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THE NORTH CAROLINA MINERVA R4 LE1G H. P ublished every T U E S DAY by HOD GE & BOYLAN. 4- Tvtentyjtve hhtUmgtper Itar.ya, . From THE TIMIS, a Charleflon paper, Meffrs. Cox & Shrppard, It is no doubt in the knowledge of inoft perfons, that a convention has been lately concluded between cer , tain CommiiTioners appointed by the United States, and by the Hate of Georgia, by which it feems, the U. States are to give to Georgia, the . furri of twelve hundred thoufand dollars, for a' relinquffhment of her claims to the MiiTiffippi Territory. ...The two following letters, written by a gentleman to his friend, contain fo much uleful information on the fubjed of this claim, thai 1 hope the writer will not be diflatisfied, if I now take the liberty ollubmitting them to the citizens of the United " States. 1 he fads cqcifa(nd in themy are known only to few ; -and ate of infinite importance to the people of this country, inalmuch as they will be enabled, from a view of them, to j udee and d ctcrmine how far the prefent administration will juliify themfelves to the American people, for having given its fandion to a conduct, by which the United States are to pay to the' flate 6t Georgia, an enormous Turn of money, to ex tinguifh her claim to a territory, to which fhe. had no more right or claim, tlun fhe has to any of our houfes. JJieJaiLsareJtaiedwiih out much comment, and wiUfpeak for themfelves. For an. attentive perufal of them, it will appear moll clearly, that the very territory which has been in dilpute,' between the United States and Georgia, was. as early as the year 1764, an Tvw part, of Weft Florida ; was after wards reprefehted by delegates, in the General Aflembly of that IW fnrren"dereorT.T rvm lariramTo the :trms or opam. 1 r by the capitulation of Penfacola m 1781; but atier wards freely confirmed to Spain by the definitive treaty between the e powers in 1783. So that, if this ter ritory did term a portion o Geor gia, when Georgia was firfl: dlnblifh pd ns a Drovince, as the Georgia claimants have contended (and thci contrary of which appear to l)e trre cafe) it was in the year 1764, by Great Britain herfelf, (whole right at that time no one queftions) added to Welt -Florida, a:M afterwards conquered by the arms' of Spain, and the right of the King of Spain to it, eitaDlunea Derore uie timcu States were acknowledged" by Great "Britain, as independent,;: and which Jitrph faa ot the JMifliilippi J -rrtory hppn witlu'n the iwrifdidion- tiu t liif. - ----- - . ( d.MiI Pr,-.i ;n(p atari' ivhMvit- , -- - ... . aVL . i . . ... . ' 1 was conquered byand furrendered .the -territory. now alive, andaU the r to Spain, comp'-etely overthrows documents which corroboi are tnem, the claim-of Georgia;- inafmuch as: i are yetjn exigence among the re k (hews, that the right was com'ptctcr .cord of "Welt; Florida papers, in in Spain in 178. - I he right there-! the "Plantation . Office, Whitehall, fore fo being in Spain, fee pollened ; London, - to, which our mmilter the Avhole of this territory (even u: migin at any time have had accels, "to the Walnut Hills,, its northern, j had he been Tiil.lrnded.tor that pur mod boundary, on. the "Mifiiflippi) i poie by the adminiltration. until the year 1 79 5, vheii,-tcr the j ' However. it is to be lrc., - fake ot peace and good .-neighbor- ;that the ennung congrels vvdl look hood, fhe voluntarily transferred into and fuliy inve.fttgate this- bufi S he fame to the United States, in j ne(s, bom theBcginning to the end ; their foVerekn capacity, by theTrea Und then; let thoie whp-havc cbnclu- ... ,iA:otoH ttiTrvurli Mninr Pinck- IV HtiVV..v. V-. 0- --j gy " .1 territory having been induded with,' States, as fettled by the definitive ' -treaty between thefe fiates and . .fimt fit irain.-..' the .-'Georgians -have' : contended, underlhe original char- , Ui of King Charles, that at that time Jfrbtmeii a part of Georgia, and for 'fhf reafon was made a part ot the HVefferri: boundary' ot - the United, TnJfB.; But fucfeis, not the fad. ,1 rjis t;rrKQry,.fliuinji uicu iuhu 3 ' pari ;qf Georgia. How the nego- lUkbDAlj - ciators of the definitive treaty came to include this trad of country, with in the boundaries of the United States, by making the thirty fir1 de- greeof north latitude, the fouthem boundary on the Miffi'ffippL--when it' had before been part of Weft Flo rida, and conquered by and formal ly furrendered to Spain, cart be ac counted for in no other way,. than thzt conjtdured by the writer of the annexed letters ; .For no one iadis better eitablifhed, than that Great Britain then had no right td iriake this a part of the United States, as for nineteen years before the defini tive treaty, this territory .had been governed by her as an integral part of W eft Florida,' and as fuch it was conquered by., and adually potfefTed by the fubjeds of Spain. 