Spanish slave ships from Africa, took out the negroes, and afterwards sold them to the planters of the United States. Old man Churchill, who had in some way learned a great deal about these people, has told us that he fre quently saw such slaves sold on Galveston island at $40 each. The United States, not liking the manner in which these people conducted their affairs, sent the ship John Adams, with a squadron and battalion of Charleston artillery under Maj. Bankhead, to take
..Frost, John, Pictorial History of the United States. 01 As far as can be determined, this book was never publi@hed.
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