The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-30


sEc. 2. Aad b Il further enacted, That one hundred
Thousand dolars be appropriated for detrayng such
penses the President inay deem necessary obtaining
possession aforesaid and the security OF the said terri
tory to be applied under the direction of the President
out Of amy money IN the treasury not otherwise appro
priated es srea. y s, ~ ..s..t ~
sko B. And Be further enacted That in case possession
of the territory aforesaid shall be obtained by the United
States, aforesaid, that until other provision be mae
by Congress- tAe President be- and he IL hereby author
izcd to establish within the territory aforesaid tempo
fary government and the military. eiv and judicial
powers thereof shall be vested la such person and per
sons, and be exercised ia such he may direct
for the protection and maintenance Of the inhabitants OF
the said territory in the full enjoyment their liberty
property, and religion.
Approved january 10, 1871, ~
AN ACT concerning to enable the President the
United States under certain contingencies take pos
session of the country lying east of the river Perddo
and south OF the State Of Georgia and the Mississippi
Territory, and for other purposes, and the declaration
accompanying the same
BE enacted 6y he Senate and House Of Representatives. Of he
Uaed Suaer Of Ame,,ea t0ny,e,s omtoi That this act
and the net passed during the present session Of Congress
entitled IAN act 10 enable the President tho United
States under certain contingencies to take possession Of
the country lying east OF the liver Pedhlo and south OF
the State OF Georgia and the Mississippi Territory and for
other purposes and the declaration accompanying the
same, be not printed publshed until the end of the
next session of Congress unless directed by the President
notwithstanding. a ~
Approved March B. 1871.
AN ACT authorizing the President of the United States
to take possession of tract of country lying south of
the Mississippi Territory and west Of the river Per
dido. e 4tsla 4N ga III
BE enacted by he Saas aud House Of Representatives. Of
Me United States Of Aericd Cb9qres assembled That the
President be- and he is hereby authorized occupy and
hold oil that tract Of country called West Florida which
lies west Of the river Pcrddo and in possession Of
the United States
SEc O. And be further onacied That for the purpose
Of occupying and holding the country aforesaid and
attong protection to the inhabitants thereof under the
authority Of the United States the Predet may employ
such parts OF the miayand naval force of the United
States as he may deem necessary.
SIC g. And bs further enacted That for defrayng the
necessary expenses twenty thousand dollars hereby ap
proprated ont OF any moneys in the treasury not other
wise appropriated and be applied that purpose under
the direction of the President
Approved February H. 1913, G
Happily necessity for the exercise by the Pres
lent Of the extraordinary powers conferred him by
these acts and they became obsolete the subsequent
acquisition of Florida by the treaty OF 22d of February,
1919 ertaf Ft
II is fact of significance that these acts and
olutions for the first time published and promul
gated with the laws pending the negotiation the
ty for the cession of Florida
Even after the treaty had been signed by the plenipo
tentiares OF the contracting parties the Spanish govern
ment withheld its ratification, frivolous prctences
til the gath Of October 1920 nearly years. and
completely had the patience and forbearance gov
ernment been exhausted that President Monroe in his
annual message OF December 1879 brought the subject
to the attention of Congress- and said From full view
of all the circumstances it is submitted to Congress
whether it will not b, proper for the United States
carry the conditions of the treaty into effect in the
manner as if it had been ratified by Spain claiming
their part all its advantages and yielding to Spain those
secured to her.
From these legislative and executive manifestations
dino lustw war wit
England, VIC might deducc example which do not
follow, because may safely repose the convic-
tion that power adequate to protection under
emergency. i A,s'
OF the immense colonial possessions once held by Spain
in this quarter of the globe, remain under her
thor except the islands Of Cuba and Porto Rico TO her
they distant and expensive appenages in way
neccd with or participating in her government adding
nothing her power and held solely for the advantages
defivblc to the mother country from monopoly of their
trade. Though the inhabitants OF Cuba probably
heavily taxed than any other population in the world
eight hundred thousand free persons of whom two hum
dred thousand free negroes paying than TWEEN
tythrec millions of dollars per annun-yct Spain derives
little advantage from the revenue it being absorbed
in the support of nearly $4,000 peninsuar troops
and numerous navy, and around the island, to
keep it in suhjcc ion. Whilst spain held large colo
nies the main land Of the continent especially
whilst Mexico Texas Louisiana and Florida under
its rule Cuba important to her a commercial
trepot, and also as military outpost from which
fitted out her expeditions to Mexico and Central and
South America Its Importance p that respect seems to
have been appreciated by her and recognised by other
nations for whilst Louisiana and Florida repeatedly
changed sovereiyns Cuba has from the time the
Spanish flag planted upon 1t by Columbus in 1902,
except for sh9rt time during which Great Britain held
thy conquest ITS valHe to Spain, in this respect has
eRtirey cased aHd II has becomc Of even greater i'm
portance to her In Florida Louisiana and
Texas Our rights aud obligations Ia reference to the
Gulf and the nations lying around it, to which the
m tee has already adverud demand that the island of
Cuba should constitute State of confcleacy bound
to us not only by constitution but by the bonds
Of mutual interest and side by side with the sister States
of the Union. aiding to place under flag the richest
and reest commerce the world has seen.
Its importance to national security and for the
protection of foreign and coastwisc commerce. viii
be perceived from considerations which will briefly
present.
Into the Gull Of Mexico empty all the rivers of Texas
the Mississippi and its tributaries all the rivers OF Ala
bama and portion of those Of Georgia and Florida fur
nishing $4,000 miles of inland navigation and bearing
towards the markets Of the world the surplus produc
The trade of the ports in he Gnif may be set down ut
fwo hundred millions Of dollars per annum, follows
Exports of domestic produce to foreign
countries Offciall ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1ll3, ,5if, 1867
Imports from foreign counties Official 1903 $40
Exports ceastwse (estimatedD -------- 20 900, ,00G
Imports coastwise (estimated) ------- Al, ,000 900
No one can doubt that these figures are much lower
than might safely be assumed, and that within very
few years the trade will amount to five hundred
millions Of dollars independently OF the trade with Cali
tornia the Tehuantepec route which battles all
bdhtina
The gulf into which all this trae is annually poured
Ia In the form of distcndcd bag its contracted mouth
being presented towards the Atlantic All vessels