Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-06-10
HAYWOOD'S
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE
[CoNrINuED FROM LAST WEEK. I

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
The nature of the connection which
existed ut this period between France
and the United States, and between
France ana Spain, WAS well knowr
and has been attended to. 1t was per
fectly understood by the American
Government, that although France
favored the pretensions of Spain to the
exclusive navigation of the River Mis-
sissippi within her boundaries, yet she
was well inclined to the prosperity oil
the United States. and would wish tc
see the extension of our commerce, OF
the benefit of which, from existing
treaties, she would probably partici
pate. The court of Versailles. there
fore. was moved to interpose it's medi
atorial influence to induce the court Of
Madrid to acknowledge our right tc
the navigation of the Mississippi, and
this interposition would probably have
produced efficacious consequences, had
not the rapid progress of the French
revolution, which at first reformed
and afterwards abolished monarchy,
cut off all intercourse between the two
courts and placed them in state OF
hostility to each other. 1t WAS ex
pected that the resumption of the
Spanish treaty would commence under
the auspices of the new government in
this continent, so soon as Mr.. Gardoqui
should return, an event which never
happened, his place in the diplomatic
line being supplied by two gentlemen
in the character of commissioners
from the Spanish court, War and
Jaudenes. By them it was proposed,
that the executive of the United States
should deputise some person to the
court ot Madrid to revive the negotia
ton with Mr.. Gardoqui was first au
thorized to originate in America.
Although the transfer of the scene of
negotiation from America to Europe
was an event which it was much
wished could be avoided on account of
the inevitable delay which it would
occasion, yet the proposition was i'm e.
mediately closed with. To give de.
spatch to this business, the agents to
execute it were appointed in Europe
Mr.. Short, our minister resident at the
Seven United Provinces, with Mr.. Car.
our charge des affairs at the
court Of Spain, were appointed minis
ters plenipotentiary to conduct this i'm
portant negotiation. The leading
principles by which they were to be
governed in the renewal of this treaty,
were Amply and forcibly'deiineated in
the instructions which they had re-
ceived, in which our right to navigate
the Mississippi from its source to the
Ocean, and the extension of the south
ern boundary of the United States to
the 3lst degree of latitude north of the
equator, resting on the distinct fouu
dations: the treaties of Paris of 1868,
and of 1898, and the laws of nations
were directed to be insisted upon, az
the indispensable preliminaries and
sine qua mons to the proposed treaty.
1t was further enjoined that the treaty
into, shall in every other re.
spect be limited in its duration, but in
regard to the above two articles it
should be final and perpetual. Our
right to the navigation of the Mis-.
sissippi from it's source to where our
southern boundary strikes it can not
be disputed. 1t is from that point
iownwards only, that the exclusive
navigation is claimed by Spain, that is
to say, where she holds the country on
both sides. Leaving the Mississippi in
'tatu quo, the Spanish court, it was
believed, would without hesitation
enter into commercial regulations with
The United States on terms of recipro
,al benefit to both nations. But it
was declined on our part, until our
right to the free use of the Mississippi,
should be most unequivocally acknowl-
edged and established on principles
never hereafter to be drawn into con.
testation. But as the mere naked
right to navigate the Mississippi ould
not, from the peculiar circumstances
attending the western waters, be com.
pletely beneficial without he use of
port or depot for importations or ex
portations somewhere upon the hank
Of that river about the mouth of it
to the sea, the commission
srs were instructed to endeavor to pur.
chase or otherwise obtain on account
Of the United States in safe and
proper position, the right of soil to as
much land as will commodiously an
swer that purpose. The documents re
luiring our resident at the Hague to
repair to Madrid in quality of a com
missioner plenipotentiary for the pur-
poses before stated having been attend
ed in their transmission with consider.
able and very unfortunate delay, he
did not arrive at that city as soon as
was expected, which consequently re
tarded the revival of the negotiation.
Mr.. Short, however, reached the Span.
ish court in the early part of 1899, from
which period IN cooperation with his
associate Mr.. Carmichael, the most
unceasing efforts have been made by