Details
SIBLEY, JOHN, Physician and Louisiana politician. Letter (text and signature in a secretarial hand) to an unnamed correspondent, Louisiana, 15 August 1804. 9 pages, folio, 323 x 203mm. (2 3/6 x 8 in.), folding protective chemise, quarter red morocco gilt slipcase. Fine.
"THIS FINE COUNTRY": JOHN SIBLEY'S DESCRIPTION OF LOUISIANA IN 1804
A detailed account by an astute observer of Louisiana immediately after its annexation by the United States. While traveling from Natchez through Mississippi, Louisiana and the Red River country, Sibley had learned from Governor Claiborne the news of the cession of the territory "which has made me the medium through which this important information has been communicated to the inhabitants of this part of Louisiana; 19/20 of whom are French, speak none but their native language, and understand but little of the government of U. States." Sibley describes his discussions with the local residents: "...I have represented to the people, that while they were under an European government, they were held as an article of traffic, were bought and sold from one European power [to] another, as they buy and sell their cattle, mules and horses; that the Europeans were eternally at war with one another, and...they must be a party in their wars, and liable to be plundered by their enemies; and that they know by experience, how little an European colony has to expect, situated 4 or 5000 miles from the seat of government. Although this country has been settled nearly as long as Pennsylvania, and in many respects possessing superior advantages, how small is its progress in improvement compared to that state! which difference is to be entirely attributed to the difference of government..."
The remainder of his lengthy letter (pages 2-9) consists of substantial extracts from Sibley's journals, describing the Island and city of New Orleans ("the houses are principally of brick...many of them elegant, with flat roofs"), the plantations along the river ("the population of the island of New Orleans, including the town, may be estimated at 20,000"), and the settlements at Tuckepa, Apelousa and others along the Red River beyond the Nachitoches district. Sibley describes the region's topography in approving terms, notes that the Spanish are said to have found silver ore to the north-west, and details the agriculture and commerce of the French, Spanish and Native American inhabitants. He ends apologetically, "I could add many more remarks concerning this fine country," but he has already "far exceeded the limits of a letter."
John Sibley (1757-1837), trained as a physician, served as a surgeon's mate in the American Revolution and in 1802 settled in Louisiana. In Natchez, he so impressed William C. Claiborne, later Governor of the Territory, that he recommended him to President Thomas Jefferson to undertake unofficial surveys of the region. "Sibley's reports to Jefferson were unusually complete, and are an important source of information regarding Louisiana" (DAB). Sibley was later a contract surgeon to the army and, in 1805, Indian agent for Orleans Territory and visited nearly every Native American tribe within the area presently part of the state of Louisiana, compiling vocabularies of each language. He became a Colonel of militia and participated in Colonel James Long's 1819 raid on Texas.
Provenance: Elsie O. and Philip D. Sang Foundation (sale, Part Four, Sotheby Parke-Bernet, 3 June 1980, lot 104, erroneously described as an autograph letter signed).
"THIS FINE COUNTRY": JOHN SIBLEY'S DESCRIPTION OF LOUISIANA IN 1804
A detailed account by an astute observer of Louisiana immediately after its annexation by the United States. While traveling from Natchez through Mississippi, Louisiana and the Red River country, Sibley had learned from Governor Claiborne the news of the cession of the territory "which has made me the medium through which this important information has been communicated to the inhabitants of this part of Louisiana; 19/20 of whom are French, speak none but their native language, and understand but little of the government of U. States." Sibley describes his discussions with the local residents: "...I have represented to the people, that while they were under an European government, they were held as an article of traffic, were bought and sold from one European power [to] another, as they buy and sell their cattle, mules and horses; that the Europeans were eternally at war with one another, and...they must be a party in their wars, and liable to be plundered by their enemies; and that they know by experience, how little an European colony has to expect, situated 4 or 5000 miles from the seat of government. Although this country has been settled nearly as long as Pennsylvania, and in many respects possessing superior advantages, how small is its progress in improvement compared to that state! which difference is to be entirely attributed to the difference of government..."
The remainder of his lengthy letter (pages 2-9) consists of substantial extracts from Sibley's journals, describing the Island and city of New Orleans ("the houses are principally of brick...many of them elegant, with flat roofs"), the plantations along the river ("the population of the island of New Orleans, including the town, may be estimated at 20,000"), and the settlements at Tuckepa, Apelousa and others along the Red River beyond the Nachitoches district. Sibley describes the region's topography in approving terms, notes that the Spanish are said to have found silver ore to the north-west, and details the agriculture and commerce of the French, Spanish and Native American inhabitants. He ends apologetically, "I could add many more remarks concerning this fine country," but he has already "far exceeded the limits of a letter."
John Sibley (1757-1837), trained as a physician, served as a surgeon's mate in the American Revolution and in 1802 settled in Louisiana. In Natchez, he so impressed William C. Claiborne, later Governor of the Territory, that he recommended him to President Thomas Jefferson to undertake unofficial surveys of the region. "Sibley's reports to Jefferson were unusually complete, and are an important source of information regarding Louisiana" (DAB). Sibley was later a contract surgeon to the army and, in 1805, Indian agent for Orleans Territory and visited nearly every Native American tribe within the area presently part of the state of Louisiana, compiling vocabularies of each language. He became a Colonel of militia and participated in Colonel James Long's 1819 raid on Texas.
Provenance: Elsie O. and Philip D. Sang Foundation (sale, Part Four, Sotheby Parke-Bernet, 3 June 1980, lot 104, erroneously described as an autograph letter signed).