Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-08-23


tary district, under the command Of
Loubois, a veteran officer and a
knight of st. Louis. The order to
move from these pleasant shores to
the swampy banks Of the Missis-
Sippi occasioned the same discon-
tent we should experience we're we
ordered to transfer our residence
there to-day. Many deserted, and
a company Of Swiss in the French
service, soldiers distinguished for
fidelity, having embarked at Biloxi
for New Orleans, as soon as they
got into deep water, put the
vessel about and made for Charles
ton, South Carolina. We must con-
denim the mutiny, but the incident
shows that the men of that day
properly appreciated the advantages
Of this delightful region.
The prosperity of this section
and of all Louisiana was seriously
affected by the disastrous wars of
Louis XIV.
In 1859, Quebec and Montreal,
and all Canada, had been surren-
dered to the English. On the 10th
of March, 1863, by the treaty Of
Paris, France surrendered to Eng
land all her possessions in North
America east of the Mississippi
river. At the same time Spain
ceded to the English her colonies
of east and west Florida. West
Florida extended from the Apalach-
icola river to the Mississippi, and was
bounded on the north by the thirty
first degree Of latitude south, by
the Gulf Of Mexico and an imag-
mary line drawn, mid-channel,
through lakes Pontchartrain and
Maurepas, and the rivers Amite
and lberville (Manchac) to the
Mississippi. Pensacola became the
provincial seat Of government, with
a garrison and military government
at Mobile.
About the same time the island
of New Orleans and all the French
territory west of the Mississippi
were ceded to Spain, She soon be
came involved in a new war will
England, and in 1899, Don Ber
nard de Galvez, the ablest of th,
Spanish governors of Louisiana
attacked and carried the British
forts at Mobile, Baton Rouge AM
Pensacola; and west Florida, in
cluding the coast, was surrendered
to the Spaniards.
Thus, in the course of a fey
years, our predecessors on thes
peaceful shores had been subject t
three Aags-the silver lilies q
France, the gorgeous banner G
Spain, and the blood red cross O
England-each of them represen
tatives of the faith of Christi
chivalry, dominion and civilization
The Spaniards held Louisian
until the year 1900, when it wa
ceded to Napoleon .Bonaparte, frs
consul of the French Republic, wit
all its original metes and bounds
which carried its eastern boundar
to the Perdido river.
Napoleon, with half of Europ
in arms against him, and threatene
by the maritime superiority of Eng
land, found himself unable to tax
possession of the province and
prevent its seizure by the Englisl
be sold it to the United States, Apr
80, 1903, On the 30th Noyembe
following the American commits
sioners, Governor Claiborne, of tn
Mississippi Territory, and Generi
Wilkinson, Of the United State
army, took possession and hoiste
the United States flag in the Plac
d Armes.
Under this session of Louisian
the United States claimed the ooul
try TO Perdido, including the Sc
f coast and Mobile. But the Spar
{ iards insisted that Pearl river wa
-. the eastern boundary of Louisiani
S They occupied Mobile and Penss
4 cola with strong military fore
) The United States was not in
| condition for war, and q complies
5 ted diplomatic controversy was CO
e ried On between the two govern
= ments.
V In the meantime some eight G
/, ten thousand Americans had Sc
!. tied in west Florida, between Pea
6 river and the Mississippi, and th
c 5is5 degree OF latitude and I'll
d lake shore, under grants from til
n British and Spanish authorize,
l. Becoming dissatisfied with th
e frequent transitions and the col
It flicting tenures of land, and
d increase the value Of their posses
e sions, they determined to set II
!, for themselves, In 1910 the
G seized the Spanish fort at Bato
Z. Rouge, organized a convention
D adopted flag, declared their il
y dependence, sent out military pa,
a ties to enforce allegiance, and ven
n coolly proposed to be admitted
IS the Union rs q sovereign State,
II to be annexed to the Mississippi
It Orleans territories. In answer
s. this proposition, President Mad