The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 35, July 1931 - April, 1932 Page: 97
348 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Western Boundary of Louisiana, 1762-1803
might then control the river. Choiseul replied that France hoped
to retain her control of the mouth and thereby prevent English
egress to the sea; but if England insisted on free navigation no
boundary would be made with England without a prior boundary
agreement between the Bourbon monarchs. It is certain that an
agreement occurred at least as to the eastern boundary when the
plan of giving the trans-Mississippi part of Louisiana to Spain
appeared.4
When Secretary Calhoun expressed doubt as to the likelihood
of Tucker's tale, the judge replied:
I am surprised to learn that there is any doubt of the authen-
ticity of the information given to me by Mr. White. In regard
to that I cannot be mistaken. The language of the Treaty of
Cession by France to the United States strongly intimates the
existence of some document defining the limits of Louisiana as
ceded by France to Spain, and by Spain back again to France.
This, and other circumstances put Mr. W. on the inquiry. His
large interest in Spanish Florida grants determined him to prose-
cute it, at the expense of spending a great part of his time in
Europe . . . he learned that somewhere about 1760 a treaty
of a secret character had been concluded between France and
Spain, then governed by the two branches of Bourbon, and that
into that treaty an article defining the bounds of Louisiana was
introduced. He applied to the French Ministers of foreign
affairs for a copy which was refused. He then went to Talley-
rand, then in London, to invoke his influence with the Minister,
and procured from him a letter expressing the opinion that the
article in question, tho' in a treaty otherwise secret, might be
divulged without impropriety. Thereupon a copy was furnished,
from which it appeared that the Rio Bravo and the Mississippi,
including the Island of New Orleans, were the agreed boundaries.
Such was his account to me.
A week afterwards I repeated this conversation to Branch
Archer, who said he had often heard that there was such an article
among the archives of Mexico, whither it had been immediately
sent, for the information of the vice-regal government. The ces-
sion taking place immediately after, the document was no longer
of any consequence, and was not made notorious by any action
upon it.
Mr. W. died at St. Louis on a visit to a brother. .
'W. R. Sheppard, "The Cession of Louisiana to Spain," in Political
Science Quarterly, XIX, 441-443; Talleyrand to Monroe, December 21,
1804, in State Papers and Public Documents of the United States (3rd
ed.), XII, 203-205.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 35, July 1931 - April, 1932, periodical, 1932; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101092/m1/101/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.