The bank of the United States, having procured an amendment to their charter, to authorize them to establish offices of discount and deposit in the territories, established one in New Orleans. This winter, William Dunbar and Doctor Hunter, with a party, employed by the United States, explored the country, traversed by the river Washita, as high up as the hot springs, in the vicinity of that stream. Another party, led by a Mr. Freeman, ascended Red river, to a considerable distance above Natchitoches; but, being met by a detachment of Spanish troops, were compelled to retrogade. Previous to the acquisition of Louisiana, the ministers of the United States had been instructed to endeavour to obtain the Floridas from Spain. After that acquisition, this object was still pursued, and the friendly aid of the French government towards this attainment was requested. On the suggestion of Talleyrand, that the time was unfavourable, the design was suspended. The government of the United States, however, soon resumed its purpose: the settlement of the boundaries of Louisiana was blended with the purchase of Florida, and the adjustment of heavy claims, made by the United States, for American property condemned in the ports of Spain, during the war which terminated by the treaty of Amiens. On his way to Madrid, Monroe, who was empowered, in conjunction with Pinckney, the American minister at the court of his catholic majesty, to conduct the negotiation, passed through Paris, and addressed a letter to the minister of external relations, in which he declared the object of his mission, and his views respecting the boundaries of Louisiana. In his answer to this letter, dated the twenty-first of December, 1804, Talleyrand declared in distinct terms, that by the treaty of San Idelfonso, Spain 1 retroceded to France no part of the territory east of Iberville, which had been held and known as West Florida, and that, in all the negociations between the two powers, Spain had constantly refused to cede any part of the Floridas, even from the Mississippi to the Mobile. He added, that he was authorised by his imperial majesty to say, that in the beginning of the year 1802, Bournonville had been charged to open a negociation, for the acquisition of the Floridas; but this project had not been followed by a treaty. Soon after Monroe's arrival at his place of destination, the negotiation commenced at Aranjuez. Every word in that article of the treaty of San Idefonso, which retroceded Louisiana to France, was scanned by the ministers on both sides, with all the critical acumen, which talents and zeal could bring into their service. Every argument drawn from collateral circumstances, connected with the subject, which could be supposed to elucidate it, was exhausted. No advance towards an arrangement was made, and the negotiation was terminated, leaving each party firm in its original opinion and purpose; each persevered in maintaining the construction with which he had commenced. Don Dio Premiro, Bishop of Montelrey, in the province of New Leon, whose diocese included, besides that province, those of San Andero, Coaguilla, and Texas, being on a pastoral visit to Nagodoches, came to the town of Nathitoches, where he spent a week. He was treated with great respect by the inhabitants. The deputation from the territory of Orleans was not successful in their application to congress: that body passed a law, on the second of March, authorizing the president of the United States to establish within that territory a government similar to that of the Mississippi territory, in conformity with the or dinance of the old congress in 1787, except so far as relates to the descent and distribution of the estates of persons dying intestate, and the prohibition of slavery. Provision was made for the admission of the inhabitants into the Union, on the same footing as other states, as soon as the population of the territory amounted to sixty thousand souls. The bill became an act, in the shape in which it was introduced, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of the deputation for the introduction of three amendments, to which they attached great importance. The first was, that the governor should be chosen by the president of the United States, out of two individuals, selected by the people: the second, that an equity jurisdiction should be given to the superior court: the last, a clause allowing the inhabitants permission to purchase slaves in the United States. An act was also passed for the confirmation of inchoate titles to land, and for grants to occupants of tracts, cultivated before the 20th of December, 1803, with the permission of the local authorities. The legislative council held its sessious in NewOrleans, on the twentieth of June, Annual sessions of the superior court were directed to be holden in each county, except Concordia and Washita. Provision was made for the relief of insolvent debtors, and the improvement of the inland navigation. A court of probates was established. The council adjourned early in July. Towards the middle of the following month, Lieutenant Pike, set out from St. Louis, on an exploring party to the sources of the Mississippi, in a large keel boat. He had with him a serjeant, two corporals and seventeen privates. Burr, the late Vice President of the United States, this year made an excursion in the western states. The expedition, under the orders of Capt. Lewis, reached the extreme navigable point on the Missouri, on the seventeenth of August, in latitude 43, 20, at the distance, according to his computation. of two thousand five hundred and seventy-five miles from the Mississippi. On the twenty-sixth, they began their march, and reached Flat river, a stream flowing into the Columbia river, at the distance of three hundred and forty miles from the spot, on which they had landed on the Missouri. The gap of the Rocky Mountains, which they crossed, was at the distance of sixty-eight miles from the Missouri. Their route was, for one hundred and forty miles, over high mountains, nearly half of which were covered with snow, eight or ten feet deep; in the latter part of the way, the route was very fine. At the distance of four hundred and sixty-two miles from the place, where they embarked, the tide became sensible, and one hundred and seventy-eight miles further, they reached the Ocean, on the seventh of November, in latitude 46, 15, and longitude 124, 57, from Greenock, and at the distance, according to their computation, of three thousand five hundred and fifty-four miles from the Mississippi. The width of Columbia river was, at its mouth, one hundred and fifty yards; its utmost five hundred, and its least eighteen. The officers of Spain had protracted their stay, in New-Orleans, for several months, beyond the time limited by the treaty, until the American government, distrustful of such an unreasonable delay, had actually forced their departure; the Marquis de Casa Calvo, did not depart till the summer, when he made an excursion through the provinces of Spain, in the neighborhood of the United States, as far as Chihuahua. After their departure, the Spanish troops which had remained in New-Orleans, left it for Pensacola. By a Pope's bull of the first of September, the spiritual administration of the diocess of Louisiana, was committed to bishop Carrol of Baltimore. The few Spaniards, that remained in the territory and many of the creoles, were unwilling to believe the country was really lost to its former master, and the opinion was cherished among them, that the United States held Louisiana, in trust, during the war. On the east and the west, the Spaniards were still in great relative force. Many parties were hovering on the frontiers, provoking vexatious contests. about limits, occasionally violating, with armed force, and even with outrage, the unequivocal and undisturbed territories of the Union. In the night of the twenty-third of September, a party of armed men from Baton Rouge came to Pinckneyville, in the Mississippi territory, and forcibly seized three brothers of the name of Kemper, who, having taken an active part in the insurrection at Bayou Sarah, in the preceding year, had sought rerefuge beyond the line of demarcation. The party returned with their prisoners, as far as Bayou Tunica, where, after much ill treatment, they were put on board of a boat for Baton Rouge. As they came to a part of the river where it makes a la ge bend, they were discovered by a negro man, who crossing a narrow neck, reached Point Coupee, where he gave information to Lieutenant Wilson of the artillery, who without loss of time manned a boat, and soon after met the one, in which the Kempers were, he made himself master of and brought her to Point Coupee, where they were liberated, and their captors lodged in prison. VOL. II. 33 |