ANALYSIS. the French at a distance, and continued to harass their settlements for many years. 1. General tranquillity and 328. b See pp. 267 2. Louisiana, 1763. 28. 'Except the occasional difficulties with the Chicka of Louisiana sas, Louisiana now enjoyed a long season of general tran quillity and comparative prosperity, scarcely interrupted a See pp. 203 by the "War of the Succession," nor yet by the "French and Indian War" which raged so fiercely between the and 329. more northern colonies of France and England. Ye as affected by the treaty of 1763* made a great change in the prospects the treated by of Louisiana. France had been unfortunate in the war, and, at its close, was compelled to cede to England not only all Canada and Acadia, but most of Louisiana also. By the terms of the treaty the western limits of the British possessions in America were extended to the Mississippi River-following that river from its source to the river Iberville, and thence passing through Lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico. On the eastern bank of the Mississippi, France saved from the grasp of England only the city and island† of New Orleans, and even these, the centre of her power in that region, together with the vast but indefinite western Louisiana, she foolishly ceded away to Spain. 8. Causes that induced England in and Indian war." 1762. c. Jan. 4. fered by Spain. 29. This latter kingdom, jealous of the increasing Spain to take power of the British in America, and alarmed for the safety part against of her own possessions there, had formed an alliance with the French France in the summer of 1761, and, in the following winter, had broken off friendly communications with England. These proceedings were followed by a declaration of war by England against Spain in the early part of January, 1762. Before the end of the same year, Spain suffered 4 Losses suf many severe losses, among which was the important city of Havanna,—the key to her West India and Mexican possessions. In the treaty of peace which soon followed, Spain, in order to recover Havanna, was obliged to cede the Floridas to England. To compensate her for this loss, occasioned by espousing the quarrels of France, this latter power, by a secret article signed the same day with the public treaty, agreed to surrender to Spain all the remaining portion of Louisiana not ceded to England. This closing article of the treaty deprived France of all her pos sessions on the continent of North America.‡ 5. Causes that cession of induced the part of Louisiana to Spain. By some writers this is called the peace of "1762. The preliminary articles were signed Nov. 3d, 1762. The definitive treaty was concluded Feb. 10, 1763. What is often mentioned in history as the "Island of Orleans," is that strip of land which was formed into an island by the bayou or channel of Iberville, which formerly flowed from the Mississippi into the small river Amité, and thence into Lake Maurepas. But this tract is now no longer an island, except at high flood of the Mississippi. See note, Iberville, p. 283. England, however, gave up to France the small islands of St Pierre and Miguelon, near Newfoundland, and also the islands of Martinico, Guadaloupe, Marigalante, Desirade, and St. Lucia, in the West Indies, of this cession, 1. The secrecy and the aversion of the French colo nists to the Spanish government. 2 Delay of Spain in taking possession of the country. 3. O'Reilly governor. sent out as 30. This arrangement was for some time kept secret 1764. from the inhabitants of Louisiana, and when it was first made known by D'Abadie, the governor, in 1764, so great an aversion had the colonists to the Spanish government that the consternation was general throughout the province. Spain, however, neglected for some years to take full possession of the country, and until 1769 the administration remained in the hands of the French, although, in the previous year, the court of Madrid had sent out as governor, Don Antonio D'Ulloa. In 1769 Ulloa was replaced by the Spanish general, O'Reilly, by birth an Irishman, who brought with him a force of four thousand men for the purpose of reducing the Louisianians to submission, should resistance to the Spanish authorities be attempted. 31. Although the more determined talked of resistance, of his admin yet the troops landed without opposition, and O'Reilly began his administration with a show of mildness that did much to calm the excitement of the people. Soon, however, his vindictive disposition was manifested in the im prisonment and execution of several of the most distinguished men of the colony, who had manifested their attachment to France before the arrival of O'Reilly; and so odious did the tyranny of this despot become, that large Lumbers of the population, among them many of the wealthy merchants and planters, emigrated to the French colony of St. Domingo. The a Tyranny istration. Louisiana during the American Revolution. See p. 425, 7. Successes of Galvez against the British. 