The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-10-30

I'll, and took possession OF IT. thinking that II
was a portion Of the eastern empire, deyolvcd
TO his country BY the muni6cence Of Rome.
| That settlement excited some differences be-
tween the Portuguese and Spanish govern
ments, which were settled by tie treaty OF
| peace concluded at Utrecht (4) The 9th OF
FEB. uary i7I5, between Don John the Vth.
| OF Portugal and Philip the Vth. of Spain.
| And the TWO crowns reserved solely 10 their
vessels and those of thcirsubjects the naviga-
| ton and commerce In their American domin-
ions. 60 Previous TO the treaty Of Utrecht
the French, the Dutch and the English were
not allowed by Spain 10 navigate beyond the
famous line, and il was merely as frcebcotcss
and buccaneers, unsupported at First by their
respective countries, that in the beginning Of
the eth century they established themselves
in several OF the West India Islands, ard af-
tcrwards on the continent OF North America.
In 1850 the court OF Spain scnt Frederick de
Toledo with naval force.to expel them as
well as the Dutch who Notwithstanding the
Papal DEGREES had established themselves i'll
part of Brazil; but the long and cruel war
occasioned by the succession TO the crown OF
Charles lid. OF Spain, and the lanSuid state
OF Spain, during that period, prevented alto
gether the Spaniards from mixing proper cx-
ertons 20 defend their American dominion,
and the English, the Dutch and the French
continued their settlements, extended them
and improved them so rapidly that they be-
came on object OF the most serious attention
for their respective governments. The Eng
lish knew better than any other the impor-
tance OF America, and they made its naviga-
ton one Of the bases of the great alliance
concluded the lst of September, l70l, at
the Hague, in opposition TO France and Spain.
The war for the succession of the crown of
Charles Id. which cnsucd, was terminated
by the dificren: trcatics signed at Utrecht be-
tween the belligcrents And among those
treaties, one of which has already 0ntn men
toned, find that Queen Ann Of England
and Philip Vtlhof Spain, have agreed by tire
article VIII, Mat the Calholick King shall
not cedc or transfer to France or any other
power, any part of his American dominion,
and that ENGLAND shall assiSf Shain to re-cs-
fabiish and maintain IRE old boundaries Of IL
meriea, such as they eristed mnder King
Charles I'D. Spain on her part guarantees
to England the acquisition she has made Of
New France, comprehending Hudson Bay,
Newfoundland and New Arcadia or Nova SEQ
tia, and by o postcrior treaty signed at Mad
rid in l72l, confirmed the above treaty as
well as the treaty Of 1886, and eonVeyed to
England her JuN Iroh0rfion Of the ancient
boundaries IF anerfca, as they 7vere in he
time Of Charles I'D, who, as l have before
stated, had always defended his American
dominion under the Papal grant, who bad
sent squadron to cxpel all the European
settlers In America, and who, as web as his
predecessors, captured, whenever 4lc could,
those OF their vessels. navigating within his
line. That line then had not been given up
by the grantor but en- the contrary maintain
cd by force OF arms against ali the nations.
The English who had been so particular in
obtaining that concession knew it very we'll,
and having obtained it, demanded from France |
an absolute relinquishmcnt Of all the l2nds, |
shores and seas belonging TO New france, |
and forbid any subject of Frauce to cross, over
the boundaries OF those provinces cithcr By /
sea or land.
These authentick facts remove all doubt |
on the existence Of the old maritime domin-
ion of Spain, split by the new system estab-
ishcd al Utrecht. And as the English have |
TO the United States their continer-
al dominion including their proportion of the
Western Ocean such as they held it, without
my restriction whatever, the United States
nave OF course right not only to the land
covered or uncovered by water within twenty
eagues of any part Of their shores, but also
o their proportion Of the Western Ocean, as
ar as the line OF Alexander vi, betweca TIE
wo indciinatc lines running due east, des- 1
:ribcd by England herself in the treaty Of
1888.
The word annie inserted in the treaty Of
spain with England TO describe the proper |
ION OF the Western Ocean annexed 10 her
'onces'ion, ought to have been also inserted
n the concession Of England, to the United
states, but as the most favourable construc-
ion is always in favour of the grantees, and
IS the two lines running indefinitely due east
Gem to have been intended to embrace the
anne object, 1t is perfectly immaterial to con-
,itutc our right whether that word is insert
ID or not in that Instrument, and perhaps it |