The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-13


dominions, yet the real difficulties were soon
found to be greater than before. Vexaton
and strife ensued. Spain did not adhere to
the treaty as respected the running of the
Southern boundary line, and at the expi-
ration of the three years, during which
time we were permitted to hire the stores of
New Orleans for the deposite of goods, that
privilege was suspended by proclamation and
the port closed.
Mr.. Jefferson was then President of the
United States, and he clearly saw that one of
two things must be done: the boundaries
of our country mist be extended TO the sea
on the South, and as far as the Sabine on the
West, or we must relinquish to foreign DOM
ination the waller of the Mississippi. And !,
difficult as had been our negotiations with
Spain in regard to our Southern and West
ern frontiers, sill greater difficulties were
anticipated in the event of retrocession of
Louisiana to France, which was now greatly
feared in this country. We already had
Great Britain on our Northeast, and to have
France, her inveterate enemy, on our whole
Western border, would leave us, it was
thought, in great danger and exposure, hem
med in between these two rival powers, on
account of their continual intrigues, conten-
tons, and anticipated hostiities.
The much dreaded retrocession of Louisi-
ana, from Spain to France, took place; but,
instead of producing the bad effects which
were anticipated, it tended rapidly to bring
about the very result SO much desired by the
Federal Administration. France soon found
that she had too many irons in the fire, and
TO lessen her own cares and difficulties, came
| forward with an overture to sell Louisiana to
the United States for a valuable consdera-
ton. On the 30th of April, 1908, the nego.
tiation was concluded and signed at Paris
The price was sixty millions of francs, be.
sides a small sum due American citizens fol
spoliations upon our commerce, making il
all about fifteen millions of dollars and OF
the goth Of December following, formal de-
livery of the country to US took place at New
Orleans.
From this period, Louisiana became an in
/ separable portion of the United States.-AnS
now who is net led irresistibly 70 reflect
with gratitude to the Great Disposer Of events
upon the singular and foFtult0us clrcumstan
ces which led to a result, ct once so import
ant and so desirable! Pending the very ne
4 gotiation by which we acquired Louisiana
which we must recOllect embraced our Who'll,
territory West of the Mississippi, and almos
at the very time at which it was concluded
our government was ready to form an alliance
or coalition with Great Britain, in an antici
pated war with France, supposed to be brew
ing in relation to Louisiana, and which
was thought would terminate in our acqui
sition of that province. The difficulties sup
posed to lie in the way of that acquisition
may be inferredsfrom the following extraC
from dispatches from our Secretary of Stat
TO Messrs. Munroe ard Livingston, our re
representatives. in Paris, made in the very sam
month of April, 1908, in which the treaty c
{ sale was signed.
| If the French government instead {
: friendly arrangements or views, should
; found to mediate hosiilities, or to have form
ed projects which will constrain the Unite
States to resort TO hostiliLies, such commun
cations are then to be held with the BIRTHS
: Government as will sound It's disposition
) and invite it's concurrence in the war.
! Notwithstanding the just repugnance {
D this country 70 a coalition Of any sort wit
3 the belligerent parties of Europe, the advan
. tages TO be derived from the cooperation {
: Great Britain, in a war at this period of tn
a United States against France and her allies
: are too obvious and too important to be re
t nounced. And Notwithstanding the apps
o rent disinclinations Of the British Councils |
t renewal of hostilities with France, it wi
!. probably yield to the various motives whic
E will be felt, to.have the United States in tn
E scale of Britain against France, and particC
] larly for the immediate purpose of defeatin
Q project o. the latter, which has evidentl
il created much solicitude in the British Coz
q ernment.'
3 The sproject' alluded TO above. was th
I formation Of heavy and permanent milital
s establishments at New Orleans. And no
withstanding all this, it cannot be denie,
s that for the great facility and favorable tern
c upon which we became possessed of Louis
i ana, we are indebted to the much dreade
n purchase of the country by France, as we
d as to the anticipated war between Englan
o and France. which the former declared in Ii
y verJ next month after the above despatch,
If were sent.
o During the Revolutionary war, Floric
z was conveyed by Great Britain to Spain; an
! the ambiguity or contradiction in former trel
d ties in relation to the boundary between Til
I province and Louisiana, led now to ne
d difficulty with the Spanish government q
the part Of the United Statesi both nation
3 claiming the country south Of latitude 3
d between the Mississippi and the Perdido II
b ers, which now forms parts Of Louisiana an