1781. 8. Mobile and 32. 'In 1770 O'Reilly was recalled, and under a suc- 5. His recall. cession of more enlightened governors, Louisiana again began to increase in population and resources. country continued to enjoy undisturbed repose during most of the war of the American Revolution, until, in 1779, Spain took part in the contest against Great Britain. 'Galvez, then governor of Louisiana, raised an army with which he attacked and gained possession of the British posts at Natchez and Baton Rouge, and those on the rivers Iberville and Amite. In 1780 the post of Mobile fell into his hands; and early in the following year, after obtaining aid from Havana, he sailed against Pensacola. Being overtaken by a furious tempest, his fleet was dispersed; but, sailing again, he effected a landing on the island of Santa Rosa, where he erected a fort, and soon after, with his fleet, entered the Bay of Pensacola. The English then abandoned the city and retired to Fort George, which General Campbell, the commandant, defended for some time with great valor. But the powder magazine having exploded, the principal redoubt was demolished, and Campbell found himself under the necessity of surrendering. By this conquest West Florida Pensacola captured by him. b. May 8. c. May 10. 9. The Flort das secured to Spain by treaty. ANALYSIS. returned under the dominion of Spain, and at the close of the war the possession of the two Floridas, with enlarged limits, was ratified to her by treaty. 1783. 1. Treaty between the and Spain in 1795. the Spanish Louisiana. 33. 'Few events of importance occurred in Louisiana United States from the close of the American Revolution until 1795, when Spain ceded to the United States the free navigation of the Mississippi, with a right of deposit at New Orleans for produce and merchandize, to continue for three years, or until an equivalent establishment should be assigned them on another part of the banks of the Mississippi. 2. Designs of Carondelet, the Spanish governor, knowing the great governor of value of these privileges to the Western States, had for some time entertained the design of separating the eastern valley of the Mississippi from the rest of the Union, and 8. How affect uniting it to Louisiana. "But the treaty with Spain, if its treaty of 1795. stipulations should be fulfilled, would destroy all his hopes of accomplishing this scheme; as he knew that the people of the west, after obtaining what was so indispensable to their prosperity, would no longer have any motive in lis 4 Other terms tening to his insidious proposals. The treaty farther hoto violated guarantied to the United States possession of all the posts then held by Spain on the east bank of the Mississippi, north of the 31st parallel of latitude; but these Carondelet persisted in retaining, in violation of the treaty, as a means of accomplishing his plans. ed by the of the treaty, 1797. 5. The Missis sippi closed American trade. against the a. Oct. 16. 6 Excitement occasioned. 7. Mr. Jeffer son. 8 Treaty of San Ilde chasing the city and Orleans. 34. These posts were surrendered in 1797, during the administration of Gayoso de Lemos, who had succeeded Carondelet, but the Spanish officers still continued to infringe on the rights of the Americans, and in 1802 the Mississippi was entirely closed to the American trade. These measures produced great excitement in the Western States, and a proposition was made in Cengress to occupy New Orleans by force. Fortunately, however, Mr. Jefferson, then president of the United States, had the prudence and sagacity to adopt a wiser course, and one which resulted in the acquisition to the American Union of all Louisiana. "On the first of October, 1800, a treaty, called the phonso, and treaty of San Ildephonso, had been concluded between Mr.Jefferson's design of pur. France and Spain, by the third article of which Louisiana was receded to the former power. This cession was purisland of New posely kept secret, by the contracting parties, nearly two years; and when Mr. Jefferson was informed of it, he conceived the possibility of purchasing the city and island of New Orleans from the French government, and thereby satisfying the demands of the Western States, by securing stoners sent to them the free navigation of the Mississippi. In March, 1803, Mr. Monroe was sent to France commissioned with 9. Commis by him to France. full powers to treat for the purchase. Mr. Livingston, 1803. our minister then in Paris, was associated with him in the negotiation. Bonaparte. Purchase of all Louisiana by the United States. 35. 