Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-12-11 00:00:00, page 2

*-T will c* ^.votected in the enjoy.
.'3ncrtof their liberty, property and re-?
‘ligion.
In testimony wheryof I k«ve caused
the seat of the United Staus to be
hereunto affixed a^nd K~ned th* same
wi-h my hand. Done Ot Ike Chy of
_(L. s.) Washington the twectv’Wvlnth
day of Oct. A. D. 1810, an!\ in the
thirty-fifth year of the independence
of .the said U. S. - .
(Signfcd). «... ■ ,'L '
.JAMES MADISON.
By the President,
Ki SMITH, Secretary of State
Extract of 'wlet|er from Goyenui
Holmes of the Mississippi Temi
tory, to the Secretary of State, da
teJ .
,' y OcfoSER. 17th, 1810.
w The c\.closed letter ‘I have beci
r**qu*sred to transmit ro you.”
To the Hftn. Robert Sihitb. Secretary o
t State for the United State's*
$1K, •• .. .
The c°nventidn of th^ state o
Florida have already transmi ted at
official copy <f h ir acp-^d^Jodefn n
drrcv,through his ExcelwiflgyxJover'n
or Holmes, to the President of th
United Sates, accompanied wiph tlv
ex; res«-h;n of their hope and desire
that this commonwealth may he in>
mediately acknowledged and prot-c
ed, by the government of the Uuitec
States, as an integral port of the A
merican Union. On a subject so in
teres ling to the community represen
*t d hv us, it is necessary that we shoulc
have the most dire ct and unequivocal
assurances of the views and withes o
the American . overnment without de
. lay, since our weak and unpret ctec
Situation will oblige us to look to some
foreign government for support,shoulc
it be refused to us, by the countrt
U) V> I » K him Vt ^ mno wl » v«*/2 »e /\it »
cut suite.
We therefore make this direct ap
penl through you, to the President 8
• Grti-ml Gov'rtlnnent o'f the Ameri-.ar
Stale!,, to solicit that immediate pro
ttCiiun, 10 which we consider our.
st-IVi-s t-nthled ; and to obtain a spec
dy ai.d favorable decision,.we * fft
the following consideiations: — 1st
" he govtrnment of the United States
in their instructions to the envoys ex
t. iumlioary at Paris, in March, 1806
authorised the purchase of East Fior.
»de. directing them at the same tim
to *ngage France to i'tercide witl
theCabinet of Spain to relinquish an)
claim to the territory whit h now form
th;a commonwealth. 2 ?. In all di
plomatic corresp- adent-e v;:th Amer
vican mini t rs abread, the gi.vernmen
of the U ited States have spoken o
Wts; Florida a part of the Lnuisi
ana cesoru. Trey h-ve legislated foi
tee country as a part cf’their owr
territory, and have dtfirred to tak<
pcs-essi n of it, in expectation tha
Spa n ivipht be induced to rMhqutsl
.her claim by amicable r.egocwnon.—
3d. Ti e American gove'xrr.eut h .s ah
ready refuse d to accredit snv minis es
from the Spanish Junta, which bo
was ceithinly mo e legally "tg nise’
as the representative < f tht sovereign
tv than that now caikd the icgenc'
tf Spain ; therefor*: the United Stab i
cannot hut -eg:T t arv ‘orce or KU'h >r.
ity emanating f otn th in with un in
tention to sutjur a e up, as <he> w ul<j
an invasion « f their t< rritor/.b a I t
cgn enemy. 4 h. J’he emperor cj
F-.ince has invited the Spn'uh A
m^ricans to declare th^i i dt.» mb nee
rather than remain in subjection to the
0 ii Spavi-' ; ovcrtinient } therefore at
acknuai di'ni ' » o: cur n,;?j “tulen''*
by he U• i 'd States could n tb.com
pl-int’d ol by France, r r inveh e iht
American g vernnio ti.i ^ny contest
with »h t power. 5 h. Ntnih rcani,
aHo rl a; y j » caur-e of complaint o
Great U.ua n, ah hough *1 e be toe a
ly ol Spain, *hat the U » ed Sutet
should • ^knowledge and support our
ii.ijcpend- rce ; as tills me sure wav
ntces-arv to nave the country from
falling into the hands of »he Pr nch
exile* fr- ni ’he Gland of Cuba, ant
otlwr partiz ins of IS napartc, who an
the etrrna' etvmie* ol Gr ,.t Ii-jrai.
