whose dangers, difficulties, grandeur and achievements resulted in the Louisiana of to-day.

He stood on Louisiana soil in 1699-a mere stripling, but full of enthusiasm for his king and country, and imbued with the grand idea of winning a new jewel for France—a new realm for his king.

He lived to be an old man, but, throughout his eighty-six years, his one and only love was Louisiana.

Ever busy planning, fighting, governing in the interest of the colony, he found no time for wooing any maiden, and went to his grave unmated and alone.

Made governor in 1701 by the death of the Sieur de Sauvole, Iberville being still away, the young commander showed wonderful wisdom in his dealings with white men and with Indians.

Exploring among the natives, he once met 300 warriors waiting to attack him, yet he skillfully changed their enmity into friendship, and, moreover, secured them as allies. These were the Colapissa tribe, first fruits of Bienville's tact and judgment.

Another time he managed to turn back an English vessel which was ascending the great river, its captain having orders to plant the flag of England on the Mississippi shore.

And how easily this could have been accomplished! The vessel carried sixteen guns, and there was not a French post nor a French soldier upon the borders to oppose this scheme.

Young Bienville grasped the situation at once, and realized the danger to his country's cause.

Bienville, in his canoe, seemed no match for his English foe in his large and well equipped vessel of war-but diplomacy won a victory.

The polite Bienville assured Captain Barr, the English commander, that the river they were on watered a French Dependency, subject to Canada, then in the possession of France: and he would probably find the object of his desires. further to the west.

As Bienville knew his right (as rediscovered with Iberville, of the river), to settle on its banks, his statement was not without foundation.

However, this incident showed Iberville on his return from France, the great necessity of establishing some settlement on a river which had become the desired object of possession by the mightiest power of Europe.

A temporary village was erected on a spot selected by Bienville, at a distance of eighteen leagues from the Gulf of Mexico, being the first place on the river above inundation; and when Iberville sailed again for France, Bienville was placed in command of the fort on the Mississippi, whence he soon became sole ruler of the entire province.

One of the wisest things he did was to establish a post on the Sabine River, and another where stands Natchitoches to-day, all under command of the splendid soldier, M. de Saint Denys, who held these forts against both Indian foes and Spanish pretentions.

In a word Bienville, through every trial and difficulty, maintained the power of France, and by wise appointments of his associates held the colony in all its parts true to the king whom he served.

The Spaniards were on the alert to take possession of Louisiana, as it lay between their two domains—namely, Mexico and Florida; but Bienville guarded against this danger successfully.

The English also were scheming to acquire control, and many Indian tribes, instigated by the English, were treacherous enemies of the Governor and of his race.

Think of such a position, and no one would envy these conditions, nor express aught but praise for a man who valiantly, unfalteringly, stood at his post and guided events, and guarded his people so as to secure peace and a due amount of prosperity.

Bienville was the pioneer governor-the first to found, to rear, to love, to meet all the dangers, and to overcome all the varied obstacles in the way of success and perma

nency.

Kingly favor did not always smile upon him. Envy and malice caused him to be removed from office-but, at the end of ten years, he was gladly replaced in his governoship -for none had equaled him in administrative ability or in wise generalship.

He saw the birth of Louisiana, he reared it into power, and he agonized over its passing into Spanish keeping.

His name and his deeds are indissolubly connected with that of Louisiana from 1699, when he rediscovered LaSalle's lost river, until 1767, when his great heart broke with anguish because the land of his love was handed over to the King of Spain, and his tears and supplications in its behalf were no longer of avail. He was 86 years old, and his last public act was offered for Louisiana's welfare, yet that State has not the smallest memorial which all might see, and seeing, learn the facts of his noble life and their deep, priceless and forever enduring influence upon the conditions of the present day.

His language still survives among our people. We hear it in the prayers of the church, in the laws of our courts, the schools of his kindred.

In a work entitled "Course of Study" for the use of all teachers in the elementary public schools of our city, published in 1905, occurs this instruction:

"Tell the story of the famous brothers, Iberville and Bienville. Dwell on the part they played in founding Louisiana and New Orleans."

"Dwell on the part," etc. If this were really and earnestly carried out, the pupil would most surely ask why is there not some evidence before the public eye of the life and labors of these grand pioneers of civilization, these heroes of Louisiana history?

If the teacher could point to a splendid statue of Bienville, ornamenting some well-known locality, and tell all the valor of the youth, all the trials of the manhood, all the sorrows and disappoinments of the old age of Governor Bienville, the lesson would be more impressive than the pages of a book.

If the scores of battles against Indian foes, fought with that drawn sword held in Bienville's hand could be related, while the sad face of the gallant hero looks out upon the future, the student would begin to understand what Louisiana owes to her father, friend, and founder.

Detroit is so proud of Cadillac, once its governor, that the whole city seems to re-echo his name.

Chicago so venerates the name of Pere Marquette that evidences of this deep feeling are seen and heard on every side. Cadillac was governor of the post about five years; Bienville watched over Louisiana for more than three strenuous decades.

Pere Marquette worked among the Illinois Indians for five or six years; Bienville pacified, fought and dealt with fifty tribes for nearly thirty years.

What Detroit and Chicago have done to embalm the memory of their great or saintly heroes, New Orleans should do for him who gave it existence, name and fame-who planned its future, and who, not knowing the decrees of Providence, held for the United States the grandest, vastest, richest, noblest portion of her possessions.

LOUISIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

REPORT OF ROBERT GLENK, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY AND

LIBRARIAN.

The main accomplishments of the society for the year 1915 may be summed up as follows: First, the imposing celebration of the Centennial of the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 9 and 10, which was an event of national and international importance; second, presentation of a peace essay medal to a pupil of the public schools; third, joint meeting of the Louisiana Historical Society and the Mississippi Valley Historical Association on April 22, 23 and 24, in the Cabildo; fourth, the starting of a movement to collect funds for the erection of a memorial to Bienville, the founder of New Orleans; fifth, the dissemination of historical information by the reading of papers at the meetings of the society; sixth, the collection of books, pamphlets, documents and relics to advance the study of and interest in local historical matters, and seventh, the publication of volume 7 of the society's proceedings.

MEETINGS.

Ten monthly meetings of the society were held and the following papers read:

"The Chess Players of New Orleans," by Hon C. F. Buck. "Reminiscences of Dr. T. G. Richardson and Captain J. B. Eads, and original contributions of Louisiana to Medical Science," by Dr. Edmond Souchon.

"Bienville, Founder of New Orleans," by Mrs. S. B. Elder.

"Expulsion of the Society of Jesus from Colonial Louisiana," by Reverend J. J. O'Brien.

"The Maple Leaf," an unpublished story of the civil war, written and read by Geo. W. Cable.

"Noblesse Oblige," by Gilbert Pemberton.

"International Conciliation," by Mr. A. D. Call.

"The Story of the Liberty Bell and Its Two Visits to New Orleans," by Col. C. W. Alexander, Philadelphia.