Monday, September 19, 2005

Stop the Proscription!

As I mentioned the other day, I am reading Robert Remini's book "The Battle of New Orleans: Andrew Jackson and America's First Military Victory" so as to brush up on a bit of NOLA history.

Jean Lafitte and company were among those who had some issues with authority, but were still prepared to defend their adopted city against foreign invaders. Excerpt (pg. 34):

...Lafitte admitted that he had evaded the payment of duties in the customhouse but swore that he had "never ceased to be a good citizen." In a separate letter to Claiborne (Louisiana's territorial governor) he offerered his services in defense of the country and only asked that "a stop be put to the proscription against me and my adherents .... I am the stray sheep, wishing to return to the sheepfold." He said that he had never sailed under any flag except that of the republic of Cartagena, and if he could have brought his prizes to the ports of Louisiana he would not have employed the "illicit means that have caused me to be proscribed."

Posted in observance of Talk Like a Pirate Day, Sept. 19.

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