Involved once more in war with great Britain, and awaiting the shock of a coalition, France at once abandoned her scheme, if such a scheme was ever seriously formed, and made an overture to sell the country to the United States for a valuable con sideration in money. We have already premised, that the views of the United States government expanded as circumstances developed themselves, and from an inchoate design of obtaining New Or leans and the Floridas, all Louisiana was finally purchased. It is not within the scope of this sketch to go over the negotiations which led to the great result; but we proceed to their happy termination.
The convention by which Louisiana was secured to the United States, was signed at Paris, on the 30th of April 1803; the negotiators on the part of the United States being Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, and on the part of France, Barbe Marbois; the price, sixty millions of francs, besides a sum paid to American citizens for French spoli ations on our commerce; making together a gross sum of about fifteen millions of dollars.
The actual transfer to the United States, was made at the city of New Orleans on the 20th of December 1803, when Louisiana became an inse parable part of the domains of the United States.
Except along the river Mississippi above N. Lat. 31°, and upon a part of the northern shore of the Gulf of Mexico, the boundaries of Louisiana, as ceded by France to the United States, were vague and undetermined. As held by France, previous to the first cession to Spain, the river Perdido formed the boundary between Louisiana and Florida. Spain, becoming mistress of both provinces, extend ed the name of Florida to the Mississippi, and under that term ceded the country to Great Britain. The latter government divided Florida into two provinces, East Florida, and West Florida; the latter extending from the river Perdido to the Mis sissippi, and separated from Louisiana by the Iber ville and Amite rivers, and lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain. Thus stood those respective pro vinces, when war between Spain and Great Britain burst forth during the American revolutionary contest. Spain, in possession of New Orleans, and other parts of Louisiana, availing herself of a favourable position, invaded and conquered West Florida, which with East Florida was formally ceded to her by the government of Great Britain in 1783.
The name of West Florida had become establish er], and that of Louisiana antiquated between the Mississippi and the Perdido rivers, and remained so in common language during the existence of Spanish domination. There was evidently from these historical facts, either an intentional or acci dental contradiction in the article of cession from Spain to France, which to save reference we recite: " The colony or province of Louisiana, with the same extent, that it already has in the hands of Spain, and that it had when France possessed it."
The United States, receiving Louisiana from France, as the latter did from Spain, claimed the Perdido as its eastern boundary; hut Spain resisted that construction, and continued to hold all that was included under the relative terms East and West Florida; and of course still exercised domin ion on the left bank of the Mississippi, from N. Lat. 31° near the mouth of Red river, down that stream to the outlet of Iberville river. It must be also conceded from the foregoing, that Spain had plausibility if not justice on her side. Mr Lyman enters into a long explanation of this intricate ques tion, but we may safely pronounce that when France obtained the recession, both parties understood by Louisiana " as France possessed it," to mean that the eastern boundary was to be the Perdido, and no man who understands the history of Louisiana can doubt for a moment that if France had actually regained that province, her government would have extended its authority to the bounds of what the colony comprised previous to 1763.
The writer of this article resided in Louisiana at the time of the controversy, and heard an opinion generally expressed which he still believes co-rect, that had the government of the United States pro ceeded to take possession in 1803, of all ancient Louisiana, the subsequent idle dispute would have been avoided, and without incurring even the danger of war. As had been the case in every former instance of controversy between the United States and Spain, France leaned with all her weight in favour of the latter. The inhabitants of West Florida were divided into two unequal parties. A few who held offices, and some persons from parti cular reasons, sided with Spain, and its governor Folch; but the much greater number regarding themselves rightfully citizens of the United States, and well knowing that peace and tranquillity, as well as individual security, depended on their being received into the union, regretted that such had not been their lot, with other parts of ancient Louisia na. A state of irritation was the consequence, attended with violence and some bloodshed. The United States government paid more respect to the claims of Spain than was reciprocated; but the people of West Florida, at length driven to despe ration, openly revolted in 1810, seized the Spanish Fort at Baton Rouge, and compelled the United States to do what ought to have been done in 1803. Orders were sent to Wm. C. C. Claiborne, governor of Louisiana, to occupy West Florida; orders which were promptly executed, and the former eastern boundary restored.