The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-01-02
From the National MteUg1ncer.


Of laying before our readers the following
| statement, the CORE ctness' ot which nlay be
relied on, respecting the tite OF the United
States to the territory east of the river Peioi-
do, in the territory heretofore generally Cali
led West Florida. The statement is ex,rac-
ted fiem documtn Mt published under the au-
,hori,y Of ali ac, of Congress, passed a, their
last be ssiGn, which Gii ected collation. and
arrangement OF the laws, treaties and other
documents relating 10 the PubIick Lands.
/" i he Y. States by the treaty oi I8oS with
France acquired Louisiana witho. I any diect
definition OF It's boundaries, but as fully aud
in the Same n,rnncr it had been acouii ed
by France from Spain, in virtue OF the treaty
Of ST. lidefcnso Of ire Isl Oct. 300 by
lhis treaty Spain had ,etIoceded Louisiana to
France with The same extent that II then
had IN The hands oi Spain, and that it had
when France possessed IL, and such as ii
should be alter the treaties subsequently en-
tered imo between Spain and other states"
BY the grant ii LouIs the Fourteenth 10
Crozat, dated l4h September. l72, all The
country drained by the waters emptyiDg d-
rectiy Or indirectly into the Mississippi, is in
GUIDED within the boundaries OF Lousii Ma.
/ lie discovery of tha, river by The french,
pcan nations in relation to the rights ol dis
oo,e,y, The publicity OF tbe grant, and the
long acc uicscencc OF Spain, establish the
ciainn Of the L States To that extent. But
the western boundary on the sea shore, and
south oi the ~eters empiying into the ked
River, Is >uil a subject oi controversy be-
tween the two nations /; the territory called
by Spain Province OF axss" being claim
Cd by both. Tho claim Of france, new trans.
ferred 10 the =. States, extended IT least as
Ear west as tic by of ST. Bernard, il virtue
ci the settlement made there by La Sale, IN
685, III the vicinity Oi the river Coudaioupe,
at tine when Spain occupied no par, OF The
ierrioiy east o. the Rio Norte. That settle
ment was destroyed, and no.wi,hst nding the
repeated orders ct tie French government
was not resumed by the local authorities. In
the mean while, Cn i7i7) the Spsniards sent
some priests among the Indians, and shortly
after established a small military post al A.
dayes, afterwards transferred TO Nogodc hes,
onwhich rests their claim TO the country r
Of La Sales settle m,nl. BY an arrange III,
made in 1906, by the con mandiDg ofhcer IN
that quarter, IL was agreed that Tor the pre-
sent the SpaniarGs should not cross the SabiD
and thai the Americans should not extend
their settle nts DIS far as that river. And
in order to prevent any COLLISIONS until the dit
ference should be finally sdjusted, insuuc-
tions have been given that the pubiick lands
should not be surveyed w. OF meridian
passing ty N-,chi,cthes.
Eas, of the Mississippi, the Z States claim
by virtue OF the treaty OF 1903, all The terrific
~ 5. OF the 3ist degree ol north latitude and
extending westWardiy 10 the small river Per-
dido, which lies between Mobile and Pensa-
cola, and was when Louisiana formerly be-
Ionged to France, the boundary betw cen that
colony and Inc Spanish province ct Florida
That territory, together with the residue oi
Louisiana, east of the Mississippi. was, by the
treaty of 1863. ceded by France 10 G. Britain,
who by the same treaty, acquired also Spanish
Florida. The preliminary articles ot that
treaty were signed on the Sd day cf Novemhcr
l76a; and, on the same day, Fr@nce, by a
separated sct, Cedcd 10 spain all the residue
OF Lousisna, west Of the Mississippi, and IN
Guiding the city and island SO called os New
Orleans. BY the treaty ct 1888, G.. Britain
cedcd to the United States, all that part OF
the former colony of Louisiana, east OF the
Mississippi, which lay north of the 3lst de-
gree OF north lat. The Slst degree OF lat. was
Ivy the subsequent tr,sa Of 1895, between
the United States and Spain, confirmed as
the boundary between the possessions oi
the two nato rs The title OF the U.States
to the territory in question under the treaties
Of St. lidsi,n>o, and of lsoS,is fully establish.
cd hy those facts.
Louisiana was rrtroce6ed TO France, with
the me extent that il then had in the hands
cf Spain" aud tie territory in question. l.,
whatever n,me Spain chose to cell i, wa'
hen substantially ia her hands.