The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-01-23
From the National hteligeneer.

The niie Of the United States 10 LouisiGna as,
far Easf as the Perdido, fairly traced.
The treaty of 1853, signed at Paris ON the
10th of Feb. OF that year, was concluded be-
tween the King OF q. Britain, the King OIL
France, and the King of Spain. BY the TN
article Of this ueaiy, " the most Christian
King Of France cedes, in full right and
guarantees to His Britannica Majesty, the RI
YER and port of the Mobile, and every thing
which he possesses, or ought 10 possess on
the left + Easf1 side of the river MississiPpi,
except the town of the New-Orleans, and the
Island in which il is situated, which shall re-
main to France" BY the goth article OF the
same treaty +" His Cathoiick Shsnish Ma
jesty cedes and guarantees, in foil right, to
his Britanick majesty, Florida, with tort ot.
Augustine and the bay of Pensacofo, as well
as all thar Spain possesses on the continent OF
North America, to the East or to the south
east Of the river Mississippi"
TbuA il appears that France claimed, with
certainty, AS far east from the Mississippi as
the Mobile !, whilst Spain, with equal certain
IN, claimed as far west towards the Mississip-
pi as the bay of Pensacola /; both rctrrriny,at
the same time, to indefinite possessions III
that quarter, which might, or ought to be-
long to the one or to the other The only
portion of The territory not specifically ex-
pressed by the words of the treaty OF l763,is
that between Pensacola and Mobile In reIa-
ton TO this, the boundary had never been pre-
cisely adjusted; both France and Spain claim
ed portions of it and the French, az Incl
dental facts will prove, always considered the
Pcrdido as the least extent OF Louisiana east
ward /. At all events, the Pcrdido, which Is
6efween both Mobile and Pensacola (,he in
teryening territory being disPutable as to the
precise boundary is fairly taken by the y.
States as the real old. dividing line between
the French and Spanish possessions in For
ida and Lou,siona. This question must be
decided by evidence Of settlements by the
one power or the other; but as far as Mobile
it is designated as French property, in the
treaty of 1903, as quoted.
Let it be- well observed, that the Spaniards
in ceding to Great Britain IN 1868, use the
term Florida only. Nor does the King OF
France call the part he sedes West Florida
but designstos il by the words the river and
port of the Mobile, and every thing which he
possesses or ought to possess on the lett e
side of the river Mississippi, except the
town of the New Orl cans, and the island in
which i, is situated" Now, there is no man
that denies but that New-Orleans is in Lou
isiana and as the river and port OF the Mo-
bile are mentioned in connection with New
Orleans, as part Of the same territory, with
our anu Distinction, there can be no question
that Louisiana extended as fac east as the
Mobile, and that, as Spain, on her side, ma.
med no other place towards the Mississippi.
farther than Pensacola, the territory between
these two places was claimed by both the
French and the Spaniards, and is alluded to
by beth those powers in the treaty OF 1908.
in the words possesses, or ought to possess
SC.
France, it is notorious, never claimed any
territory by the denomination of Florida but
she did claim the territory now denominated
West Florida, with certainty, as tar as the
Mobile. How do prove it BY the treaty
OF 1868 for il is clear that France could not
have lawfully cedcd what belonged 10 Spain |;
nor would Great Britain have accepted from
France a cession Of territory Of Spain, espe-
cially when Spain was openly party to the
same treaty. In the treaty of 1868, France,
in the 7,h article cedes her part, and Spain'in
the 2oth article, cedes her part. Would
they both have ceded, In presence OF each
other, what is now called West Florida, 1t
Spain had been the sole proprietor The
very cessions, in separate article of the same
treaty. proves that G. Britain thought so too;
or why should she require cession from
each )"
What further corrobsrates these dedue-
tons, 10 the remark Of the author (suPpossd