The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-13
CLAIM OF TIE FLORIDA PARISHES

During the late extra session Of Congress
and on the fourteenth day of .lupe, 1879. Hon
r. w. Robertson introduced bill "reluqulsi1-
Ing and granting t. the Florida parishes Of
the State Of Louisiana public lands ae COIN
penaatlon ca the people thereof for services
In acquiring said territory from Spain III 1870"
The bill was read twice, referred md ordered
to be printed aud In That attitude II now
stands
Mean while. 1t ID interesting to consider
upon what premises the claim Involved III
this bill ts based. The able and lucid state
,uent OF the ease presented tn the COMMITTEES
by Mr.. Henry sklpwlth attorney for the
ppllee iuriea Of the Florida parishes, whilst
II does not show that the Federal government
haa airy rights TO reIlnaush certainly does
show that the Florida pa,1ehes are entitled
tp the public lands for whlet, they are peti-
tlonng The facts Of the case can be briefly
stated Iliste the territory now comprised
In lbs eight parishes lylng North Of Bayou
Mai,ehan -Ilatpn Rouge the two Fellcianas,
Helena. Livingston, Tanglpahoa, Washington
aud st. Iamrnanv- composed what was then
known as Weat Eloti In. Through al the
treaties aud consequent changes OF ownership
between Fianca aud Spain. this province
seems to have remained Intact MS q Spanish
possession. for, although the treaty Of st.
Ildefonso $1,000 was understood by the United
States "a Including IT, the sale by France to
the United States IRh3l VI oil the territory ae-
aulreH under that treaty was nftervard
shown not to cover the Florida parishes.
Thus from 1909 TO 1910 this isolated tract re-
nj, ,n1 liar II Ina Hmm IL hmm tuf
notwithstanding all the efforts OF the great
Jefferson, then President, to induce Interior
enee by Congress. II go remained until 1870
groatng under harsh and reinerseess rule
In 1910, however, determined 10 submit no
longer to tile tyranny and spoliaton which
made up the simple policy Of the Spaniartls.
the people themselves flew to arms, deposed
their foreign rulers and declared themselves
a FREQ and independent State. IN this condl-
lion they remained until 1919, maintaining
their Independence and their organization
without ald from the Federal government.
In April. 1919, at their own request they were
admitted into the Union az a part of the State
II Louisiana,
This is In brief the history OF the arqulsl-
tlon Of the Florida parishes. II appears that
they were not acquired by purchase or treaty
or conquest. They won their own lndepen-
tenee. as did the thirteen original colonies.
and they came With the federation. owing
nothing to It N to any human power. Such
being the case- and there can be no doubt
as to that 1t would seem that the Florida
parishes are clearly entitled To the sole pos
session OF their public lands. and that the
had I'm irh In
the first place to assume the ownership. In
stead Of calling upon the United States to
cede the property to them In confederation
of services rendered In 1870 they might with
more propriaty call upon the United States
10 restore property unlawfnIiy seized and
appropriated, However, there need be no dis
cussion AS to the form In which the claim ls
matte The Florida parishes are undoubtedly
correct as to the main point that the public
lands rightfully belong 10 them, and, 10
Whatever shape 1t comes, they ought 10 have
their claim recognized.