Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-11-03
IMPORTANT DEBATE

On M. x. Gr;s1vold's resolution for ealing
on the president fsr The evidences f title
totle brovsince of Leuissaae.
Mr. Griswold said, that he had observ-
! sabv adyerting.to the message of the pre-
sdstt of the 24st instans, that it was cxpec-
ted congress would forthwith provide by
lsw for the preservation Of order and tran
guilty in the province o8 louisiana The
general subject, together with the treaties
y.;a 1a8ee OF toe s05h Of April, had beer
altsady referred TO a committee of the
Y5sE house ard made the order of that
day. aud lie presumed the first object which
wo.lS. eueag re the, attention of the commit
ts. zouId BE that to which he had alluded.
He did not, however, think that the mes
sage of the President, or the treaty which
attended it, furnished that evidence of our
right to interfere in the government of
Louisiana, which could justify the house
inpassing any law upon hat.subject.
He thought it became necessary to OBJ
tain further evidence of our title, before
we attempted to exercise a jurisdiction over
acountry and over people, whom, per-
haps, we had no right to controul.
The only article said Mr.. G. which re-
ates to the title, is the first article of the
treaty, and tits thus expressed:
Art /. WHEREAS, BY article the third
Of the treaty concluded at St. Idelfonso,
the 9th Vendemaire, ar. 9. 1st Oct. 1900, |
between the First Consul of the French
Republic and his Catholic Majesty, 1t was
agreed as follows:
His Catholic Majesty promises and
engages on his part, to cede to the French
Republic, six months after the full and en-
treexecution of the conditions and stipula-
tons herein, relative to his royal highness
the Duke of Parma, the colony or province
Of Louisiana, with the same extent that it
how has in the hands OF Spain, and that it
had when France possessed it; and such as
ashould be after the treaties subsequently,
Entered into between Spain and other
states y
4 This article in the first place recognises,
What has been well understood, that Loui-
sana was province eff Spain, and IN the
hext place it declares, that by the treaty of
France and Spain of the 1st of October,
1900, Spain has stipulated that she will,
SIX months after the full andssntire exc
suton of the conditions and stipulations
relative to the duke of Parma, cede to
France the Province of Louisiana The
ntle of the United States therefore de-
Ponds upon the execution ofthose conditi-
ons and stipulations. For 1t will be admit
ed, itFrance has never fulfilled the condi-
IONS, she has acquired no title to the coun-
ny, and could sell nothing, nor could we
purchase. 1t becomes important then, be-
.0fe congress proceed to legislate for the
government these people, that we should
sseftaln what were the extent ofthe stipu-
sHons lnrespeetto the Duke of Parma, and
aaelner those stipulations had been execut-
s'aor on this, our tide might probably de-
fsno' A recurrence to the message and
ssa'v would throw no light upon these
F@us, and it became necessary to look
az sa'aer before the house proceeded to de-
ana me treaty of IdehoBso between France
Ss h. oPain of the 1st of October, 1900, had
d. sa referred to in the treaty under eonsi-
auon; 1t was the instrument by which
sys saSs had acquired the title, if she had
DE- aOotained one, and being enesof the IT,
ed ,eos OF the domain it must be presum-
St,,a, the government OF the United
IT,, mad been careful to obtain copy.
esecs. treaty was equally important TO the
po,,s..se andto the legislature, for without
nS it,itmust be presumed that the