USA > Tennessee > The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century: Comprising Its Settlement, as the. > Part 52
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that the Spanish Governor became exceedingly apprehensive of an invasion, to be carried against Louisiana, in defiance of the Federal authority. And the western people themselves, indignant at the failure of Congress to secure them the free use of their only outlet to market, were strongly tempted to sepa- rate from the Atlantic States, and to form for themselves an independent form of government, which would enable them to obtain from Spain, under one form or another, those com- mercial advantages which they were determined to possess .*
·
Under this condition of things, Col. Wilkinson made an arrangement with the Spanish authorities, by which he secured permission for himself and a few others to trade with the city of New-Orleans, and to introduce, free of du- ties, many articles of western production. Some concession was made in favour of western commerce, and a slight relaxation of the rigour of the revenue laws followed.
During Col. Wilkinson's stay at New-Orleans, he was requested, by Governor Mero, to give his sentiments, freely, in writing, upon the political interests of Spain and the western people. This he did in a document of great length, which the Governor considered to be of such importance that it was transmitted to Madrid to be laid before the King of Spain. In this document, as copied from Butler, he urges " the natural right of the western people, to follow the cur. rent of rivers flowing through their country, to the sea. He states the extent of the country ; the richness of the soil- abounding in and producing everything suited to foreign markets, to which they have no means of conveyance, should the Mississippi be shut against them. He sets forth, also, the advantages which Spain might derive from allowing them the free use of the river. He mentioned the rapid increase of population in the West, and the eagerness with which every individual looked forward to the navigation of that river, and described the general abhorrence with which the intelligence had been received, that Congress was about to sacrifice their dearest interests, by ceding to Spain, for twenty years, the navigation of the Mississippi ; and
*Monette.
529
MR. JAY'S ADVICE TO CONGRESS.
represents it as a fact, that they were then on the point of separating, on that account, from the Union. He addressed himself to the fears of the Governor, by an ominous dis- play of their strength ; and argues the impolicy of Spain in being so blind to her own interest as to refuse them an ami- cable participation in the navigation of the river, and there- by forcing them into violent measures. He assures the Spanish Governor that, in case of such an alternative, Great Britain stands ready, with expanded arms, to receive them and to assist their efforts to accomplish that object, and quotes a conversation of a member of the British Parlia- ment to that effect. He states the facility with which the province of Louisiana might be invaded by the united forces of the English and Americans-the former advancing from Canada, by the way of the Illinois, and the latter from the Ohio; and, also, the practicability of proceeding from Louisi- ana to Mexico, in a march of twenty days, and that, in case of such an invasion, Great Britain will aim at the possession of Louisiana and New-Orleans, and leave the navigation of the river free to the Americans ; and urged, forcibly, the danger to the Spanish interests in North America, with Great Britain in possession of the Mississippi, as she was already in possession of the St. Lawrence and the great lakes."
Mr. Jay, on being called upon by Congress, to communi- cate his views on the subject, said that his own opinion of the justice and importance of the claims advanced by the United States, had undergone no change, but that, under present circumstances, he thought it would be expedient to conclude a treaty with Spain, limited to twenty or thirty years, and for the United States to stipulate that during the term of the treaty, they would forbear to navigate the Mis- sissippi below their southern boundary. Sagacious as were, generally, the views of Mr. Jay, they have been outstripped, in this instance, by the growth of the Western country, beyond the anticipation of our wisest statesmen. Our pro- gress has been a race scarcely checked by an accident on the course." Had the commercial limitation taken place
* Butler.
34
1
500
RESOLUTION OF CONOREM. ..
but for a few years, as then proposed by him, a flatns would have been kindled, that must have consumed the feoble tics that bound the eastern to the western country. As it was, the Ekre rumour of what had been proposed, and the exaggerated statements of the contemplated surrender of a navigation ef: such vital importance to the West, naturally : aroused the sensibilities of its citizens. Meetings were held at different places. One of these represented "a commercial: treaty. with Spain to be cruel, oppressive and unjust.". "The pro: hibition of the navigation of the Mississippi, has astonished the whole western country. To sell us, and to make us. vap .. sals to the merciless Spaniards, is a grievance not- to-be: borne." A copy of these, and of similar proceedings, was laid before Congress, and in September of 1788, that body contradicted the rumour, and resolved : "That they fres navigation of the Mississippi, is a clear and an."ementiel. right of the United States, and that the same, ought to be considered and supported as such." .. !
