On motion of Mr. Hart, Mr. C. W. Alexander of Philadelphia was invited to address the Louisiana Historical Society on subject: "Two Visits of Liberty Bell to New Orleans."

Gen. Booth made some remarks on outline program of unveiling of Beauregard Monument.

Mr. Justin F. Denechaud presented copy of new university dictionary and called attention to definition of word "Creole," contained therein.

Mr. Denechaud protested against erroneous meaning conveyed and a motion was proposed that the definition of "Creole" as stated by Prof. Fortier be the correct one, and that the authors of all dictionaries be advised of the Louisiana definition of "Creole." The motion was carried.

Mr. Hart, Gen. Booth, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Dymond and Judge Renshaw made some remarks upon the subject-the meaning of "Creole."

Mrs. Schertz presented a letter bearing upon the De Thulstrup pictures in the State Museum; letter was referred to the Executive Committee.

Mr. J. Wilfred Gaidry offered the following resolution, which was seconded and carried:

"That a committee be appointed by the chair for the purpose of interviewing and presenting the foregoing memorials to our Federal representative; and, further, to interview the Federal engineers of this district with a view of securing from them a survey and estimate of the requirements in the premises; and, further, to furnish a copy of the foregoing memorial to the American Historical Society, the Mississippi Valley Historical Society, the Daughters of 1776-1812, to the Governor of the State, the members of the State Legislature, the administration of the city of New Orleans, the various commercial bodies of said city, and to solicit from the above, endorsement of the foregoing memorials and do whatever else may be required of them in supplying dates, etc., and to expedite the ends desired."

Mr. Gilbert Pemberton then read the paper on "Noblesse Oblige."

On motion of Mr. Dymond, Mr. Pemberton was thanked for his paper, and same was ordered printed in proceedings.

Mr. A. D. Call of Washington D. C., executive director of American Peace Society, was called on and spoke on "International Conciliation or the Peace Movement."

On motion of Mr. Waldo, Mr. Call was thanked for his speech.

Meeting then adjourned.

R. GLENK, Secretary.

"NOBLESSE OBLIGE"

WHY NEW ORLEANS CAN ALWAYS COME BACK.

"Noblesse Oblige" is why New Orleans can always "come back." Such is the conclusion which I trust you will reach after having heard what LaHarpe and Pere de Charlevoix have to say regarding the storm of September, 1722, which wiped out New Orleans three years after its birth; and the description of the great fire which destroyed New Orleans in 1788, as given by Governor Esteban Miro and the Intendente Don Martin Navarro to Frey Don Jose Antonio Valdes, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

The founders of New Orleans, and its builders afterwards, were not weaklings. They were made of a steel that bends but does not break, built in the right way on the fairest land they could find, and with incomparable courage and perseverance laid the foundation for what we are to-day.

So, if the people of New Orleans and Louisiana have met the recent storm situation courageously, as they have every other crisis that went before, they have only lived up to their traditions. It is only another notable example of atavism to mark a spot in the road for which our forbears blazed the way so that those who came behind might be spurred to do better and greater things; not in vain defiance of the Almighty, or of the forces of Nature, but in order that their efforts might prove an inspiration to those who in their turn should follow them.

The descriptions of the storm are translated from "Le Journal de l'etablissement des Francais a la Louisiane" by La Harpe, and from the "Journal Historique d'un voyage fait par ordre de Roi dans l'Amerique Septentrionelle" by Father Charlevoix of the Society of Jesus, both of which books are the property of Mr. Cusachs.

That of the fire is a translation from the official report of Governor Miro and Intendente Navarro. The original Spanish copy is contained in one of the volumes of old public archives recently transferred from the City Hall to this Mu

seum. The document, as far as I know, and strange to say, has never been published by any of the historians who wrote so profusely about Louisiana.

But then let us see what LaHarpe and Charlevoix and Miro and Navarro have to say of those events which tried the souls of the Colonists of old, so that they might leave a standard which their posterity must maintain for the rest of time. LaHarpe says: "On the 11th of September a hurricane started which lasted until the 16th, the southeast wind veering south to southwest. This hurricane destroyed eight thousand quarts of rice, which was on the point of being harvested, without counting the destruction of the crops of beans and corn. Most of the houses in New Orleans were blown away, although the warehouse built by M. de Pauger was spared. The Saint Louis Warehouse was overturned to the entire satisfaction of the storekeepers, who were thus released from settling their accounts.

The ship "L'Espiduel," three lighters, almost all the boats, yawls and pirogues perished. The ships "Neptune" and "Santo Cristo," which were to be made ready for sea by order of the Royal Commissioners, were completely put out of service, and unfortunately a large quantity of artillery, lead and provisions which were in a vessel that had been beached near Biloxi, and which had been neglected for more than a year, were lost. In this circumstance great apprehension was felt for the vessels moored at Ship Island, and for the "Dromadaire," which had been sent to New Orleans loaded with timber that had cost the company more than 100,000 livres.

On the 14th M. de Bienville sent a pirogue to the ship "L'Aventurier" that had already made sail on her return voyage to France. There were twenty-seven passengers on board, including M. Hubert. He (Bienville) wrote to the Commissioners to inform them that the hurricane had carried away half the rice crop, and asking for succors of provisions and particularly of meat. (Here I must stop to observe that though Bienville asked aid of the Commissioners, yet the Colony was undismayed and all things worked

normally, even unto the public executioner, for we find that on the 20th of September two thieves were hanged for having pilfered the warehouse of a certain Mr. Law.)

"On the 23rd instant," continues LaHarpe, "news reached New Orleans that the "Dromadaire" had arrived at the mouth of the river, where it had resisted the hurricane without accident, which goes to prove that vessels may anchor there in perfect safety."

So much for LaHarpe, but let us now see what Pere Charlevoix has to say.

"On the 12th of September at 10 o'clock at night, a storm broke over the Mississippi, which lasted with full strength until noon on the following day, and made itself felt as far as Natchez on one side and on the other as far as Biloxi. The Church, Hospital, thirty houses, the Barracks of New Orleans were overturned, and all other buildings damaged. No one perished, but several sick persons were wounded in the Hospital. A quantity of boats, pirogues, canoes and launches were destroyed in the Fort. All the buildings on the plantations below and above New Orleans were blown away. Biloxi was even more roughly treated, and the sea, having overcome its margins, inundated a portion of this Port. The lighters that were in the harbour were thrown upon the Islands of the Continent. The Captain of one of them with an apprentice, spent 24 hours on the beach; the rest of the crew perished, and several pirogues on their way to New Orleans, laden with provisions and fowls, sank. The vegetables already matured were lost, and the continuous rains which followed ruined a large portion of those that had not yet ripened." But continuing his journal, the Reverend Jesuit nonchalantly observes: "We are, nevertheless, still at war with the Chicachas; and, in fact, the savages were compelled to sue for peace." Not so bad for a storm-stricken community.

The storm had partially wiped out the town, but they re-built it and incidentally found time to hang their criminals and fight Indians.