The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-09-15
ENQUIRE R..
RICHMOND
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER Is, 1904.
EASTERN BOUNDARY OF LOUISIANA.
sc-cO~>~~~~~~

EASTERN BOUNDARY OF LOUISIANA.
OUR conjecture, it feems, was not altogether in
srcurate-One Of the principal fources of difference
between this country and Spain, really ares from the
dnhculty OF aduiting the EaGern Boundary of LOU
iiiana Spain,it Is well Known is anxious to limit the
dnnenons OF that country BY the Wenern Bank Of the
Niiiihrp we on the contrary extend our claims
as far to the Eat as the Perddo river; and we appeal
to the treaty OF 17l9 and the definitive trg.y of
peace of 1868, and to the internal ;ui,Aor of For
da eabliihed By Spain both after the treaty of III
and 1888, as the fold BATS of our pretenons What
IS m truth the Eafern Boundary OF Louiana be-
comes, therefore, queionof conlderable Importance
both as reipects our own and oblgat
to SPAN. Is this boundary really ormed by the Milf
hiiPPi, or the Perdido riverl On this queiton our
federal government has doubt formed concluve
opinion; and there can be doubt alfo that Mr.
finckney has been engaged in expecting this opinion
and IN negotiating with the Court of Madrid currer-
Ponding arrangement. But it is the property and the
duty OF the people alto make their own ENQUIRIES
and to form their independent opinions. If, as fome
Perfons declare, this difference between the two natl
ons is likely to terminate in war, even if be like
~ to produce long and nterefing negotiation, the
people are particularly called upon, by all their pot-
cal duties, to direct their towards this Curl
ous and as it may appear iome this complicated
quehion.
On this quehon my refearches have not Certainly
Il
they have conducted me to the concluiion that our
newly acquired country of Lotiiana, extends beyond
the MitIi,ippi as far the Pcrdido river The con-
trary opinion; the opinion, that is bounded by the
Miihlhpp is unupported either by the tyeates which
have been formed by Spain, or by the ;r,icl7ioy
which The has eitabliined in Florida The principal
arguments, which have appeared in favour of this op
MON, given lin this days Euqurer) in the extract
of letter from Madrid, dated July 18th To deter
mine then in certain degree the truth of this opinion
it will be neeeary analytic the Of this letter
In every part OF 1t, appears deficient in accu-
raey Of fact, accuracy of conciufon
1t is rot trDe that :" EAT and Nfa Florida were ORR
ginay Geded by France to England by the treaty of
1863. The terms OF EAT and H1ea Florida were ne
yer known in SPanih or French geography. This
ditnetion was frit introduced by the Eneh govern
ment, after the dehnitive treaty of 1868 By this
treaty, all the country E. of the Mififippi except N
Orleans, being given upto them, they divided the
zv6o territory s. OF Georgia, and T. of the Tbberye
into the tao diitnct provinces of F. and w Florida
This afertion is indeed expressly confirmed by ,ne
writer hnien, who fays afterwards that previous TO
1850 this country had been divided into the fo Flo
ridas.
1t is NOT true that France at the fam. time coded
to Spain the iland Of NJ Orleans and territory w of
the MiiihtPpl' have examined every article Of this
detntive treaty OF 1863, land was fsid 10 be given
at large) and have been unable to diicover a Jingle
article which relates this cefion The truth ap-
pears to be, that this celon tipuated for in fe-
cret treaty OF 1862, made between France 8. Spain
The eonetgion that may be drawn from the firN of
thee aiiertions Is couiequentlY inaccurate II This
country was not divided into z. and W. Florida in the
year 1903, it would be abiurd to feek in the Weferp
boundary of w. florida for the weitern boundary Of
Florida itief. 1t would be abfbrd to aume the bo,n
dares OF this country, it was laid off by the Spani.
ards before the treaty of 1868 under the denomination
OF FI0rraa as the boundaries of territory which
that very treaty might have created and which the
Engih had afterwards divided into eparate pro-
vinces, diicriminated by two original names
That territory zuas created by this very trea
ty OF 90; that Florida owned by Spain and fur
rendered by them to England, did not embrace the
lame extent of,conntry, EAT & Wet Florida owned
and governed by England, will appear from the very
treaty iteH BY the 7harcle his mott chriifian naiei
ty Chat is France makes the middle OF the Mipp;
river from its fource the Tberve and from thence
down the ibervle, the boundary between MS poic1i
ons and thoie Of his Britannia Maeity. In other
words, France cedes to England all the foil which il
Poilees to the L. OF thele rivers But all the foil
winch hes between thee rivers and the Atlantic ocean
did not belong to it and therefore il could not he ced
ed For we diieover in the 10Th article his Catholic
NaJety THAT is SPAIN ceding and guaranteeing rio
rida, with all that it poees to the Eat Of theft RI
vers, to G.. Brtain-By this treaty then il vyo,d an
fsea-, t!as z. and w. Florida which G; Britain af
terwards d1lcrmnated were competed of all the terri
tory, which France poelieiied to the T. of ;hefe RI
vers and OF the part which Spain poeed that is of
FLORIDA. What part then did France poiIefs; and
what part did Spain pofiefs can only depend upon
the geographical determination, which had exined
Ts9ioTs TO the treaty of IS. But this determination
had been made by the treaty between France and
Gain Of 49, and had continued from that time tl The
year 63. BY this treaty the boundaries of Florida
inhabited by the Spaniards and of Loufana poneGed
by the French, we're fixed at the Perdido river-The
colelulion therefore, which this writer wfhes to draw,
from his eeoad aherton is confequenty inaccurate.
Even had the defitve treaty Of 63 ceTled TO Spain
all the county to the EAT Of the Mfilippi it would
not have followed that had coded the whole country
OF 1ouilana; becaufe this territory did not continue
the whole of Louiiana.
1t Is not fas induced to believe That after the
territory OF the Pordas had iurifdc
ton OF Spain by the treaty Of 49, Wen Florida re-
tanned that name, ADD pofeiied feparae government
independently Of Iouiana The faGl fem. TO have
been, that the dinindion between Ear and wen Flo
rida was never maintained by spain that the part
oi the country which lies between the Apaliohoa aud
Perdldo rivers was put under the administration of the
Governor Of st. Auguiines and that the resnain;no
part between the Perdido aud MifliGppi rivers were
iube9 to the experimenting power of the Governor
OF New-Orleans If this tatcment be accurate II ;s
evident that louiahd and Florida had each of them
the iaine extent, when they were actually in the
hands oil Spain, that they had. when France rnea
ed NJ: And by the treaty or I7Ig the boundsrv I;r