agree to act in concert with England, and that therefore he should
not be able to give an answer to Colonel Nichols for two weeks. Captain
Lockyer saw for himself that it would not be an easy matter to induce
these independent and unruly fellows, many of whom already hated
England, to enter into the British service. Therefore he thought it
would be wise to allow Lafitte the time he asked for, and he sailed
away, promising to return in fifteen days.

The diplomatic Lafitte, having finished for a time his negotiations with
the British, lost no time in communicating with the American
authorities. He sent to Governor Claiborne, of Louisiana, all the
documents he had received from Captain Lockyer, and wrote him a letter
in which he told him everything that had happened, and thus gave to the
United States the first authentic information of the proposed attack
upon Mobile and New Orleans. He then told the Governor that he had no
intention of fighting against the country he had adopted; that he was
perfectly willing and anxious to aid her in every manner possible, and
that he and his followers would gladly join the United States against
the British, asking nothing in return except that all proceedings
against Barrataria should be abandoned, that amnesty should be given to
him and his men, that his brother should be released from prison, and
that an act of oblivion should be passed by which the deeds of the
smugglers of Barrataria should be condoned and forgotten.

Furthermore, he said that if the United States government did not
accede to his proposition, he would immediately depart from Barrataria
with all his men; for no matter what loss such a proceeding might prove
to him he would not remain in a place where he might be forced to act
against the United States. Lafitte also wrote to a member of the
Louisiana Legislature, and his letters were well calculated to produce a
very good effect in his favor.

The Governor immediately called a council, and submitted the papers and
letters received from Lafitte. When these had been read, two points were
considered by the council, the first being that the letters and
proclamations from the British might be forgeries concocted by Lafitte
for the purpose of averting the punishment which was threatened by the
United States; and the second, whether or not it would be consistent
with the dignity of the government to treat with this leader of pirates
and smugglers.

The consultation res