'Unexpectedly, Bonaparte, then at the head of the 1. Proposal of French government, proposed to cede all Louisiana, instead of a single town and a small extent of territory which Mr. Monroe had been authorized to ask. Al- 2 though the powers of the American plenipotentiaries extended only to the purchase of the French possessions on the east bank of the Mississippi, and to the offer of two millions of dollars for the same, yet they did not hesitate to assume the responsibility of negotiating for all Louisiana, with the same limits that it had while in the possession of Spain. On the 30th of April the treaty was concluded; the United States stipulating to pay fifteen million dollars for the purchase. The treaty was ratified by Bonaparte on the 22d of May, and by the government of the United States on the 21st of October following. fer from Spain to France, and to the United States. Change in the prospects 36. Although Louisiana had been ceded to France in 3. The transOctober, 1800, yet it was not until the 30th of November, 1803, that France took possession of the country, and then from France only for the purpose of formally surrendering it to the United States, which was done on the 20th of September of the same year. From that moment, when Louisiana became part of the American Union, the interests of the of Louisiana. upper and lower sections of the valley of the Mississippi were harmoniously blended: the vast natural resources of that region of inexhaustible fertility began to be rapidly developed; and an opening was made through which American enterprise, and free institutions, have since been carried westward to the shores of the Pacific. importance, to us, of the acquisition of Louisiana, can scarcely be over-estimated, in considerations of national greatness. It must yet give us the command of the commerce of two oceans, while the valley of the Mississippi, so long held in colonial abeyance, so little valued in the councils of Europe, seems destined to become, as the centre of American power-the MISTRESS OF the world. The 5.Importance. to us, of the purchase of and probable Louisiana, future desti ny of that region. CHAPTER III. HISTORY OF CANADA UNDER THE ENGLISH. 8. Course pursued in 1. The history of Canada, subsequent to the peace of 1763, is so intimately connected with that of the United the present chapter. ANALYSIS. States, and so much of it has been embraced in former pages of this work, that we shall pass briefly over those portions common to both, and shall dwell on such events only as are necessary to preserve the history of Canada entire. 1. French and Indian war. tained for the by the articles tion. a. (Vo-droo eel.) 3. Changes 2. 'The causes which led to the French and Indian war-the history of that eventful period-and the terms of the final treaty which closed the contest, have already 2. Terms ob- been given. By the articles of capitulation entered into Canadians, on the surrender of Quebec, the Marquis de Vaudreuile of capitula Cavagnal, then governor, obtained liberal stipulations for the good treatment of the inhabitants, the free exercise of the Catholic faith, and the preservation of the property belonging to the religious communities. The change of dominion produced no material change in the condition of the country. All offices, however, were conferred on British subjects, who then consisted only of military men and a few traders, many of whom were poorly qualified for the situations they were called to occupy. They showed a bigoted spirit, and an offensive contempt of the old French inhabitants; but the new governor, Murray, strenuously protected the latter, and, by his impartial conduct, secured their confidence and esteem. effected by the change of dominion. 1775. Canadians Revolution. Act-changes ii, g-c. 3. On the breaking out of the war of the American 4. The French Revolution, the French Canadians maintained their alleduring the giance to the British crown. "With a view to conciliate 5. The Quebec them, the "Quebec Act," passed in 1774, changed the introduced by English civil law, and introduced in its place the ancient French system, with the exception of the criminal branch, which continued to be similar to that of England. The French language was also directed to be employed in the courts of law, and other changes were made which gratified the pride of the French population, although they were far from giving universal satisfaction, especially as they were not attended with the grant of a representative 6. Attempts of assembly. Only one serious attempt, on the part of the cans to reduce Americans, was made during the Revolution, to reduce Canada, &-c. Canada, after which the Canadians united with the British, the Ameri ments in Up and liberality and, assisted by the Six Nations, (with the exception of the Oneidas,) carried on a harassing warfare against the frontier settlements of New York. 1783. 4. "The issue of the war of the Revolution was attended 7. First settle with considerable advantage to Canada. A large numper Canada, ber of disbanded British soldiers, and loyalists from the shown to the United States, who had sought refuge in the British territories, received liberal grants of land in the Upper Province, bordering on the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, and at this period are dated the first permanent settlements settlers. |