Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-01-12
CosgrsyG q the United States,
IN SENATE,
THURSDAY. Dec. ~.
DEBATE
DEBATE
On Tie auyect efhe Ierrifors Vest Of the
Perdido.

force IN the territory OF aOTitdnS 10 eAtSad
10 and 10 have full force and effect 10 the
river perdido, pursuant TO the treaty con-
Guided at Paris on the sob Of. April, 8o3 /;
AMI Tor other purposes" being under con.
siaera;ion and the question beiag on lis
passage 10 a third reading
MI. PoPE - Mr.. President, regret that
the honorable chairman Of the committee
who reported this bill, is not here, to give
it that support which his talents, intorn.a.
ton. and the importance of the subject au-
,hotised us to expect. His absence has
dyvoived on me, AS a member OF the com
mit,ee, and representative of that section
of the union more immediately interested
IN the subject before us, 10 explain to the
Senate some of the grounds which induced
chem 10 make this report. The FIST i'm
po.rant question which the proclamation of
the Pres!dens and tits bill presents for con-
sideration, is, whether or not the q States
have good title to the territory in CUES
ton. Before examine The treaty of ces-
sion from France TO the &. s. OF 1908, the
source ct our tiaim, permit me to enquire
whats re the limits of Louisiana in tina,
quarter 10 which this biect lads US, be-
fore the treaty and cesston Of '62-3 be-
tween France, Spain, and g. Britain On
this subject, however, believe there is no
coulrarir,y OF opinion. Before this period
Louisiana extended east of the river Mis-
sisippi TO the river Perdido France and
Spain, By the treaty Of 1910, established
this boundary between Florida. row called
Els. Florida, and Louisiana. The ancient
limits oi Louisiana have been So fully as
cestained by the documents laid before
Congae ss at different times, and the hume
rous discussions The subject has undergone,
that should Only wasie the time OF the
Senate ia attempting TO ;hrow any new
iiphs on il. sl,ds! only refe. The Senate t.
one additional evidence, that this river was
the ancient eastern boundary o. this pro-
vince. FIR. Smol!et, in his continuation
.. f!ume's history Of England, states the
answer of the British gc,ernmens 10 the
propositions made by France for ;,race
early. in lae yr;ir 1861, From which it ap-
pears thar France then claimed TIE river
Psi dido IS ,h>ir eastern Emit, nor does
this fact appear to have been contested by
the British minister. Il appears that pre-.
vious 10 the war which terminated in 1868
Louisiana copprel1ended d, ary the whole
country wa,ered by ,ar Mississippi aud its
branches. find it stated in a PAM phle,
published in New-York, thar France by
secret cession contemporaneous with the
treaty, called tbs family compact of 1851,
trnsieled this couptry to Spain 10 iudoce
her 10 become her ally in the war agains,
6. Britain: and although can find no ev-
idence 10 supper, this statement, vet the
events Of rhat war, previous 10 that period
READERS il at least probable. 1t viii be re,
men,hered that the arms of G.. Britain had
,1iumphed over chose of France, both by
sea and land; France had los: Canada and
a great nuinbei o! her ships of wa,---Spain
was no, then a party in the war, and, TO
induce her to become SO, it seems proba-
bic sha. France, under the pressure Of adj
verse fortune, coded to her this province.
Bit as this statement does not correspond
with the documents on our tables, nor the
views Of others who have examined this
| subject, we are compelled to take it for
granted, that the cessiou OF west louisiana
| with the island of New, Orleans to Spain,
snd of east louisiana. since called west
Florida, to 9. Britain, were made at the
| same time in the year '62. Ii is, however,
/ well known, that France made the cession
/ to G.. Britain, at the instance and for tie
benefit OF Spain, to enable her, with the
cession of Florida, now called East Fiori-
/ da, to obtain a restitution OF Cuba. The
whole of louisiana. no, conquered by q.
| Britain, may with prcpriety be said TO have
been given cps or ceeted to Spain, l-st US
now examine that part Of the treaty OF ces-
| sion between the United States and France