Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-09-29
Cl2 10 Cents S'ine1e.1

" PIClSSS. t.t -...a l. e.. al. d..
,. AS from your former condition you cam
not be much acquainted with diplomatic
policy, and l am convinced thai even the
gentleman who drew up the memorial is
not, will explain 10 you the gtt und oithis
article. !! may prevent your running INTO
further errors.
The territory of Louisiana had teen So
often ceticd 10 different Eutopeau powers
that 1t became u necessary article Gil the
part OF Fran c., AID iort the secuiity OF Spain
The ally oil France, ard which accorded
perfectly with our own principles aud in
tentions, that j; should be codsd no more
and this article. stipulaling lor the moor
poration OF Louisiana into The unloH OF ,ha
United States stands as bar against all
future ccssion, and at the same time as
well as Z" in the i'iean ttDlc ;" secures to YOU
civil and political pe'maoency, personal
security ard liberty Witch you never ei.!
joyed before -
France and Spain might suspect (and
the suspicion would not have been i'll
founded had The cessiQn beer treated ioi in
The administration Of John Adams or when
Washington was president, ard Aiexar.
der Hamilton president over hiIn) ;hat VIC
bought Louisiana tor the British euvern4
mert, or with a view OF selling it To her;
and though such suspicion had no Just
ground To stand upon With respect 10 our
present president 7hom7e .J.Ge,4on, who
is not only lot man OF intrigue, but who
possesses tina, honest pride OF principle
that c:Tnot be intrigued with, AID which
keep iitrigCers at a distance, the article
was nevertheless necessary as precauti.
on ag aibS, /N'ure coming euciys. But you,
from not knowing the political ground OF
the article, apply 10 yourselves ficrSo,,olhy
and eXc.usiuety what had reference 20 The
territory TO proven, its failing into the
hands of any foreign power that nj Int cn-
danger the Sh0tish dominicl.s u .melica,
or those of the French in the " esi India
islands.
You claim (yCu say,) 10 be incorporated
into The uiiInH OF The Uni.cd 5 alus, sud
yoar circumstances on dis subject are ,in-
just and without cause.
You are already INCORPORATED into II as
fully and efTeGlualiy as the Americans
themselves are, who are settled in Louisi-
ana. You enjoy the same rights, privi-
leges, advantages immrnilies which
they enjoy, and when Louisiana, or some
part oft shall be erected INTO cunstitu-
uonal state; you also Will be ci;izeLs equal,
ly with them.
You speak in your memorial, as ic yox
were the onfy people who were to live in
Louisiana, and as il The territory was purA
chased that you exclusively might gown
1t. In both these cases you are greatly
The en- grations from The Cnit-
ed States into the purchased Territory, and
the population arising therefioIn viii, ina
few years exceed you in numbers. II is
but twenty-eiX years since Kentucky be-
gan 10 be settled, and If already Contains
more than doHb.e your population.
In d candid view Of the case, YOU ask
Tor what would be curious 10 yourselves
10 receive, and unjust in IFS 10 grant IN
jUrioHa, because the settlement OF Lcuisj-
ana viii go OF much Faster under the go-
vernment and guardianship I'll congress
than if the government Of ii were commits
ted to your hands and consequently tie
landed property you possessed as indivi-
duals when the treaty was concluded, or
have purchased since, will encres,e so
nuCh faster in Value Unjust 10 ourslLlrs.
bNSNhnG 90 AbC lSlIiDuis tIAtIN CI the DUR
chase money must come out Of the sale of
the lands TO new settlers the povernu,ent
Of 1t cannot suddenly go out of the hands
OF congress. They arc guardians Of that
property for all The fieofiLe Of The Ua,fcd
S'Gfes. And besides this, as the tcw SET
tiers will be chiefly from the United STATES,
II would be unjust and III policy to put Them
and their property under the Jurisdiction
Of people whose freedom they had COM
tributed to purchase. You ought also TO
reco.lect that the French revolution has
not exhibited to the world that grand dis
play OF principles and rights that would
induce settlers from other countries 10 put
themselves under French jurisdiction in
Louisiana. Beware Of intriguers " ho nav
push you on from private motives Of their
own.
You complain oftwo cases. one Of which
you have no right, no concern with and
the other is founded in direGt Injustice.
Yon corplsjn tina; congress has passed
a law to divide the country into two tern.
tories. 1t is not improper to inform YOU,
that aiter.he yolutionary war ended, con-