The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-08-02


English. Or the 10th of March, 1853
ny the treaty Of Paris, France surren
dered to England all her possessions il
North America east of the Mississipu
: river. At the same time, Spain cede,
; to the English her colonies Of East an,
West Florida. West Florida extende,
: from Apalachicola river to the Missis
sIppi, and was bounded on the north b,
the 31st degree of latitude; south, b.
the Gulf of Mexico and an imaginarI,
line drawn, mid channel, through lake
Pontchartrain and Maurepas, and III,
rivers Amite and Ibervile (Manchac) t.
the Mississippi. Pensacola became tn,
provincial seat Of government, with .
garrison and military government a
Mobile.
About the same time the island Of
New Orleans and all the French territor,
west OF the Mississippi were coded tc
SPAIN. She soon became involved in a
new war with England, and in 1893.
Don Bernard de Galvez, the ablest OF
the Spanish Governors of Louisiana.
attacked and carried the British forts at
Mobile, Baton Rouge and Pensacola ;
and West Florida, including the sea
|
Thus, i'll the course of few years, our
predecessors on these peaceful shores
had been subject to three fags--the
silver lilies of France, the gorgeous
banner Of Spain, and the blood red cross
of England of them representa-
| tives of the faith of Christ-of chivalry,
! dominion and civilization!
| The Spaniards held Louisiana until
the year 1900, when it was ceded to Ma
poleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the
French Republic, with all its original
metes and bounds, which Carried its
eastern boundary to the Perdido river.
Napoleon, with half of Europe in
arms against him, and threatened by the
maritime superiority of England, found
himself unable to take possession of the
province; and to prevent its seizure by the
English, he sold it to the United States
April 80, 1903. On the 30th Novem-
Der following, the American Commits
sioners, Governor Claiborne, of the
Mississippi Territory, and General Viii
kinson, Of the U. S. Army, took pos
session and hoisted the United States
flag in the Place d Armes.
Under this session Of Louisiana, the
United States claimed the country to
the Perdido, including this sea coast and
Mobile. But the Spaniards insisted that
Pearl river was the eastern boundary of
Louisiana They occupied Mobile and
Pensacola with Il strong military force
The United States was not in Il condition
for war, and complicated diplomatic
controversy was carried on between the
two gOvernm ents.
In the meantime, some eight or ten
thousand Americans had settled in West
Florida, between Pearl river and the
Mississippi, and the 3lst degree Of lati-
tude and the Lake shore, under grants
from the British and Spanish authorities.
Becoming dissatisfied with the frequent
transitions and the conflicting tenures of
lard, and to increase the value of their
possessions, they determined to set up
for themselves. In 1910 they seized the
Spanish fort at Baton Rouge, organized
convention adopted flag, declared
their independence, sent out military
parties to enforce allegiance, and very
coolly proposed TO be admitted to the
Union IA sovereign State, or to be
annexed to the Mississippi or Orleans
territories. In answer to this PROPOSE
ton, President Madison, on the 29th
October, 1910, issued Il proclamation,
declaring that West Florida was within
tie limits of Louisiana, when ceded by
France to Spain, and by Spain to France,
and by France to the United States,
and directing Governor Claiborne, of
Orleans Territory, to take civil and mill
tQry possession Of the same. And TWEEN
ty Thousand dollars were placed to the
credit of the Governor to defray the
expenses of the movement.
In pursuance of these orders, Gov
ernor Claiborne repaired to Bayou Sara
and Baton Rouge, supported by several
companies of volunteers, chiefly from
Mississippi, and, without opposition,
hoisted the American flag. The Amer
lean settlers had accomplished their
main object by placing the district under
the Jurisdiction of the United States.
1t is refreshing, and may be instruct
i've, in these DAYS of extravaganza and
official delinquency, to add, that of the
sum placed at the disposal of the Gov
ernor, he only drew for 81, 202 So.
Governor Claiborne, by proclamation,
declared West Florida an integral
portion of Louisiana. BY an act of the
Territorial Legislature the country was
organized as the county of Feliciana,
and divided into seven parishes. Our
Coast was divided into the parishes of
Biloxi and Pascagoula, the eastern
boundary being Bayou Batrie, but was
subsequently extended to the Rio Peno
OF Dog river, near Mobile.
During the time when the Florida or
St Francisville Convention was exercis-
ing iurisdiction-from the seizure OF
Inc Spanish fort at Baton Rouge to the
assumption of authority by Governor
Claiborne on the part of the United
States-this coast, and especially the
Pascagouia settlement, was in a State of
anarchy. Bands of filbusters or jay
hawkers roved through the country, rs
they did during the late unhappy war,
pillaging the peaoeahle inhabitants. One
Sterling Dupree, styling himself Major,
and one Peter Nicola, claiming TO be
CAPTAIN in the service of the Convention,
seem to have been the leaders of the
freebooters They carried the flag of
the Convention, and compelled the in
habitants to swear allegiance to it. They
obliged masters of coasting vessels to
take out passports and pay extravagantly
therefor, and they made seizures and
exacted contributions and free quarters
wherever they went. On one occasion
the inhabitants of Pascagoula attempted
to rescue heavy seizure of negroes,
horses and merchandise, but were driven
back by the superior forces of the Con
vention. with the loss of Samuel Davis
killed, and Allen Goodin and others
wounded.
X x
The Hon. John Henderson-after-
wards United States Senator-assoclated