New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-10

Ancient Louisiana did indeed extend to the
Perdido. In 1863 France coded to Spain Louisi-
west of the IbervilIe. and to Great Britain
the part between the IberviIle and the Perdido.
which Great Britain erected into West Florida.
at the same time acquiring East Florida from
SPAIN In 1885 Great Britain ceded both the
Floridas TO SPAIN BY the treaty of San Hide
fonso in 1900 Spain returned Louisiana
France, now in the hands of Spain."
when France possessed it, and "as il ought
to be after the treaties passed subsequently be-
tween Spain and other powers" The United
States in 1908 succeeded to those rights. The
Observation-Disclosures argument was that
West Florida had been separated from Iouisi-
ana for the benefit of Spain to ransom Spanish
losses in the Seven Years War. it was prac-
tically a cession to Spain as real as that of the
rest of Louisiana. only it was passed to
Great I;ritaiA. AS 1t came into Spanish hands
again. SPAIN when restoring Louisiana in the
extent it had when France possessed it. was
bound to throw in West Florida
1t was clever argument which might have
served as well as many another in an inter-
national dispute if backed up by force. It's
defect was that it ignored the entirely distinct
chain of title by which Spain held West Florida
and it was contrary to the understanding OF
France and Spain. jefferson, however. was nee
essariy ignorant that point. He did not
k-ow that Napoleon. in his instructions to Vic
tor to take possession of Louisiana from Spain.
had hxel the boundaries at the Rio Bravo AMI
the Itervlne. In 1oO3 Napoleon wished to leave
the boundaries indefinite and encourage the
Americans to claim everything. little later he
was on better terms with Spain. and Jefferson
and Madison found themselves in an embarrass-
ing diplomatic tangle with C;Odoy and Taley-
rand. through their precpitancy in asserting
their claim and their insulting attitude toward
Spain. We now have all that Jefferson claimed.
but not through his diplomacy West Florida
seized an act of self protection in the
War of 1872 to prevent it's being made a British
foothoId, and the purchase of the F1Oridas in
1919 wiped out the Spanish claim. The United
States at the same time agreed with Spain upon
the Sabine the western boundary. and only
reached the Rio Bravo through the annexation
of Texas and the war with Mexico.
soon after sending Lewis and Clark 70 explore
the Missouri, Jefferson dispatched an expedition
to examine the more southerly part Of the new
acquisition, and in October had Dunbar on the
road to what is now Arkansas Hot Springs. AMI
the record Of his three months journey forms
the second part of this volume Dunbar was a
ScOtchman of scientific tastes. a correspondent
of jefferson and Idttenhouse and Mississippi
planter. His journey arduous but not ex-
citing The principal difficulty encountered was
in getting boats over falls and rapids Careful
observations We're made of the topography OF
the country visited. its SOIL minerals and fora
and its fitness for agriculture. Dunbar had a
taste for speculative thinking which must have
endeared him to jefferson. He calculated a fut-
ure population for the district which has never
been approached. and his lively curiosity quaint
imaginings of the secrets of nature. like the
causes of the hot springs. and his marvelIins
over the discovery OF vegetable and animal
growths in the hot water. highly diverting
This book is luxuriousIy but substantially made