Some History of Van Zandt County, Volume 1 Page: 11
220 p. : ill., col. maps, plates, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
SOME HISTORY OF VAN ZANDT COUNTY 11
tion of the limits of "Louisiana" as proclaimed by La Selle. It
is the line defining the drainage basin of the Mississippi River on
the west, and this line is therefore adopted as the "Louisiana
Purchase" boundary through the present State of Texas. No
available fact warrants the acceptance of the Spanish-American
boundary of 1819, established 16 years after the purchase of
Louisiana, as the boundary of this territory.
It has been held that the Province of Louisiana as proclaimed
by La Salle should be enlarged on the north by the addition of the
territory south of the forty-ninth parallel and west of the head-
waters of the Mississippi River; that is to say, by the drainage
basin of the Red River of the North. It is certain that this terri-
tory was not in La Salle's Louisiana, and it is even doubtful that
it ever really belonged to France. It is universally conceded that
the powers signatory to the treaty of Utrecht in 1713, in the be-
lief that the headwaters of the Mississippi River were north of the
forty-ninth parallel, intended to confirm France in the possession,
not of territory beyond the Mississippi drainage, but of Mississippi
Valley territory which was proclaimed "Louisiana" by La Salle
31 years before. But French ownership, even if conceded, by
virtue of the treaty of Utrecht, would be unimportant, for such
concession would in no degree support the contention that the
Red River Basin formed a part of Louisiana. All of the French
territory to the north of La Salle's Louisiana, of whatever extent
east or west of the Great Lakes, was transferred to Great Britain
in 1763, and no French claim to any part of it has appeared since
that time.
The origin of American title to the district north and west of
the headwaters of the Mississippi River and south of the forty-
ninth parallel may be found in the treaties between the United
States and Great Britain of 1783 and 1817, the former defining ter-
ritorial limits at the close of the Revolutionary War, and the latter
fixing the forty-ninth parallel as the north boundary of the United
States between the Lake of the Woods and the Rocky Mountains.
France having parted with the district affected by these treaties
long prior to their negotiation by the powers interested, was
wholly indifferent to the transfers of the territory made thereby.
The drainage basin of the Red River of the North is therefore
excluded from the territory of Louisiana purchased from France
in 1803.
Referring to the extension of the south boundary of the original
Louisiana territory, as shown on the map, appeal is again had to
the proclamation of La Salle, who said, "And also to the mouth
of the river Palms." This river was located with some difficulty.
The first mention of it was found in a large volume belonging to
the records of the Divisions of Private Lands, etc., General Land
Office, entitled "A Complete Historical, Chronological, and Geo-
graphical American Atlas, etc., published by Carey and Lea, Phila-
delphia, 1822." In the historical data descriptive of Florida was
found the record of a grant in 1526 to Pamphilo de Narvaez from
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book 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 Book.
Manning, Wentworth. Some History of Van Zandt County, Volume 1, book, 1919; Des Moines, Iowa. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth61110/m1/11/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .