Lafitte graceful, charming, but still considered a pirate

Shreveport Times ^ | 12/14/03 | Editorial

[Holly_P]

Contemporaries described the smuggler Jean Lafitte as "graceful and elegant in manners ... accomplished in conversation." Women found him charming. Some of the leading figures of New Orleans openly associated with him.

But to young Louisiana Gov. W.C.C. Claiborne, there was just one word for Lafitte: "pirate."

Even so, as historian Bennett H. Wall records, "It was not the privateering and occasional piracy ... that particularly annoyed Claiborne and the government of the United States. ... Rather, it was the fact that Lafitte and his men openly flaunted customs laws by selling their booty at much lower prices than legitimate merchants of New Orleans.

"Claiborne found it almost impossible to take effective action against the Baratarians. One gets a distinct impression that the Creoles of Louisiana admired the pirates' cheerful defiance of authority, and they certainly welcomed the 'bargains' they obtained for him."

Exasperated, Claiborne posted a $500 reward for anyone who would capture Lafitte. New Orleans snickered the next day when posters appeared saying Lafitte offered $1,500 for Claiborne's capture.

But a different battle was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico as Louisiana united itself with the United States.

Pirates' sails were overshadowed by those of British warships. And this new piece of U.S. territory, it's young governor and all of its people - pirates and patriots alike - would be forced to sink or swim together.

[Jeff Chandler]

Was he as charming as Jean La Foot, the barefoot pirate?

[Holly_P]

More like Pepe LePew

[dixiechick2000]

Have you ever been to Ye Olde Absinthe House?
That's where Andrew Jackson and Jean Lefitte plotted their strategery.
I thought the coming together of those two was quite brilliant.

[weegee]

Even so, as historian Bennett H. Wall records, "It was not the privateering and occasional piracy ... that particularly annoyed Claiborne and the government of the United States. ... Rather, it was the fact that Lafitte and his men openly flaunted customs laws by selling their booty at much lower prices than legitimate merchants of New Orleans.

Jean Lafitte's smuggling operation included the importation of slaves (I believe into Galveston) when there was a prohibition on bringing more slaves to America. He was a pirate and he worked outside the law. He provided some assistance but in the end, he was still a criminal. I think that Lafitte put a price on Claiborne's head after territorial Governor Claiborne put a bounty on Jean Lafitte.

[Neanderthal]

"Lafitte and his men openly flaunted customs laws "

I think he means flouted, not flaunted.

[dixiechick2000]

"Exasperated, Claiborne posted a $500 reward for anyone who would capture Lafitte. New Orleans snickered the next day when posters appeared saying Lafitte offered $1,500 for Claiborne's capture.".

"I think that Lafitte put a price on Claiborne's head after territorial Governor Claiborne put a bounty on Jean Lafitte."

You were right.

[Thoro]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrr....

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[weegee]

It was late/early when I posted but I didn't need to read the full text of this short article to start finding fault with their praise of a man who put a price on a governing American leader's head.

[weegee]

Aiiiiiiiiiiiii...

There are few letters in the pirate's alphabet.

[stainlessbanner]

"Yes I am a pirate, 200 hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothing to plunder....."