Should he United States be indu
ce/’, by thote • r any oi cr consider a
tion*, to acknowledge our claim to
thor protection, * art integral pari oi
their territory, or otherwise**** feel
it nuf duly t claim for our eomtilu
cuts an immediate a'mission into the
Ui ion as 90 independent S at , or as
a itrimrv o' the United States, with,
per fission to rstabli-h our own form 1
01 governmtal or to be united with
ooe cf the neighboring territories, or
a rsrt ol one of them in auch man
r-r a$ ro form a Should it be
thought proper to annel us to one ol
tl e nsjjbooriag territories, or a part
oi one of them, the inhabitants ol this
cow. moil wealth uould prefer being
am exed to the Islagd pf Orleans, no
in the menn while, until a state govern*
R t'4; should be established, tha?*h<*.y
y 1
should bs governed by the ordinances
already enacted by this Convention, j
md by their lurihci* regulations here-»
after. . '
The claim which we have to the ,
Hoil, or unlocated lands, within this
commonwealth, will no*,it is presumed,'
oe contested by the United §tatts. as |
they have tacitly acquiesced in the j
- laim of Fiance or Spain for seven
years, and the restrictions of the se
veral embargo and non-intercourse
laws haight fairly be construed, if-not
; « : a.,Ve4»»qoh>hment of *heir claim j
P-t ct hast sufficient to, entitle the
people or this commonwealth (who
have wre^teft the government and
l couulry‘frr>mSiA;:u,at the risk of their
Hives and fpriun«V) to all the hhl^cn
- ted lands. It krill strike the Amen-'
ban government that tke monte's u rising
from the sales, of these lands, applied
i as they will be,"to improving tW inter
nal comrru'iicutioite of the coUn*rv,
f opening canals, fcte. &c. will in tact
be sdding to the prosperity and strength
; of tlie fed- ral union. v
• To fulfil with good faith olTtprdmis
\ Ci 8t engagements to the inhmbitsntsof
i his CdUntry, it will be our duty to sti
poiate for d-n. unqualified pardon for all
: de 'ert . rynow residing within this com
>, monwehith, together with an exemp
, tiha frbm-fuither service in the army
■ or naVy bf the United States.
• A’loan^bfjlOOjOOO dollars is solicit
edi ohthc Ainr/ican government, to be
• r imbutstd aV3, *6 8c 9 years from the
- sties of public lands. This loan may
• be made by the Sttrelfery of the Trea
• sury immediately, without committing
l the government or making it known to
f foreign Ministets at Washington.
> in order not to emliariaU rhf- r&kl
I [net of .he U. States, and ,to receive
: {first, through their own toefid; n*fai a
ijgei ts, *hcir wishes and view s wihre
r' Sp.:ct to us, it is ct ex.ed prudent to de*
. ter the departure of our envoy, already
oau.ed, who will he dispatched immedi
. ateiy on receiving information' that
t such a measure will m’eet the appreba
i |t\on of the United States.
• j Wc pray you to accept the. assuran
. Jces of our respect and higlTconiidera
- jtion.
r .• By Order of the Convention,
. ? Signed
, JOHN RHEA, President.
Baton Roube, Oct. 10, 1810.
i THE CONVENTION OF FLORIDA.
To his Excellency the Governor of the
Mississippi T> rnto. y.
Si a—We,'She 1) -legates of the peo
ple. of this state, have the honor to en
close to you an official copy oftheirtact
of independence, requesting t ut it
, may be.forthwith transmitted by ycu
to the President of the United Statep,
with the < xpfrssion of their most con
. ft(U-nt and irdint h«peKthat it may ac
, cord with the policy of the government,
as it docs with the safety and happines
0 ;he people of the United States, to
, take t e present government and peo„
pic oi thi6 st te under their immediate
a id.special pro.eeLien, ts an integral
and iuaiicna.de portion of the Un ted
S area.
