The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-30

TIE u0st Formidable fqrrzfie2zzcn 81
/ kfe rex wogia.
TIE xesnls CT she var broesht the
1 Preach face 20 face With Ezgiznz. TIE
| Mississippi river Acne dividing them
/ TIE Erenck II Kszkask1a and EzhoAia
made almost AZ exodus 70 the western
side d TIE river On learning shAs EaeT
/ had passed 70 the British crcEu- Ste
GeneTkeve vas the great gzsner fr1Ez
this nosemank Ia population St L0zf-
/ Is had not then been founded. although
4 settlement had beer made here BE-
fore the British took final possession
0z the country east % the Mississippi
ard raised the red Tag over Fort Char
tres. the name Of which wzs changed
70 Fort Gage The refugees Thought
that standing face 20 face Eifh the old
and hated enemy Of their country. II
would NOT be many years until the
struggle rzs renewed, and they we're
anxious Tor its coming That Il would
have come had the French flag con-
tinued 70 fT on this side Of the river
i very probable But the Louis then
on the throne Of France was not dis
pased 70 make another test Of strength
with England. Under the terms Of the
secret understanding by which either
France or Spain was 10 hold Louisiana
AGAINST England he turned over to
Spafn what was left OF the country
A large Part OF Louisiana was gone
already. and in English hands, but
what was left was turned to Spain to
mount guard over. while France re-
cruifea her strength and made ready
for future resistance 10 the common
enemy. Spain az once. in 1853. took
possession Of the country and prepared
10 hold IT,
One Of the interesting questions OF
history is as TO how long she could
have held 1t, with England facing her
on the other side OF the river and anx-
ious to get possession Of the cont
nent through TO the Pacific ocean. But
the occupation OF the Illinois country
by the Americans and the disappear
ance of the English left this question
unanswered for all time Other prob
lens connected with Louisiana we're
pressing upon Spanish statesmen The
people of the country did not take well
to the new government. and In some
parts of the territory there were in
cipient instructions. and everywhere
a laxity about the payment of any,
thing in the way of taxes or dues, or
rendering of anything Ike willing al
legiance to the Spanish sovereignty
The dominion of the Spanish govern
merit was never established in the
country in the proper sense of the
word. although it continued for a gem
Grafton. There were constant appeals
and petitions to the French govern
ment to retake possession of the coun-
/ try. and these at last resulted IN a
retrocession of the terriuory by Spain
to France.
And yet in one of its aspects the
Spanish occupation was not so weak
as is generally supposed. What is
known as the Spanish conspiracy in
American history was the burning SEN
sation in our politics during several
years while that occupation continued.
and although there were no conyic-
/ tions. the evidence tending to prove
that there was a conspiracy among a
number of active and influential Amer
leans to take as much as possible OF
| the country west of the Alleghenies
under the Spanish flag has never been
fully met It is not pleasant sub
! jet of contemplation. but It is one of
| the most dramatic incidents in the
dark history of Louisiana intrigue and
| Vaccination Emigrants had no soon
er crossed the Allegheny mountains
than the free navigation of the Mis-
sissippi river became indispensable to
their prosperity. Louisiana. however
was at that time q province of Spain
and the navigation of the Mississippi
being interrupted. the right to its nav
igation became subject of deep and
| enduring interest, and occasioned
much angry discussion.
If the confederated states could not
or would not procure from the Spanish
authorities the right to navigate the
river. the prosperity of those who had
sought the West in order to make
homes for themselves and their chill
dren would be greatly impaired As
the confederation was unable to en-
force its DEGREES upon Spain, there is
no doubt that Spanish proposals to
many of the Americans were made,
and by some of them entertained. This
was the beginning of the Spanish con-
spiracy. which in 17sS and during sew
eral succeeding years occupied public
/ dttCutiOu. N1SHSIdA w ilkluSO0 OF hcu-
lucky advocated openly an effort at in
dependence. He was Immediately ar
rested, charged with being an emissary
of Spain He was afterward released
without trial Mr.. Innis. Mr.. Nicholas,
Judge Sebastian and others were also
implicated. but none of them were
ever brought to trial. A number of
| prominent and worthy men, OF whose
guilt no evidence was ever furnished
were financially and socially ruined by
falling under the suspicion of being
concerned in the conspiracy. and the
agitation continued until Spain made
a temporary arrangement for the free
navigation of the stream. This con-
tinued until the retrocession to France,
Diplomacy of jefferson.
Years before this retrocession Thorn
as jefferson was the United States
Minister at the court OF France. Il is
easy TO see from his correspondence
and the tone of the diplomatic ex-
changes between him and the officials
Of the French government that he was
! in close touch and sympathy with
them. as the representative of the new
government. which had vrested its In
dependence from England. and more
particularly as one who took little
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