Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-04-07

Long before, they had established them
selves in New Mexico, where they built the
capital OF Santa Ee, III 80 degrees north lati:
iu9e, ana opened and worked mines IN its
Heighborhood. From thence they spread
themselves wide of the rivers that empty from
north 10 south into the Missouri, comn,unicat-
my and trading with the Indian nations so
that from that time Spaip considered all ihe
territory lying TO the east aud north of New
MeAico, as tar as the Mississippi and Missouri
as her property. These donliniots aud settle.
ments of the crown of Spain were connected
WIN thoSe which she had on the Gait or Mex
lcoi thai IS TO say, with those of Florida and
the coasts OF the province of Texas, which.
De,hg on The same gull, must be ackuow lodged
10 belong 10 Spain, since the whole circumfer
ehce az tue gulf VAS hers, which property
hcohtC>taO!y acquired. size had constantly
maintained among her possessions, not because
she occupied Il thrOu. its whole extent
winch MAS impossible. bat on the principle
SeHefah> recognized, HAT the property OF u
i1ht or narrow sCa aud that OF country, hosy-
ever extensive. provided 40 other power is
ALREADY established in the interior is ACQUIRED
oH the occupation offs principal points.
iuese premises being established, and not
10 Le Shakou, as they are all supposed bv his
.oiy, ancieht Monuments, TRADITION, and ire
ids&oie documents, let us proceed 10 examine
iSf iEeir origin, the grounds which your
government maintains ITS prcteuSions.
- carry a. the commencement OF the seven
lecn1h century, France and England began To
IOiin expeditions in IElitation of the SpaniardS
ana 10 discover points tor settlements ia thai
part OF America. The French expeditions
penetrated INTO Canada by the river ST. Law
renee, ana those OF The English were directed
10 dihercnt parts ut tho coast on TIE Atlantic
Hence originated the basis on which the t,yo
nations afterwards founded and extended their
respective settlements. shat now only spesk
OF those made by the French, as they serve as
support TO the actual professions of the Unit.
Ell States. F"aDcis RiDaut. an ad,entnrer of
una, nation, h@d already penetrated into Florida
WIN some followers, towards the end OF the
sixteenth ceutuH, aud butt the fort called
ChaG!es lie tott; but This rash enterprise OF
'ne territory OF the crown OF Spain, was inme-
dia'eiy o'erthi own and dssi pated, TIE Spanish
governor, teuIO meieUdez, having attack ell
and taken the tOrt, and made prsonets Of
Ribdut and AL his people. Mention is likewise
maze ny some writers, 81 another Frenchman
called i'Cne ne LaudOHLi.Ie, who is said 10
nave tanned from the squadron of admiral
Celsny, On the COasi OF Florida, in lie wear
lJOi, dnd huiit fort v hiVh lac named Carolil
about the spot where Pensacola now stands ::
oht '!'t same winters aCl, tHdt Tie Spaniards
immediately attacked Inc French uut .hcIn 10
death, aud RACED the fort or reduubt they had
bait. Others say, that il was on tliat same
t0Tt, that the SpaaiaTds afterwards built the
jotiess OF IT. AUgustsu. So vague and so
uncertain Is The information respecting these
paiucnia' adventures. ihe story related OF
a kecollet iriar, called Father IIeuuipin. is
NtIIi more ridiculous, WHO is said 10 have heeu
made prisoner by the indians, al the time
t'el Ne't dt " dT WIKI lNe AreuCh OF (anduf
dhd taken 10 the Illinois, whence he was occu.
pied in exploring the country as lar as the
banks OF tie NtVer s. LOnIS or " isslssipi,j of
Which he took possession ~ the ua,nc Of LOUIS
the fourteenth, and gave II the name of iuuisi-
ana, \d0unue>S IA las secret thOUguts and Nv a
mere mentd! act IL - added mat tia. ty,ar
escaped from the Illinois, and returned 40
! tanaua, where he related all He had seen and
| afterwards published u in France more cir.
substantially IN memoir whoa he dedicated
10 the celebrated Colbert. These accounts
aud others ot tiIe like nature are conference.-the
tn themselves, even though the facts they re-
taie, were authentic, SIuCe nothing caa be IN
ielted from them, that caL favor the idea
started by those who peak OF these transient
duVentuleTs aud iucurSioES
Let us see what Importance can be attached
10 what rs said OF Bernard de la Sale, who in
1919, descended from Canada 10 the Hiissis-
sipPi, aud there butt Fort Crerec0eur accord
inS 10 Nj. du Pratz, or Fort PIudaOmme, ac-
cord.ns 20 Others. What is certain, amounts
la tins, that lie only made a rapid inc ursiOn
Fl ON Canada 10 the Mississippi as any other
1dveututer might do, crossing the territories
CT another nation; that he returned 10 Quebe c
without any further result, than that of an
imperfect exploration of the country; aud that
he embarked at QueUec for France, from
whence he retnrned III iOoi with du expedition
composed OF four vessels, commanded by can
tain Beaujeu, To explore the mouth of tile
Mississippi This expedition entered the Gulf
of Mexico, OIL the 18th of December of the
following year. La Sale neing deceived in his
reckoning b. the currents ot the Gulf could
not find the mouth of the river, and being over
takeR by a storm oii the coast OF the province
of Texas, he was obliged 10 take shelter in the
bay 81 4. Bernard. Two of his vessels were
captured by the Spanish cIuiZers another
was lost in The bay, and Beau;eu returDed TO
France liz the only one that escaped. La Sale
having landed with some people aud ten pie.t
ut artillery, iheI built q small toIt as Il Drotec-
ton against t5e Tnhsns, and u as obliged 10
change his ground three different times not
w,tbstaudng which, The Cianc9ates Indians
inlidh!ting the adjoining country. forced HIM,
to abandon the fort, aud 10 retreat by the Rio
dc la Trinidad Trinity itiver.) While on thus
retreat, he formed u project of penetrating
into tie interior OF the country. 10 see if he
Couid discover the fabulous mines Of Santa
BaTbara; but lie was assaSsinated on his r0ntr
by his OWn people and such was the resuI; q
the famous French expedition. so ;uucL fatx cd
of. The Indiaas fell immediately on Fort ST
Louis, and rlassaCFed Tie small harrison iaC
by La Saiie. The remainder of lie Frpurk
who accompanied hui, shared The same faie
being dispersed ia different directions after Tho
fall of their cInei, the! persisted by the hand.
OF the Indians.
In the mean time news Of this incursian lav.
ing reached Mexico, the vIcefoy. fearful If .
repetition OF similar attempts, held a council
ot war To deliberate on the affair, IN obedience
10 the royal order issued bV Phllip H. 'enioin
ing the determination OF al! FOREIGNERS WIN
would dare TO penetrate into tie Guifof Mev-
leo An expedition was then resolved on to
be formed at COhaquiia. uader the command
Of AlOnzO de Leon, to srour ihc country and
hunt out the French, II any we're still remain
lug. Having set out with tie necessary force
he arrived on the I'D Of April 1853. At the
place where la Sale had bni,t Fort 81. Louis.
and on the 18th, at tie entrance of the bsv
where he fell IN with the ,emains of the Freuct
vessel that had been wrecked. Having heard
in his march thui some Of La Sales compan.
ions were still wandering abOut The cOuntrv
or had taken refuge with the indiana he
shaped his course towards the nation Of the
Asimais, and was received by Them with marks
Of friendship and respect be, however, found
no traces of the French as no more OF then,