The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-12-31

In our leading article of to-day, we have attempt
ed TO elucidate point upon which great deal has
| been said by the Washington Union and other Loco
loco papers since the appearance of Mr. Clay's re-
| cont speech at Lexington Having bestowed cons
derabe attention upon the subject, we hatter our
selves that our exposition will be found triumph
ant reply TO Locooco statements and Locofoco ar
gumenis.
THE OCCUPATIONS OF THAT PART OF WEST FLORIDA
SITUATED BETWEEN THE RIO PERDIpo, AT THE
EAST, AND THE ISLAND OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER, AT THE WEST, by ORDER OF
PRESIDENT MADISON IN lS40
That the eastern limit of the province Of Eousi-
ana was the Rio Perddo was constantly maintnined
~ Mr. Jeiierson under whose authority the treaty
OF Louisiana was negotiated by Mr.. Monroe, who
was the negotiator and by Mr.. Madison, who was
Secretary of State at the time Of the negotiation
According TO the opinion therefore, of these gentle
men, East and West Feliciana, including Baton
Rouge and the Bay of Mobile, (al of which are with
in the limits of Louisiana as thus clamed) were all
comprehended in the cession OF Louisiana BY an
act Of Congress, passed the 3ls of October 1903 il
was enacted, "rhat the President of the United
States be and is hereby authorized take possession
o. and occupy the territory ceded by France TO the
United States by the treaty. concluded at Paris on
the 30h day Of April last between the two nations;
and thai he may for that purpose and in order 10
maintain in the said territories the authority of the
United States employ any part of the army and navy
Of the United States.n
Byanother act of Congress- passed the 4th of Fee
brnary, 1906 il was enacted That 10 the end that
The laws providing for the collection of the duties
imposed by law on goods, wares and merchandise
Imported inlo the United States and on the tonnage
OF ships and vessels, and the laws respecting the
venue and navigation of the United States, be carried
into effect within the said territories the territories
eedsd 10 the United States by the treaty above men
TONED, and also all the nayigabe waters, rivers,
creeks, bays and inles lying within the United
States which empty into the Gulf of Mexico east of
the river Mississippi shall be annexed 10 the NIsss-
sppi district and shall, together with the sanc con
stue one district to be called the district of Mis-
sissippk" BY the eleventh section of the same act
Il Is enacted, "That the President Of the United
States be and he is hereby authorized whenever he
shall deem II expedien to erect the shores waters
and inlets Of the bay and river Mobile, and OF the
other rivers creeks, inlets and bays emptying into
me Guli OF Mexico, enst of the said river Mobile,
and west thereof TO the Pascagoula inclusive into
| separate district and to establish such place within
the same as he shall deem expedient be the port Of
entry and delivery for such district and 10 desig
nate such other places, within the same district not
texceeding two, to be ports Of delivery only
~ sIil iHrthSr act Of Congress passed on the
portion of country coded by France to the United
States, under the name of louisiana which lies
south Of the Mississippi territory, and of an east and
west line to commence on the Mississippi river at
the 33d degree of north latitude and to extend west
to- The western boundary of said session shall cons-
|tute territory Of the United States under the name
| Of the territory of Orleans"
! And by still further act OF Congress- bearing date
! the Sd OF March, 1907, Ii is, amongst other things
I enacted "That II shall moreover be lawful for the
President OF the United States TO direct the marshal
or officer acting marshal in the manner hereinafter
| directed, and also 10 take such other measures and
10 employ such military force as he mny judge ne
cessary and proper, to remove from lands ceded or
secured to the United States, by treaty or cession
as aforesaid, any person or PERSONS who shall here
after take possession of the or make attempt
10 make settlement thereon until thereunto autho-
| rized by law"
These several acts are referred to for the purpose
pF n inn atntn nf
treaty OF Louisiana, extending TO the Perddo in con-
formly with the uniform opinions of Jefferson Mad
son, and Monroe. Secondly, Of showing full and
complete authority vested BY Congress in the Presi-
dent of the United States to take possession and
cupy the country, between the Mississippi and the
Perddo, by military force, If necessary, whenever
he thought propcr and, Thirdly Of showing that the
President was authorized at his discretion whenever
he should deem II expedient to erect the Shores wa
tiers, and nets of the bay and river of Mobile, and Of
the other rivers, creeks inets, and bays emptyine
into the gulf OF Mexico east of the said river Mobile
into q separate district" &c.
/ The pacific policy, 10 which Presidents Jefferson
and Madison were 50 greatly attached, doubt pre-
vented their carrying into effect these various acts Of
Congress- and induced them TO prefer endeavorin2
to settle the question with Spain by, negotiation
But shortly after the passage of the last Of these acta
the Spanish monarchy was thrown into state o.
great distraction and was even threatened with dis.
ISOLATION or with conquest by Napoleon. II was In
this state of things, that, in the year 1870 few
thousand inhabitants of Feliciana, headed by the
Kempers and General Philemon Thomas (whost
death has been recently announced,) rose in rebel
lion against the Spanish authority expelled il FROM
the country and took possession of Baton Rouge tN
principal If not the only place at which there was
o, Spanish soldier or a Spanish bayonet. They dc.
clared themselves independent, and proceeded 10 in
stituie form Of government for themselves.
TWAS In thispos,ure OF affairs that President Mad
ison felt himself compelled 10 inerpose. Ii was
perfectly manifest that those who had expelled and
driven out the Spanish authority were incompetent
10 maintain an Independent government. They had
no right to the territory seized by them, which be.
longed to the United States. But, if the Govern.
ment OF the United States forbore 10 act their right
TO ii might be lost or impaired. Congress was not
in session, and II il had BEEN IL could not have in.
vested the President with fuller authority than he al
ready had by its previous acts, TO occupy and Lakt
possession OF the country This President Madison
accordingly determined to do, and il was quietly
surrendered TO the United States by the revolution
lists without single blow being struck
Congress met in December following and Pres
dent Madison, in his opening message states TO tina
body that Among the events growing ouh Of tn,
I state Of the Spanish monarchy our attention wa
i,npeousy attracted to the change developing itse
in that portion of West Florida, which though o
right npperaining to the United States had remunet
Il in the possession Of Spain awaiting the result o
negotiations for its actual delivery TO them. The
Spanish authority was subverted and situation
produced exposing the country to Interior events
which might essentially affect the rights and wofar,
Of the Union. In such conjuncture Il did not de
lay the interpretations required for the occupancy o.
the territory West Of the river Perdido, TO which tht
title Of the United States extends, and 10 which th'
laws provided for the territory OF Orleans are appl
cable. With this view the proclamation, of which ;
copy is laid before you confided TO the Goyerno
Of that territory 10 be carried into effect. The lie
galiiy aud necessity Of the pursued insure me
OF the favorable light in which ii will present itsel
E to the Legislature, and Of The prompttude will
! which they will supply whatever provisions may b.
due to the essential rights and equitable interests
the people thus brought into the bosom Of the Amer
I lean family
= The proclamation referred to, It's believed, con
lained clause declaring that the country Thus occu
pied should remain in the hands Of the United States
I subject TO future and friendly negotiation. And nc
cordingly, by the treaty with Span Of 1879 Spair
renounced all right TO the country and coded Eas
Florida the United States and they on their part
ceded Spain the territory lying between the Sab
inc and the Rio del Norte.
The measure Of Mr. Madison occasioned some
, cutlery by the opposition OF the Federal party IL
Congress. But, after Mr. Clsy's triumphant vindi