Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-03-16
To Tie gditor of The colnmb,an.

Neic York, Feb. ".
lou have seen by the dates and circums,an.
ces drawn from the" Notes on Louisiana"
thdt prior occupancy established the clait,,
OF france to thar country in its widest extent
cannon waste a moment upon the abstract
principles upon Which The rights OF ocrupancy
on tins cout'nent are founded. How tar the En-
rspean governments, in forming colonies i'm A.
inerica, anu consequently wrestling the soil from
the aboriginal inhabitants conducted iust or
u'Jmst Is question no wise confounded with
Tue ciains OF occupancy amongst those newly
formed colonies. Ii is only necessary TO nre
mise III this place. that the priority of discovery
aud settlement of any region has been consil
dered, and acknowledged the basis of poit;ca.
claim, IN America. L will now proceed TO
sketch the relative extent OF Florida aud
Texas.
Florida proper is bounded by the Atlantic
ocean on The east; by the state of Louisiana
and the Gulf of Mexico Oh the west 81 sontb ::
and by the states of Georgia and Alabama OF,
the north. The principal rivers are The Per.
dido, EScambia or-Cunecuh, and Apraisrhico
Ia, on the west; and ST. Mays aud St Johns
ON the east. Following the Infections OF the
shores, FLORIDA includes about 1000 miles of
sea coast, bgt with few good harbors To this
latter feature IN It's Typography there are
however, some exceptions Pensacola Ban
affords deplh OF wafer for trigates of the first
class. with excellent anchorage and is com.
peteiy land licked. The mouth ofthe harbor
retween Point ST. Rose and Fort Bar.,ncas Is
narrow, and can be defended with great ease
against maritime attacks. st. augustine is also
favOra6ly situated as d naval or commercial
depot.
Some other Ravens exist, such as tie mouth
OF Tue APpalachIcOa river, which might be
made of Importance IN The hands OF an enight.
ened aud enterprISlHg peogic.
im point at soil except some narrow strips
| upon the streams, Florida is a barren or swanpy
| country, and can never become covered with
dense population. 1t is not, however, from lis
soil or from any great agricultural advan-
a. lan
tltiOn, that the value of Florida Ought TO be
| estimated as an integral OF thG United
| States. This cessOn will terminate one OF the
most destructive and jnhmman tragedies HAT
| ever has been acted npOn our borders. Siuce
1903, Pensacola, ~. MarhS, and st. Ar.nstine,
| with many other places on the lon. sea border
! OF Florida, have been the nominal Appendices
| OF Spain, hut III. real receptacle of spies
inrendIaiies, and Illicit traders. Magazines of
munitions or war, 10 supply the most ieTOcions
| OF The human race with the means TO carry
| death amongst the wOmi aud children OF oiir
'onthern border; this bioOtI-stainei drama is
| closed.
| An eye witness to some acts in these scenes.
and conscious, that Spain, If size had the sill.
| had long lost tie power TO control the mons.
| tiers wliS formed the pr0pri0 pergona; could
| not but ieei indignant, TO hear a man whose
| loud voice was raised in our national legisla.
! ture. aud who, with one breath, announced
| himself the advocate of the emancipation OF
| Sdnth Americans and with the next defended
| the right That Tue government OF Spain had to
heidi country immune; u county whose actual
| p0sSeSsoTs, the Seminole Indians, aud their
| whiie and black allies, were daily Inurde ring
| Tie fellow citizens OI this very nun "a COUNT v
| WAT every man, OF even very common sense
must have known, Spain had ceased forever to
| possess.
| have never been much in the hal,it Of
! adnIiring the tortuOus policy generally pursued
! 10y dipIomatiots but have some time been
| hrced to acknowledge their ingenuity. 1t
| wonld be very uncandih not to cOncede in this
business 10 Don Onls the praise OF profound
| skili how far he has been met by e qual talent
! Is now IN ii fair train of developement
/ . Lei any person view good map OF that part
! ni tbs continent over which the new line {
! ~ narration between Spain aud tlie q. States
J is 10 pass; and cOUpateii with Louisiana in the
real extent Of the Term, viii perceive. that il
the treaty Is ratified, we have Ieliuuushed a
| territory Oi upwards ol2iO.OGO square miles OF
| surface. lie must, alsO, perceive tie iDcaieu.
! Liable ads vantage to humanity OF establishing
! tie RE GrGpde del Ngrfe, as the permanent
/ boundary between the Two masses Of English
1 aud Spanish Amef!raas
That country, known AZ present as tie PRO
riRee 81 icris, includes ail the vast space
| between The Red river Of the Mississippi. ihu
J Sabine river, Gulf OF Mexico aud itio Grauds
| viii not dildte upon It's imp iJuce, III ether
an agricultural or commercial pO.nt OF view.
IN claims ct right deem IL iuyidious 10 iu>isi
upon the value oil tie object [ VIII confne
I myself 10 The very great political consequence
Of this noW too little knows region The name
of Texas Is ~ iis accepiatiou vague /; bat iliat
part Of its extent, which lies IN Louisiana is
not cegneig defined. Boundaries enclnsc IL Ia
ehch legislative acts are the mstcoTs VI
moment.
Nations ats guided b. physical impulse, and