The Opelousas courier., 1888-06-09
rhe Florida Parishes.

known as West Florida.
e ISs part of the country, to-
a l.t5er with the Natchez district
Mississippi, had been trans
e',rad by France to Great Bri-
tain in 1762, by which it was gov
ssnad until 1779, when Great
S.;tain gave it as a sort of make1.
peirht in some other trade to
soain. which country was in act
vi occupation, and had a garri-
I'm at Baton Rouge in 1910,
ssTen years after the purchase
h%Louisiana from France, and
the boastful message of Mr.. JEFF
arson to Congress in 1903, that
II bis purchase he had acquired
he property and sovereignty of
he Mississippi river from its
smrce to the sea, free from mo-
station from any foreign power.
The u~ndisputed claim of Spain
h the sixty miles on the east
E.hank, from Pass Manchac to the
Mississippi State line was GER
tainly inconsistent with this de-
rIaration, as was also the treat
ment by Spain of emigrants
from the older States, who pour
I'd down into these parishes ear
;Nly ID the century. They were
soannoyed and hasrassed by the
Spanish troops, and neglected
By their own government, which
dther could not or would not
sford them any protection, that
ID desperation they few to arms,
aganized a force of 200 pony
ayalry, under Philemon Thomas,
invested Baton Rouge, Sept. %,
1910, demanded its uncondi-
tonal surrender, and received
the ieers of the amused Dons in
tead of compliance with their
bold demand. The situation of
the besiegers at nightfall was
embarrassing and critical, when
! luckily the plucky cavalry no.
iced some peaceful COWS enter
Ing the town by paths we'll
hown to them. The command
Eas Immediately formed in the
aar of the bovine procession,
he entry was safely accomplish
d, and the Spaniards frighsen-
i into a capitulation without
any reported bloodshed. For
this act of heroism ON one side
and what looks like poltroonery
on the other, the present resi-
dents of East Baton Rouge, the
two Felicianas, st. Helena, Liv-
iDgston, Tangipahoa, st. Tam
Rnany and Washington parishes,
et up a claim founded upon
conquest and inheritance
The several police uries, through
their presidents. have addressed
a petition " to the President OF
the Republic, and to the Sena-
tors and Representatives in Con.
gress.n In the petition and doc.
nments, the whole history of the
case, so far as known, is related,
not emitting adverse opinions OF
Presidents Jefferson and Madi.
son, and rulings Of the Supreme
Court, which the petitioners al
lege were made in error of the
important facts, namely, the ex'
| pulsion of the forces of the King
of Spain from the territory by
their heroic ancestors, and the
raising of the United States flag
at st. Francisville by the gov.
eminent on December 6, 1910.
Mr.. Henry skipwith, the ageni
md attorney in fact of the Flo
ida parishes, has recently FLEE
brief for the information o
The Congressional committee, il
which much significance is at
tached to the flag incident as al
official aeceptancy of service il
making the conquest. The fol
/ loving is the agument
The jurisdiction proclaimed by tina
act must have been claimed as legiti
nately flowing out of a fair interpreta
ION Of the terms of our invitation. ]
h was not done at our invitation it wa
aa act of War and spoliation against
weak and friendly neighbor withou
ne previous consent of Congress.
twas at our invitation, it was equiva
Loot to a recognition of our Sovereignty
md it was, moreover, an acknowledge
nent of our title to the soil which wa
socially reserved in the letter of inv
hilton. Hence, it is manifest that th
United States held jurisdiction owe
The domain by virtue of th
colrteous and hospitable invitatio
ofour defunct ancestor, and, il afte
lle demise Of our ancestor the jurisdi'
non continued for two years, 1t Was a'
aagfal, il not as q trust for the benefi
o. the heirs whose hospitality was n
matded by a wholesale robbery
Nose same lands which our ancestt
expressly reserved in the letter of inv
/ tatiou.