Tne Convention and their con titu
ents of Fiorila, rest in the firm p-r
suasi.n, that the blood which Bows in
their V;his will remind the government
a ml ^he peo* le r.f the United States:
>h«t th y are their cliildien, that they
1 ave been ackt.owl- dged as such, hy
• he most solemn acts of die Congress
< t the United i> a es; and, that so long
s ind'i; lend epee and the r’gh;« of m..n
s tail I e maintained and cheri hed bj
the Amt rican uui.'Ln, the good people
hit Ti.i c t.ujiio;, mr wiu nor, ce
aoan •• n dor exposed to the invasion,
vir iecce or iorce oi any foreign or do>
viesiic foe
Tii** Convention t>-g you to receive
' r yourself, sir, and to insure the Pre
silent of dieir high re ptet ani-tonsi
ieiation.
By order of the Convention.
Signed
JO'1 N KHEA, President.
Baton Rouge, S |»'. JO, 1810.
BY CIIE
REPRESENTATIVES OP THE
PK.OPLR OF WEST FLORIDA
in convention as cm bled,
A DECLAHLT10N.
IT is krn.wn to the world with how
much fidelity the good people of this
territory have professed and maintain
ed allegiance to ihrir legiiimate sove
reign, wh 1c any hope remained of re
ceiving lrrm him protection for their
prop r:y and lire*;.
W itl.out making any unnecessary in
nov ition in the e uolinhrd principles of;
the government, we h id voluntarily a
dop ed certain rrgu^a ions in conrer
with our First -dug strate for the ex
press purpose of preserving this t~rri. <
tory, and shewing our attachment to ‘
the govf-rnmetkt which had heretofore 11
protected us. This to 7ipa ;t, whir It, i
was enter' d into wi h good t/un or* our ji
part, will forever remain ro honorable i i
. .» : * m‘ ■ ’ < *
testimony of opr upright intentions and
inviolable fidelity to our king & parent
country, while bo much as a shadow of
legitimate authority retrained to be ex
ercised over us. Wc sought only a
speedy remedy, for such evils as seem
ed to endanger our existence and pros
perity ; and were encouraged by our
Governor with solemn promises of as
sistance and co-operation. But those
measures which were intended for our
preservation he has endeavored to per
vert into an engine of destruction, by
encouraging, in the- most perfidious1
‘manner, the violation of ordinances,
sanctioned and establish^ by himself
as the kvw of tbsrlknd. ,
I - ^cjp&thus left nithout any hope ot
pro'eMtaq from the mother C HiniTy—
Betrafcd by a.mftgistrate whose duty it
w:is M have pmgided forth* safety and
trantjuilitypfJPPt people lad govern
ment totijim'ted -to his charge, and ex
posed to alltheefrils of?* slate of anar
chy which we hake so long endeavored
to ayivn it beednu a o\ir dthy to pro
Kdc for our own Security as a f*$e «nd
itioeprhdvot suW, *b-olvtd<frohtk»I al
legucce t ' a government lon
ger proui'ti Us. . ’
\Ve, therefore; the representatives a
foresaid, appealing tt> the Supreme ru
ler of the worldtpr the rectitude of our
intentio-ns, do so^rnoly publish 6ud
declare the several olss-ricta composing
this territory of West Florida to be a
tree and independent state—and tbal
hey have a right to institute for theni
s. Ives such firm . of government as
;hey may think conducive to their safe
ty and happiness—To form treaties
—- To establish commerce—-To prbvide
for their common defence—and do all
acts which may of right be done by a
overeign and independent nation. At
the same ume declaring all acts within
the said territory of West Florida, af
date, by any tribunal or autho
ritieaJfc'.t deriving their powers from
%#P*s agreeably to the provisions
establrfhed by this convert:on, to be
null and void—-and calling upon all fo
reign nations to respect this our decla
ration, acknowledging our indepen
dence, and giving us such aid as may
be consistent with the laws and usages
of nations.