'The Unit- ed States, therefore, neveojrad any lawrui title or right to this country, until the year 1795, and that by vir tue of the treaty with Spain. ... How ever, let the render judge for him ielf, and he will find Ae-fads too clearly Itated, to admirof a moment's doubt. Such an ad on the part of the pre- ent admindtration more. to be ceniured, when it is remembered, that Georgia once oiierH to cede ait the W' Jem territory fhe claimed, for the fum of 17 1 ,oco dollars, or there abouts, upwards of a minion ot dol Jars it Is than what file now recn'ves. 1 his direr the congrtfs of the Unit ed States then njeded, and it is well known, that under' the admi- niflrations" fgen. Ynmntorf-and Mr. Adams, npthii.g could be made of this claim, tiie government al ways regarding it as unfounded: and the manner in which this buli-l . 1 r T . - 1.. .... . 1 1 Influence of the panizans pf be org) ac- couius at once for the rejedion of Mr. 11 i wold's motion on thisfub iecT, ar the cIoTc ot the laffc feffion ; ,jndcltar!y"eviifces that the 'prefent was "litem: d the. fitteft. opportunity ot fuccecding in this m()ft extfava gant claim. As the .oney, howe ver, has not yet been paid to Geor gixi, it is to be hoped, that the Unit, 'ed States will not deem themlelves l ourid by the tontrad- It will be no breach ot faith to diffolve, con lidering the ciicumltances under which, it has been n-ade'. Some per fons in the adminiflration of the go vermr.cnt will no doubt pretend ig norance of the fads which deitroy the claim cl Georgia. But ol thefe ihcy . could' not have .been ignorant, hac? they tuMi the pains to haY.ii.1o- licited t3t ilieeellary information. r . . . 1 thekRowJcdM c,i manv or tn? old innabiranrs ot i ddandmven their landioil to a . ... , this convention, ftate it they can, the reafons - which have urged- them to recocrnie a claim, totally unfupport- mTiwm-n'nv oner orinci oleot r iht whatever, . . . AGRICOLA. ". v : UTTE R I. CtnTideri!iiutlon theGcorvia 'Claim-ft the 'Mi0pPLhrrifoni: fermerly gptirt of Well h'o nla latgjy atfTSed ti be ceded to the Ui'rted '. States,' for the fum ot I , SOQiOOO doltars-in a letter to a , friend. (r '. . Dear Sir. 1 I As you; hinted to;. meTdme.tlilWi; KovemBR21, l8o2.- - lago; that you were very little ac quainted with the territory in nW. tion, either as to the extent ot Welt riorida, or the nature of the claim which the State of Gcoraia has a. greed torelinquifh, for the I fum of one. million two hundred thoufand dollars, and- lequelted me to give you fuch information as I could, re fpedinc this country ; I now fubmit the following - brief hiftorv of fads for your confide rat ion, to which! lian lubjom a tew obfcrvatiOHS pn the nature of the Georgia claims which I tfuft will throw fome light upon the nature of this trar.fadion, hitherto very' little 1 6wn by the Citizens of the Union, ; I hey are not the loofe random llridures of a perfon difpofed to cavil With any of the. mea fares of government, but candi.d obfervations drawn from au thentic documents, which it is pre' fumed will nqf eafil&be denied ; and fair infer -tnt't'Scdeduccd- fromprinr ciples nor liable to be comradided by light and traiifient reafons. Be fore, however, I eiiter into, the hif tory of 1 his portion of the Onion, I mult premife, that there are two publications on the fubjed, which, though not in the'himds of every erne, yet are veil known to rh-hup.- and mod of the prefent members ot congreis; and they contain, much HVmaf iorrrelpeding this territory. One is, "The. report of the com mittee of congrefs,- to whom "was refered the fevera! petitions of Tho mas Burling and othersTato Welt and others, and John-Oliver and o- ther,u inhabitants on or near the Miflifuppi, Containing an enumera tion of claims to lands. hi that coun try, upon w hich the ad of Congrefs, (jforria: and nuthrtfinp ihe ehibl) foment of a wvertmunt w the frDJJiftippi 7 ertf ter.y, was preuicaiea ; ana tnc otner,. " The -adllrcfs and remonflrance of the.legiflat'.ire of Georgia." Thefe two publications, it is prelumed, con tain the ftd)flance of vhar has hither to been made public, diher for or a gdiniUhis claim ; '& willpccafioria!ly'" be refered to. in oFder the better to Lring the,- true point beiore you -indeed a. . large portion of the report, will of ncceliity be incor porated into tl)is letter ; But there are many things in this letter .vrtich, it is believes!, were never brought " 1 .1 1.1 1 into view beiore tne committee w no framed. the report. 