Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-01-15
rAviGlrIOy Of Tn. MISSISSIPPI.
TREATY HIS TORY.

III Is now nearly cchtuy ei"Sc 4uce-
tons about the navigation Of the Mlssis-
sippi were the subject of negotiation
and controversy among European pow
ers. These began when the vast interi-
or was an uninhabited wilderness, the
banks of the great river itself had but
fe and scattered settlements, and its
whole commerce reached only a few
miles from the mouth, aud amounted to
a few thousands OF dollars. When these
States we're colonies of Great Britain, q
mere slip along the Atlantic coast, when
all beyond the AIleghenies was unbroAen
forest, and the lower Mississippi, belong
ing to foreign powers, was dotted along
the coast with few military posts,
France, England and Spain, in view OF
the prospective grandeur OF the CON-
merce of the great valley, were con-
tending against each other for privileges
in the river.
BY the Peace of Paris, concluded 10
1863, between Great Britain, France and
Spain-whereby the old French war, as
it is known in our Colonial history, was
closed Great Britain acquired in addi-
ton 10 her original colonies, Canada
from France, and the Florida from
Spain. France retained and was con-
frmed in her dominion over Louisiana,
which then included all the territory on
the west bank Of toe Mississippi from its
source, and the Island of Orleans on the
east bank Of the river, which reached
from the Bayou Iberville to the Gulf.
France accordingly had possession Of
both banks Of the river from lbervllle
| down.
BY the treaty of 1868 the boundary
between Louisiana and the British pos
sessions ran through the middle OF the
Mississippi river from Its source to the
mouth of the lbervile. thence through
Lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrsin to
the Gulf
By that treaty it was agreed that the
subjects of Great Britain should have
the right, forever, Of nayigating the
Mississippi from its source to the Sea,
| and all its passages, in and out, with
ont being stopped, or molested, or sub
jected to the payment OF any duty what
soever"
But France had, contemporaneously
with the negotiations which led to tbs
treaty, made secret treaty, ccdlng to
| Span the whole Of Louisiana as it re.
manned to her after the treaty. Spain
thereupon succeeded to the rights and
Obligations towards England, including
the stipulation for the perpetual tree
navigation # the Mississippi river.
by the treaty of 1888, the independ-
ence of the United States was acknowl-
edged by Great Britain. Contempora-
ncously with cession OF the Floridas to
Span, with the definition of the 3lst
degree Of Latitude as the northern boun
Diary line Of the Floridas, from the Mis-
.lssppi river eastward to the Chatahoo-
chez. The western boundary Of the
United States was defined az it had been
n the treaty of 1868, with France, ex
cept that the southern point on the river
was fixed to be at the intersection of the
3lst parable, Of latitude, instead OF the
mouth of the lbervile.
The eighth article OF the treaty was
as follows
the navigation of the river Mlssisslp-
forever remain tree and open to the sub
Iec,s of Great Britain and the citizens of
the United States.
Great Britain al previousy the same
stipulation with France, when France
possessed tie whole right bank Of the
Mississippi, aud jnrisdictiction over one
hall of the rivera stipulation, the obi
cations OF which passed to Spain, which
had succeeded to the dominion. Great
Britain, in ceding her sovereignty of the
United States, stipulated for a continu-
ance of the same privilege from the
u nited States.
The Uni'el States also succeeded to
the rights of England, derived from the
treaty of 1868 with France, to which
Spain had succeeded.
Between 1888 and 1895 this subject
was much contested by Spain and caused
great excitement in the Western country.
Spain denied the right of navigation
and soon after the treaty, made regula-
tons for the collection Of heavy duties
on jmports-all the way down the Mis-
sissippi river ; and, establishing military
posts and appointing officers with in
siructions, collected the duties bv mill
tary force. This was in turtherance of
a scheme of Spanish policy, to create a
dsaffectlon with Fe 1eral Government
in the Western States, and detach them
from the Federal Union, then under the
government Of the old COME leration.
The intrigues for that subject form,
however, different branch OF the SUBJ
jet from that which we are considering.
The claim of Spain was denied very
strenuonsly by the Government; but
Spain was unyielding, and the agitation
continued to the year 1895, when the
treaty of Madrid was concluded, under
Washington's administration, between
the United States and Spain.
That treaty contains two provisions in
respect to the navigation of the Missis-
sippi.
The second clause of the fourth arti-
Gle pr ovides:
His Catholic Majesty has likewise
agreed that the navigation Of the said
river, (he Mississppi,) in its whole
breadth, from its source to the ocean,
shall be free only to his subjects and the
citizens of the United States, unless he
should extend this privilege tn the suh.