This declaration made in convention
at the town ot Baton K uge, on the
twen^%%th day of September, in the
Loyd one thosand eight
Hun<yKnd fen; We the representa
tive^iJHhe name aforesaid, and on be.
half of our constituen a, do hereby so:
It mnly pledge ourselves to support
with opr lives and fortunes.
: By order'Of the Convention.
Sfgneti
JOHN RHEA, President.
Signed AMD. STEELE, Szt'fy.
Mr. Smith to Governor Holme.:.
C Department of Stated
November 15th, 1810.
received your letter of the
ct. enclosing the memorial of
the Convention of West Florida. To
repress the uqiensonable expectations
therein indicated, in relation to the
vacant land in that Territory, it is
deemed proper to lose no titfHn com.
municaing to you and tfrW>vernor
Claiborne the sentiments of the Presi
dent on the subject.
The right of the United States to the
Territory of West Florida, as far as the
River Perdido, was fairly acquired by
purchase, and has been formally ratified
by Treaty. The delivery of possession
has, indeed, been deferred, and the
nrorrastination has been he-#tnfnr»
acqui^h&ed in by tins government from
a p ientlv indulged, that arnica.
°lt nr ms elation would accomplish the
! equitable purpose of the Unit.d States.
Hut this delay, which proceeded only
fr >m the f- rbearruce of the United
S a ei to enforce a legitimate and well
known claim, could not impair the le
gality of their title, nor could any
change in the internal st ;te of things,
without their sanction, howsoever broh
about, vary tiieir righ*. It remains, of
c urs*, as perfect ns It was before the
interposition of the Convention. And
the people of West Florida must not
fora moment be nvsled by the expec
tation that the United States will sur
render for their exclusive benefit what
had been purchased with the treasure
and for the benefit of he whole. The
vacant Isuid ofthis Territory, thrown in
to comnAikstock with ail the other va
cant !anw>f the Union, will be a pro- 1
perty in common for the national uses
of all the people of the United States.
The community of interest* upon which
this government invariably acts, the
liberal policy which it has uniformly
displayed towards the people of the
Territories (• part of which policy has
tver been a just regard to honest set.
tier-.) will, nevertheless, be a sufficient
pledge to the inhabitants of West Flo
rida, fer the early ami continued atten
ion of the Federal Legislators to tbeir !
dilution and their wants.
4 V * -Ay- .
Thess observations Will apprise yon; <
sir, of the sentiment* td the President^
as to the propositions in the memorial
in relation to the*wnc»rit- land in Wsst
Florida, and w ill enable you to make,
wl\en necessary 8c proper, suitable ex
planations to the people of that Territo
ry. You will, however, keep in mind
| that the President cannot recognise in
the Convention cf West Florida any
independent authority whatever to pro
pose, or to form a compact with the
FROM LISBON.
. Arrived this forenoon the ship
Mount Hop^ Breese, in 30 days Trom
Lisbon, witlv Sp.inisiv y, ool and 600
Mcrmo Sheep.' The Ninunt Hope,
had 1000.-OA..board vrhes.sbe sailed,
b it dose 100 on the passage. Fro,n
I G* n. Derby, pws nger, and owner of
j said ship, we have received the follow
ing • l -
I We left the Tagus on the 27th of
I October, the accounts being from the
city of Lisbon to the evening of the
26th, at which time? all \ he sh^pi g.
atfaogers as well as Portuguese were
< under an embargo, and ordefed to re
: Jci,VJ|a tOUrth piirt of their vessels
. fcrjhp accommodation of passengers
ancfcffects, the freight and passage
moneysbe paid by government, a;
they were in expectation of a battle
that would decide the fate of Portugal.
