Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-08-03
From the Georgia Journal.
M1tlrperyILLE, July 20.

H
As the eastern boundary of Louisiana is like
ly to become a subject Of controversy between
our government and Spar, W. have thought il
might he satisfactory to our readers TO know
the ground OF dispute, and have accordingly IA
ken some ,rou5ie TO collect lay before them
IN atcw words ell The material information re-
lating TO the subj, ct.
Being cededto the United States " with the
salrs extent that it has in the bands Of Spain,
that it had when France possessed i, {, we must
first erqu,rc, what were the limits of Louisiana
when held by France in 1862, and since it was
IN the possession OF Spain BeGore 1862 Tsays
Hutchins1 Louisiana extended in The French
maps to SO .legrees on the east side Of the Mis-
sissippi According to Du Pratts, its eastern
boundary was the Rio Perdido, signifying lost
river, so called from its losing itself under
ground and siterwards app airing and empty
ing into the sea little 10 the east of the town
Of Mobile. West, Florida, says Morse, is nei~
ther known ia Frentli nor Spanish Geography,
but Org mated with the British who formed it
out o. that part oi Louisiana on this side of the
mississippi, bich wth Cansda was coded b
France st lie treaty of 1853. "By this treaty
observes Mr.. Jefferson tie boundaries o. ,he
Brcnh provlnces were extended sonthwsrd- e
the Gull Of Mexico, and westward tn the Mi3.
sissippi. the navigation of whlci, to its mout
was 10 ne fee 10 both nations, and L. uisis,a
was limited .hy Canada, and r. by the Mis-
sissippi, excepting that jntluded the Iian.l
Of New Orleans or Is f.. Ia X. This state of
things remained q he American revo utiona
ry ~ar. durirg which, Spain, III i779 20. and
17Si, took from Or at Is tain, the two Fiuri-
das the United States, accorliN t. their pre-
sent limits, became an independent govern.
ment, ltsving I G Britain, Of AL her meri
can provinces, those ony which lie N. and f.
to tie United States. All these changes were
sanc'inned ~ confirm d by thu treaty of178.
Fem that period these respective p oportions
o Nor,Ei Americ. re NAMED withouta h .nge
OF proprctnrs, till the treaty OF 81. lido fonso,
Of Oct /, 1890. BY this treaty Spain "promis
e. and engages on her part, to cede to the
French Republic, six moths after the full and
entire execution Vt tLr conditions ard siipuia-
tigns therein oRtained relative tn the Duke OF
Parm, The colony or province Of Louisiana,
with Ia same extent that it actually has in the
bands of Spain, lint a had when France pos
sessed it, and such as it should be after the trea.
tics SUBJ qn4I,tl, entered into between Spain
an Other states" T,s ea'y wss confirmed
and eniorc iy that OF Madrid, of the Dist of
Msrcl. 1891 From France it passed TO the
United State by tie re.ty Of the 3Oth of April,
1893, as above me'tiancd, with reference t,
TIL ABOVE clause as DESCRIPTIVE of the limits ce-
ded"
These limits OF Lo,isisna, as possessed by
Fr-noe AID Spain and acknowledged by other
ISbwcrs, are from The be st authorities, aud IL is
pre- sunIed may he considcred as correct Tile
shove recned clause from c lreaiy OF Idefon.
so Contains our titic II he Boundaries of Lou
isana are to be the same as when possessed by
Frarce, our title TO all We claim is clear ard
i-,.i,sputable but If lis limits ere TO be govern
ed BY treaties subsequently made between
Spain and Ctbfr states, a loop is left to hang a
doubt on, as by the treaty of 1868, France coded
that part of Louisiana On this side Of Gic Mis-
siss'pp TO Great Britain, fro whom it after
wards past to Spain as part OF Florida
louisiana is supposed to contain near mill
lion Of square miles, which is more than half
the ~ Of the United States. OF il, opulati-
on at present we are not correctly informed It
contained in 1910, including the territory of
Orleans near an hundred thousand ihhabii ants,
chiefly the descendants Of French &. anadians
In the city vt New Orle and that part OF Wet
Florida or Louisiana which is in dispute, there
are good many Americans /; but the coast is
said 70 sse almost entirely peopIed by the des-
ndants OF settlers from Germany and few
French mix with them. On the soutI side
tue Mississippi only about two fifihs Of the in
babiianls are supposed TO be Americans.
The physical strength u the country is evil
dtntiy very considerable, and beng scattered
over such ~ immense extent OF territory the
mi abitanls ccu'd offer but little resistance tn
an invading force but shCtl. the enemy at
tempt 20 Hard there as he has tlr aiencd, an
adequate force for his expulsion an soon be
sent down the Mississippi from the western
states.