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

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tie British Annual Register Tor the year
1861. I" 1t Che ,rsa,y) gave us,"' says the
writer, ~ very large tract oi Ierrl'ory'
I whieh fh~'f French hsed 10 include under Me
name o.. Loaisiaxa-" Page So, Volumes.
The FIoridas were never distinguished by
the terms ret a3d ces!, until the 9Th day Of
Oct. i763. II was then effected by procla.
NATION OF the British king, in consequence
of the . extensive and valuable acquisitions
in America, secured to, his crown by theide6-
nitive /" treaty Of peace concluded at Paris
the 10Th of Feb" preceding, that is to say,
the treaty by which France and Spain ceded
the territory TO g. Britain.
This proclamation establishes on the con-
tinent Of America, three new" govern-
nients, to wit the government of Quebec |;
that Of {" East Florida - and that OF " West
Florida" The latter is designated in the
following terms:
Thirdly, the government of West Flori-
da, bounded to the southwark by the Gulph
of Mexico, including all islands within six
leagues from the coast from the river Apila-
chicola to the lake Ponchartrain ; to the west
ward by the said lake, the lake Maurepas,and
the river Mississippi to the northward, by
line drawn due east from that part OF the
river Mississippi which lies in 81 degrees
north latitude, to the river Apilachicola or
Catahovches (; and to the westward OF the
said river" Annual Register for 1868, VOL
6, page 400.
Hence it appears that West Florida was
province of British institution, formed out OF
portion of Louisiana as ceded to them by
the French and out Of part OF what the
Spaniards ceded, and what they called Flori-
ida.-And what incontestibly proves that w.
Florida was erected into separate govern
men, independent Of French or Spanish linn
its, is the boundary assigned to it by the Bri-
,ish Kings proclamation, which states Ap-
ilachicola or Chatahoucha" river as the east
ern limit, whereas the Spaniards claimed for
ancient Fsrida An extent westward to Pensa-
cola.
BY a treaty in 1888, C. Britain retrsceded
to Spain all tie territory which both Spain
and France had ceded to &. Britain in l763
--and France having, by an act OF cession in
1862, given to Spain the territory of Louisia-
ma West of the Mississippi, including the
Island and town of New Orleans, Spain be-
came possessed Of Louisiana " with the same
extent it had when France possessed It,"
Of Oct. 1900, between France and Spain, the
latter eeded to France I" the colony or prov
ince Of Louisiana, with the same extent that
/, then had in the hands of Spain, and that it
had when France possessed it and such as II
should be after the treaties subsequently en-
tered into between Spain and other States"
The first and secsnd of these described
extcnts" amount to the same thing tor,
as Spain did actually possess Louisiana, at
the date of the treaty of St. lldetonso, in the
same extent " that it had when France pos
sessed IT," il follows of course that she re-
troceded il TO France with the same extent,to
wit 10 the Mobile, (eastward) certainly,
and dishufabiy, from the Mobile to Pensacola
the dividing line of which disputablc part is
the Perdido.
We have, then, only to consider what trea-
ties between Spain and other States, entered
into before the date of the treaty of Ildeionso
(Oct. l, lSOo) can affect the extent which
Louisiana had when Frnnce possessed 1t.
We must keep in mind, that this third de-
scription of the extent Of the celony or pro-
vince, was stated in treaty (of st. Iidefon-
SOY between Spain and France, before the y.
States became the purchaser OF Louisiana
because this fact is material to explain what
is meant by the phrase " treaties entered in
to between Spain and other States" Now
the only treaties that Spain ever made affect
ing Louisiana Excepting that of lldcionso,by
which she disposed herself) were the fol-
lowing l. That of 1862, by which she ac-
quired West Louisiana 2. That OF 1888,
with G. Britain, which put her in possession
Of all the territory that France had possessed
as Louisiana and, 8. That of l7ss, with the
United States, which fixed the southern boun-
Diary between the Spanish provinces and the
territory Of the Union. The two First men,
toned treaties, viz. 1862 and l7s3, in rcla-
tion to Louisiana, cedcd territory to Spain,and
therefore could not curtail the extent OF the
colony and as to the treaty OF 1875, whatcv-
er it cedcd to the y. States, remains to them,
and with respect to the u. States could not
J:,n;c;sh 7 oc;s;,oa THE LATTER treaty how