The embargo had been on from the
7th of Oct.* Gen. Derby obtained per
mission for the ship Mount Hope, to
sail uu condition oi ner taking 15 pas
sengers to the Western is adds; Lord
Wellington, after the battle of the 20th
Sept, on the heights near Coimbra,
thought proper to retreat on his inner
lines, in order to be prepared for the
defence of Lisbon. On his quitting
Coimbra and Figuera, all the army
stores that could not be re moved were
destroyed, aad the inhabitants ordered
to destroy such provisions as could
ndt be carried away, a^cf to drive off
their cattle., This retreat was effected
but with very little loss. In a few
dass the French had advanced and
took their situation in front of the
British lines, occupying Villa Franca
.pn the Tagus, from thence to the sea,
about seventeen miles. The English
line is fora Alv^rca, Sohrd Runa &c.
to thM£a, holding a communication
with ^niche, a Presq die thstis mad.
very £tj|^g as is aho the whole Brit
ish li^ptf defence. During the re
treat from Coimbra,' the French Gen.
Simon, with his A*d, were taken pri
soners by the British Ho- s% thpy he
wing Out-reponnoi rirg. The British
gun boats, annoyed the French at Vil
la Franca. A shot from one of them
had taken off the head of a French
Gen. while reconnoitring. Nothing
of importance had occurred in the
lines since the arrival of the French
r
i
that of me French 5000 in killed,
wounded and prisoners* After the
French got possession of Coimbra,
they made it a deposit for their sick
and wounded,See. Colonel Trant, tuk
ing advantage of this circumstance,
and hiring -he command of 20.000
men poricij aily militia, in the neigh
bourhcAd ot Opojt% advanced rapidly
and regained pos^evslon of Coimbra
atid Figurra, making prisoners about
5000 Frenchmen who were sent to
Lisbon j a part of them barl arrived
at Lisbon and wen^ejnbaiking for
Englandthen took
■n» nsures to treat of the
I French as It was also
jnilitia were
in Asp re.TtJ^rl^Ljfrenrh. The
iran^urts sail* bent, <_*
*imc .r.quietucnr^VWted in the city
lest the French might cross the river
at Ahrantes, and come down On the
opposite 8?<tc and annoy the shipping.
Just before leaving Lisbon, informa
tion was received that the patriots in
Spain had recaptured Seville, with
ft ur regiments belonging to the
French, two of them Spanish, enlisted
unJpr Joseph Bonapanc. The Crr
lesnad also forbid the ion of ihe Duke
of Orleans assuming any command,
and had ordered him to quit Spam im
mediately. • ^
Ntw-Voaic, Dec. 3.
A London paper of Oct, 1 Jth, con.
tains the fol^pir.g article*; I
41 Llut.a Boriap'irte is, we mdfcr-/
stand, to be Allowed to cor.tiou£-hiis '
voyage to Amt ric^^jmd'tffaf orders
have been sent from (he*-Admiralty
to afford him, the ncceasaiy convoy
thither.” •
It is understood that Lucietr&kes
passage in the ship Hercules, West,
of Salem, ar.d intends to proceed to
Philadelphia, where* hisvafriral mat
be daily expected, •*•>•■
On Thursday, aid u!e. arrived at
Portland, br. Jason, Cspt. Moore, m
26 days from Liverpool. London pX
pert to the 24th of October, have been
received, but they furnish little infor.
mation. ot importanQev-j The accounts**
from Portugal are not to l te as those
d re^v from Lisbon. The English
have tak^n the is hunk of Bourbon be.
longing to France, and attbe l-.stdatvs
were preparing isle of
r anec. . A 8-'rraBDp' war is * still
carried on ii\ di^jMparts bf Spaio
net ween the patrirM^l' French.
desperate action mK% Ltelv fought
•ear G» enact*, b^rn 'Scb 'stian and
dla^e, In \v'.iich**tne fctmerlost an *
arm, and the Spaniards remained
idr-i ot the field ; at ^Eortosa there
have been two engagemsnts, in which .
, e Fret ch w- re defeated with tho*C'
loss of 1000 men. ^ v ..I
—— , •>
•>«.
