Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-09-27
fysa, tbs Mssv 9oyx EDeaing Post.
HE Re VI E w,
NO Will.

The territory 20 DC porcnaseo VITA shs
tsvo pri(ioas was described 10 the bhl as
- lying GA the Atlantic pcean, and me
GuIch of Mexico and eastward OF the
Aa,ss,ssippi. 2 MIR. Randolph ob}scted TO
shs clause as ii stood, aud moved 20 suDssi.
lutte !. the Bay of Psraiao" instead 'ot the
:. river MISSISSIPPI tils reasons were
1has greas part of the territory embraced
byths bill, namely all that tract lying east
cf the sMlssissippl, and between the perdi-,
do, being about $50 miles by 100, Com
prising tract Of nearly $4,000 square,
miles, and unqusssionably tbs NEST vaiaa !.
bic patio she whole purchases was AREA
4 DIV claimed by she executive, as being with.
Ia toe limits of the Louisiana srea.y that
congress had so FAR sanctioned thesclaiaa as
10 have lrgislated upon il by passing. an ACT
erecting the shores and waters OF the FLYER
Mobile into Collection DISTRICT !; and that
after lhis TO pass law auihorising the pre-,
sident 10 purchase this very territory would
hot only be compromising the national ho.t
nor, bur might very fairlybc construed by.
Spain as virtual surrender on our part of
our presenllous to the title oft uhdert the
frsa,y. These obieciioEs an obvious as so.
lid. remained unanswered, and certainly
fnsy wereunanswerable {: bus notwithstan.
ding the motion was nsgasived, 6S to SO.
Before we proceed any farther, we think
: Il will be au acceptable service TO those of
our readers who do not trouble them.
selves 70 examine documents, and keep a
record of facts, TO present brief sketch
OF he state Of our affairs east of the Mis-.
sissippi.
Ia the session Of 1904, Congress passed
an act, authorizing ''shs president TO erect
she shores, waters and intets Of the bay aad
river Mobile, and5ot the other rivers, creeks,
inle,s and bays empsying into ths Gulf OF
Mexico, east Of the said river Mobile, sc.
into a separate :District for the collection
of duties on imposss and toansge, andfto
establish such place within the Same as he
shall deem expedfent to be The port of en-.
ary and delivery for such district" As
soon as the Spanish governor OF Pensacol.
heard Of it, he wtotea letter to Governor
Claiborne, Informing him that II any at.
tempis were made TO carry The actinto ef-
feet, he should resist il with force of arms.
This being communicated to the presiden.
by governor Claiborne, he issued his pro-
ciamation in great form and solemnity on
she. ssoth of May, exercising the powe'
with which he was Inv ested. .Aad in what
manner do YOU Imagine, reader, or rather
over what place do you imagine the presi
den, exercised this power? Doubtless you
will say over. the place designated in the
Oct of congress, the; bay of Mobile. There
you are vastly mistaken. Instead Of ha,,
he the said Thomas 5ferson, decided
thar the shores of the Mobile lay within
the old south boundary line of the Umed
States, more than foo miles up ,hefiver,
and 10 the midst of the woods: at which
place he very graveiy designated Fort
Stoddert TO be afort . Entry and delioery,
Ind as gravely too appointed some simple
gentleman, whose name We do not recol.
lect ever TO have heard, collector q the
port. Which gentleman has been amusing
himself from that time TO this In the col.
ketion Of datjesto about as much account
AS q little boy fishes for minnows with a
pin hook and iiae in tub of rain water
TO complete the farce, when congress
me, 10 the fail, Mr.. President told rhsnl+ir
bis message that soon after passing of the
ses establishing por, OF entry and delive-
s,yw;shin the Mobile he had learnt that its
ob;ecs wa. IS misunderstood on the part of
Spain - that, however, " candid expiaua.
tious were Immediately given, ADD assur
anees that ne actSwas medirased inconsiss.
sns with the peace ADD friendship existing
between the two nations that the Spanish
government had, notwithstanding, tho's
propes to suspend the ratification OF the
conveusiou Of 1902, but that the explana.