1 Without further preface or observation, then, 1 pro ceed, to give you a concife hittory of Wslt Florida, and to jconfider the nature of the'above claim. In doing this, it is unnecetlary o go back to the claihing prcteiuiotis ot-Jnglanii and Spjaiii,', and their ancient: dif putes" about the lhnirs and bounda ries, between the Brinm colonies & the Hondas. It is lufhcient tor the nrefent purnofel'to begin with the' charader,'ctf the lords proprietors of Carolina, which it is laid included originally the territory latelyceded to the United States.- - . King Charles the IT by Icttefs pa tent under the great feal of Great Britain, dated the 20th of May, 1 662. granted unto" Kdward, Kail of Cla rendon, and feven others, " all the territory of tfac.of ground, fituate, lying and being -within his domini ons iri America extending from the nort h end of the iflarid called Liiche lfland, w.hich lieth' in the fouthem Virginia feas, and within' fix and thirty degrees of nothern latitude, & to the weft in a dired line to the South Seas ; and fo, fouthwardly, as far as the river St. Mathias,' which bordereth" on the coaft-bf Florida, and within thirty one degrees of no? them latitude ; ' and fo welt in a di- rect line to tne ooiun peas aiorciaiu, eibbfifhinn therein a province called Carolina- by a refergre to! rott s T Vol. VII. NuiviB. 346 co.lledion. of the ancient Carolina laws, may appear. Two years after- r wards, the fame monarch gave the fame lordv proprietors another cha r ter, with the fame boundaries, north and weft, but extending the fouthem boundary as far fbuth as , the 29th degree, adding two degrees ito the original boundaries of.. Carolina,, which then extended from 36" ro ig degrees of northern, Jatitudeand in, a direct line frornthofe two points on the Atlantic ocean, weftwardto the South Seas. This trad remained under the government of the- lords proprietors till the year 1 726 when growing tired of it, feven out of the eight, tulTendered . their right to the crow n ; (lord Cartaret retairiji h s one.eightli or marel which furrentler was confirmed by ad of pafhamenr in the fecond year of king George II. by which means seveh-eighms of the COUntrv TPVei fed fn flip rmmn- Soon after this fur render, this im menfe territory was divided into two provinces called North and ' South Carolina; and governors were ap. pointed and fent on to each province accordingly ; ( lord Carraret's fliare having been hid olT in North Caro. lina, where it isfaid fome of his de fcendants have claims. to this day.) In "1 732, king George II. thought proper to create our, ot South-Caro- lina, a new-prorince, called Georgia, which was given to frufte.es on cer tain conditions therein mentioned, & was bounded .on the river Savannah to the caff,' and extending along the fej coalfc to the river Ah a ma ha, and u'ei'l.vifd from the -beats of " thoje rivers repeelivet, to the fouth Jens' This thcrefcre maybe confulerer'ed as the oriain ol the Georuiachira.' Ahoul.,. 8. rr -7A vrra aJter. this netwlT. ,crea- ' lTrbrtnce Traf granted to trultee$ above mentioiie.i, they, like the Lords proprietots of South-Carolina, furrendered it to the crown of Great Britain ; after. whic.l. it remained a Hrififh nrnvini'e. till if hernmp :in independent State, by the revolu tionary war. It mult however be re collcded. that as the fouthem bcun darj oi Georgia wa s fixed to the Al tamaha, all the territory between that riyerand the 29th degree of la titude, TUll remained a part of South Carolina: and large grants ot land were dccafion illy made to different people there, by the different gover nors of South-Ca:olina, till that por tion of territory, lou'h of the' Alta . maha, was, by the King of. Grcar. Britain's proclamation in 1763, a'n ncxed to Georgia ; but the welter limits were 'undefined.-'. At this flan of this brief hittory, two things " well worthy of obfervation the fir! is, the extravagant nature of thek ancient characters ; and fecondly the power oTthe crown in creating, dividing and tub-dividing colonies. and again iri adding portions of one colony to another, at his pleafure. Kirft then, it qri fcarcely be ima gi'he'd. that the frarners of rhefe char ters, had any. adequate idea of the geography, or extent of America at that day ; for it muft be obvious to any man, who will take the trouble to look upon the map of the globe, that the diltance from the mores of the Atlantic, in a diied line Weft to the South Seas; can be little lefs than -fic-m-fo-oco .miles ; an extent lo great, and lo muchTeyond the poflr- bility ot extending the bleiTings of ci vil government, throughout every cannot luppofe, but they muft have been founded in ignorance of the UUC IJU1IUUI1 Ul IllCVVlllliiCIll, UI.IU1S which they were to-tun. At is faid by an hiltori an that anFnglifh adven turer from a"promontory ori the Stirr ot Danen, about that peripd,law th. wat ers .of" the pacific ocean to. th wefty'and thofe of the Atlantic to th' I
The Raleigh Minerva (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Nov. 23, 1802, edition 1
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