Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-12-15
C ONGREsS
Of THEs
UNITED TATES.
ROUSE OF REPRESENT 4 TIVE.
TuzsDAs, October a5.
DEBATE on the LOUISIANA I'REAII.
'TUasDaY, October IS
/. coNcLuoED.

IT,
maa Ind uadervalued tae country west OF
the Mississippi, and had declared that he
considered the barren province d flori aas
mare iInnortantfto US. Mr. r. asked if
sths country west Of the MISSISSIPPI were
not valuable, according to the gtnteman's
own statement, since it aforded the means
of acquiring Florida, which he priced so
highly, from Spain. lie had no doubt OF
the readiness ofthat power to reiinquish
Florida, in itself dead e1pence to her
only valuable as an outer. work to her other
possessions, and n. v insulated by those OF
the United States, for a very small portion
Of theEouatrv which we claimed in virtue
ofthe treaty under discussion. he SAID
that he stated early in the debates and had.
stated truly, that the limits OF Louisiana
were not accurately de@ed-5ut nevertlne-
less. we-are not without some light on this
| interesting subject. Thirty years before
the Spaniards made tilcirsettlement OF the
sAdas the French established themselves
on the bay ofSt. Bernard, or St. LOUIS the
nearest Spanish colony being then on the.
river Panuco, 100 leagues to the vest
The great river Of the nofth.as nearly equi-
distant between the PANE and bay Of ST.
Bernard was on the principal generally adj
Matted BY European nations forming es-
Establishments in savage counHies, consider
ed b., France as the saary between
French and Spanish AnerisA and &C
eordingIy wehnd it so laid (lakvhip many of
the maps. This boundary would embrace
within the limits of Louisiana some very
valuable dominions of Spain, including the
rich mines ofSt. Barbe; and the city of San
ia F SBkhe capital of New Mexico. On the
otheshand, in virtue Of her settle nseht Of
the Adais, Spain might claim the coSafBs
as far east as the river Mexicana, and %
the highlands dividing the waters of thS
north rivA from those of the Mississipps
Beyond those she could have 10 col .af
claim. In setting this imPortansslr
there were ample materials fot the sasqHii-
sitionof Florida, still retaining to ours rs
all the country watered by athe MI is-
sippi. -
(Mr. Dana) had declared that if thsEEha-
bitants of the coded Territory wereshow,
or should hereafter be, admitted inn the
union, it would be violation Of hs46lause
ofthe constitution which relates tothe es-
tablishment of an Uniform rule of naturali-
cation, since those people wiz be converted
from foreigners to citizens, npt in the mode
prescribed by 9ur naturalizatbn law. Mr..
Randolph wished to know4n what manner
the subjects Of Great Britain, settled a
round our western posts were admitted TO
the privilege of citizenship? Whether it
was not done by treasSs and not in the mode
prescribed V law?v How did the people
at Natchez Aecome entitled TO the rights of
citizens skAlthough born out Of our ale
glance, thg glDment our government was
established dvsr them, did they not possess,
ofright, security for their lives and pro-
perry? Could they not demand trial by
jury nkase of criminal prosecution p
When He spoke Of their acquiring the right
ofcitizens, Mr. Randolph said) he did
not meant in the full extent III which they
we're enjoyed by citizens Of any one of the
particular states, since they possessed not
the right Of self government-but those
rights ofpersonal liberty, ofpersonal secu-
rity. and 81 property, which are among the
: dearest privileges of our citizens. A sti-
pulation to incorporate the coded country
does not imply that we. are bound ever to
admit them to the unqualified enjoyment
of the privileges of citizenship. It is a
covenaaS to incorporate them into oar uni
on, not on the footing Of the original states,
or ofstatss created under the constitution,
but to extend to them, according to the
principles OF the constitution, the rights
and imaunities Of citizens; being those
rights aud immunities Of jury trial, liberty