ceivrd 5,000 livres from Louis XV., and employed it to build a limestone fortress, which WHS afterward of u'reat value to the colony during the struggle with the English. He then induced the Indians to cultivate the soil, kept up a correspondence with the northern and southern tribes, and was often chosen as arbitrator between the natives and the colonial authorities. During the war of 1742 he armed and disciplined the Indians of his mission, and did good service. He obtained in 1749 from Gov. La Galissonniere permission to begin a new set t lenient, and built La Presentation (now Kings- ton). In 1753 he was summoned to Paris by the M-civtary of the navy to report on his mission, and received from the king a present of 3,000 livres and some books. Returning to Canada in the spring of 1754. lie took an active part in the fol- lowing war, twice saved Quebec from invasion, de- stroyed the English forts and establishments upon the southern shores of Lake Ontario, also partici- pating in the defeat of Gen. Braddock. He fought under Montcalm, was slightly wounded at G in 1759, and after the surrender of that place resolved to return to France, as the English had put a price on his head. Assuming Indian 'Ire--, he escaped from the city during a stormy night, rejoined his Indians, and, crossing northern Canada and Michigan, went by way of Illinois and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, where he arrived in the spring of 1760. Being detained twenty-two months in the latter city, he occupied his time in studying the natural resources of the country. In October, 1762, he landed in Bordeaux after a dan- gerous journey, in which the vessel was twice chased l>y English cruisers. The assemblies of the clergy of France that met in 1765 and 1770 recom- mended him to the king and twice voted him a present of 1.200 livres for his labors in Canada. In 1777 Pope Pius VI. summoned him to Rome, paid the expenses of his journey, gave him a public audience, appointed him a chamberlain, and made him a present of 5.000 livres. Despite these high recommendations, Louis XV., who felt that the loss of Canada was owing to his neglect of the best interests of France, disliked everything that might remind him of his former possession, and refused to provide for I'icquet, who died in great poverty at the house of his sister, a peasant-woman of the little village of Verjon. The English, who had learned to fear and respect him. gave him the sur- name of the Great Jesuit of the West, but Picquet had never any connection with that company, of which he was even an opponent. The astronomer Lalande wrote an account of Picquet's life, which was published in the"Lettres edifiantes" il'aris. 1786). Picquet published " Memoire sur 1'etat de la colonie du lac des Deux Montagues" (1754): "Memoire sur les Algonquins et Nipissing-" (1754); "Histoire du role joue par les Indiens lm> de 1'invasion du Canada en 1756," which was writ- ten at the suggestion of Pope Pius VI. (1778); and "Histoire des etablissements de la foi fmidi's par la congregation de Saint Sulpice dans la Nou- velle France du Nord ou Canada" (2 vols., 1780).
PICTON, John Moore White, physician, b. in
Woodbury, N. .1.. 17 Nov.. 1S04; d. in New Orleans,
La., 28 Oct., 1859. His father, Rev. Thomas I'ic-
ton, was chaplain and professor of geography,
hi-lory, and ethics in 1818-'25in the U.S. military
academy, where the son was graduated in 1X24.
He was assigned to the 2d artillery, but resigned
his commission in March, is:)2, and in that year
was graduated at the medical department of ihe
University of Pennsylvania. He settled in New
Orleans, where he prael ised his profession for thirty-
two years, acquiring reputation as an operator. He
served for many years as home surgeon in the New
Orleans charity hospital, and was president of the
medical department of the University of Louisiana.
He was a founder of the New Orleans school of
medicine in 1856, in which he was professor of ob-
stelrics from 1S50 till 1858. His cousin, Thomas,
journalist, b. in New York city, 9 May 1822 ; d.
there, 20 Feb., 1891, entered "the University of
New York, where he was graduated in 1840. After
studying law he was admitted to the bar in 1843.
Several years later he visited Europe, and, after
travelling over the continent, resided in the envi-
rons of Paris, participating in the Revolution of
1848 as an officer of the 3d legion of the Banlieu.
Upon his return to New York he began the publi-
cation of "The Era" in 1850 in conjunction with
Henry W. Herbert, and in 1851 he became one of
the editors of "The Sachem," afterward entitled
the " True American," a vigorous advocate of the
Associated order of united Americans. A little
later he edited the " True National Democrat," the
organ of the Free-soilers. On the reorganization
I the "Sunday Mercury " he became one of its
editors, and contributed to the paper a series of
popular stories under the name of " Paul Preston."
These were subsequently published in book-form,
and had an extensive sale. At the beginning of
the civil war he raised a battalion, which was
consolidated with the 38th New York regiment,
with which lie went to the field. During the reign
of Maximilian in Mexico, Mr. Picton was employed
in the service of the Liberals, and wrote a " Defence
of Liberal Mexico," which was printed for di-iri-
bution among the statesmen of this country. Gen.
Rosecrans remarked that this publication had
"done more for the cause of Mexico than all oth-
er external influences combined." He translated
some of the best modern romances from the French,
and several of his light dramas arc popular. He
was the author of " Reminiscences of a Sporting
Journalist," issued in serial form, and, besides the
works mentioned, edited ' Frank Forester's Life
and Writings" (New York, 1881).
PIDANSAT DE MAIROBERT, Mathieu Kranoois, French author, b. in Chaource. Champagne. 20 Feb.. 1727; d. in Paris. 2!l March. 1779. He was brought up in the house of Madame Doublet de Persan, was afterward one of the members
of the literary society that held meetings there, and contributed to the manuscript journal of the society, which was utilized afterward in the preparation' of the "Memoires secrets" (1770). Pidansat became in 1760 royal censor for new publications, and was elected an associate member of the Academy of Caen, but, having been involved in the noted trial of Marquis de Brunoy, he fell into melancholy and shot himself. He published many works, which enjoyed a great reputation in their time. Those that relate to this country are the most curious, as the author had access to secret documents that were afterward lost during the French revolution. They include Let ire- MII- les veritable- limitcs des possessions Anglaises et Franchises dans FAmerique" (Bale, 1755); " Reponse aux ecrits des Anglais sur les limites de t'Amerique Anglaise" (Paris, 1755); "Memoire sur 1'etat de la Compagnie des Indes Occident ale- " (Hale. 175lii: " Principes sur la marine" i Paris, 1775) ; " Discussions sommaires sur les anciennes limites de 1'Acadie " (Bale, 177ii) ; "Anedoeies sur Madame la Comtesse dc Barry" (London. 1776); " L'Observateur Anglais" (4 vol-.. Amsterdam, 177S-'!)). which was continued after his death, and several 1 times reprinted under the title " L'Espion