IN SENATE.
^_
^ December 4.
Mr Condir was stated in onr last to hav*
MP/rVrt"",Mc"d'y-i,sh™M b«S
attended?" «'»<* *'d Lambert
,u_ j_t * v Wl n fne cemnn te of
the Honteot Hepre.ent.tivw fo thot.
£2te‘pr *■ U"' ed S:»«* and i,'Vrm
hifn that Congress whs reruly to rece vc a
ny cotnttanlcatlon he micht h*v.”»StV
Iu'** r“P“*'»i
■ aohLimS1? rep?rt*d 'hat fhe committee
*k0 Fr<rs’^nt of tt.e
fromMnT'^ * £ad rPre,ved for answer
*hat he would make a comma.
S2P* CoQEr«* to.morrow at 12 o’.
2f *AVe hotfoe that on to
Mn l?\h should a*k (rave to bring in a
ri*lVitUr»r aT l° SU*pend in part the ac*, en.
titled An act regulating foreign coins
and tor other purples.” 5 corns,
, December 5.
^“r. Pickering a„d Mr Bradley attend.
The message of the President and dreu
ments accompanying the same were read,
five hundieu copiea ordered to be print
^ee^VOn0ti^ and ,eave he nr o!»
a ne.1, Mr bmnh, of Md. introduced the
lollowLng bill ;
AJSlfrfter t0 RU,pend *« Pvt the act
“2 i*d ‘An ncl r< easting loreign coon,
and tor otner purposes ”
Bh it enacted, &e. That so much cf the
act entitled “An act for rcgularingforeign
coins, and for other purposes,” ««, iiicon. v
tamed within the s-cord Section thereof.
oe, and the name is ncreby suspended for
-nd curing the spate of three years from
Cnngrcs/ ^ lhe Present of
1 he bill was read a first time and passu
ed to a second reading.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Tuesday, December 4.
The House met at the usual hear. On
reading over the journal of the preceding
daK* }t appeared that Messrs. Matthew*
and Van Dyke, whom we itabil^i our *_
fo9t^^have teen present had not attend- A
Messrs. Purwtll and Huntingdon, who
j»ltepoed yesterday, were omitted in our
1 he following members, in addition to
»ho*e mentioned in cur last, took their
scats
Messrs. B*<«e»r, Cntts, Eppes, Gold,
Jenkins, Mitchell/ heaver ard Potter.
Messrs. Poydyas *nd Jenn ngs, Territorial '
delegates, also appeared.
A mrtsage was receive! from the Senate,
abrut one o’clock, by Mr Otis, their Sr.
cretary, stating that a quorum of that body
had appeared, and were ready to proceed
to bush ess.
Another messag* was subsequently re.
ccived frrm the Sfnve, that they had ap
pointed a committee, join 3y with the com*
mhtee appointed bv the Home, to waft on
the President of the U. States, and inform
him tljat they were ready to receive any
commuhie i;ions be might have to make,
MrVDawson, from the committee ap„
pofttfre to Wait on the President of the 0.
States, fce. reported that the committee had
performed the duty assigned them, and had
received for answer,, the President would
make a ecmn<nnicauon to Congress on to.
morrow at 13 o’clock.
i>nfi*,Mut:« i
Messrs. Sage, Taggart, W. Chjm’er.
! I'o, J. C. Chamberlm. Wheaton. Qa r,jy,
i BUisdell. Mt’tliewa, S urges and Chiutn*
| den appear'd this d?y.
Atiweive i/tlork th* Me*s»ge vu I*.
| cclvt# from the President of the Urir d
[Stated [For which sec txtra Argus ofc-i i
| day fl*t.J m
The message was read, and the
were occupied with read. ig the doconveu s
until f »ir <>*c1ock i viini an atfjjur • • # < t .
tork place without having gune thri^u.,
them.
Th~ document* accompanying the m-V*,.
sage are wry **hjm nous, compri»io^. be.
•Id-s those igiven in inis paper, nvnh dc.
tailcd correspondence Oeiwten the Depart .