To quiet the apprehensions of her western inhabitants; ma upon the point of carrying into effect the dismembermeat the parent state, and the formation of the State of Franklin. the delegates from North-Carolina, in September of 1788, submitted to Congress a resolution, declaring that,
" WHEREAS, many citizens of the United States, who possess lands on the western waters, have expressed much uneasiness from a report that Congress are disposed to treat with Spain for the surrender of their claim to the navigation of the Mississippi River : In order, therefore, to quiet the minds of our fellow-citizens, by removing such ill-founded ap- prehensions,
" Resolved, That the United States have a clear, absolute and unalien- able claim to the free navigation of the Mississippi ; which claim is not only supported by the express stipulations of treaties, but by the great law of nature."
Virginia, too, had adopted similar resolutions. These de- cided measures tranquillized, for a time, the growing discon- tents of the western settlements, and prevented that aliena- tion of feeling which, at one time, led them to repudiate their. dependence upon their Atlantic countrymen, and to look for- ward to a connexion of some kind with their Spanish neigh- bours.
581
MERO'S POLICY PARTLY SUCCESSFUL.
Colonel Wilkinson, in his statement to the Spanish Go- vernor, had artfully interwoven appeals, both to the interests and the fears of Spain. His diplomacy and address had succeeded in convincing Governor Mero of the policy of con- ciliating the western people, and of attaching them to the Spanish Government. For this purpose, he invited, by libe- ral grants of land, the citizens of Kentucky and Cumberland, to emigrate to West Florida. To such as did not wish to emi- grate, he relaxed the exactions required by the revenue laws. While these conciliatory measures were exerting a salutary influence, he adopted others, intended to promote a polit- ical union between the western people and Upper Lou- isiana. A large American settlement was projected, west of the Mississippi, and between the mouth of the Ohio and the St. Francis River. To General Morgan, who was to settle this colony, a large grant of land was made. Here, soon .after his arrival, was laid off the plan of a magnificent city. which, in honour of the Spanish capital, was called New- Madrid. This policy of gaining over the western people to an adherence to the Spanish interests, was not wholly unsuc- cessful. Many of them had been highly dissatisfied with the Federal Government, which had failed to secure them their right of free navigation ; and some were even favourably impressed with a future union with Louisiana. But this feel- ing was of short duration. The repeated infractions of his revenue laws, were followed by an order from Governor Mero to the Intendant, for a more rigorous enforcement of them. Seizures, confiscations, delays and imprisonments, be- came frequent and embarrassing to the traders upon the river, and Louisiana was again threatened with invasion from the Ohio. Hundreds of fiery spirits, in Kentucky and on the Cumberland, were anxious to embark in the enterprise .* The western people had long known, that notwithstanding her alliance with the United States in the war against Great Britain, Spain desired to weaken that Power by separating her American Colonies from her, more than to assist the new states in their struggle for independence. So soon as
*Monette.
·
DIPLOMACY' AND INTRIGUE OF BPALK.
that Object had been obtained, the . Spanish Government, alarmed at the approach of the western settlements, and the consequent dissemination of republican principles among the colonists upon their border, adopted measures to restrain their expansion, and counteract their growth and influence ;. to check their commerce, to prevent the nearer approach of a population that had already manifested, both a martial. spirit, and a capacity to govern themselves.
In the meantime, the Anglo-American settlements had ex -. tended far within the line claimed by Spain ; the emigrants on Holston, Cumberland and Kentucky, were already form- ing themselves into organized communities, and the jurisdic- tion 'of the United States was, by the ordinance of 1787, tended over the North-western Territory. It was clearly somn. that as Spain had not hitherto been able to prevent the occu. pancy of the extensive possessions she claimed in the West ;. so no means within her control, could secure the monopoly .. of navigating the Mississippi River. What could not be: done by legitimate means, was hereafter to be affected by: intrigue. "From the year 1788, we may date the settled policy of Spain, through her diplomatic and colonial anthos .. ities, to endeavour, by diplomacy and intrigue, to acquire the western portion of the United States. The King approved the judicious policy of Governor Mero, relative to the indal- gences extended to the western people. The Court of Madrid was warned of the danger to be apprehended from the increasing power of the United States. Navarro por-
trayed, in strong colours, the ambition of the Federal Go- vernment on the subject of western territory, and the thirst for conquest, which, he asserted, would be gratified only by the extension of their dominion to the Pacific Ocean. And as the only true policy for Spain to pursue, he recommended the necessity of dismembering the Federal Union, by pro- curing the separation of the western country from the At- lantic States. This accomplished, the danger to the Spanish provinces, from the encroachments of the Federal power, would immediately cease, and Spain would be at liberty.to enter into negotiations, mutually advantageous to Louisiana and the western people, who were already impatient of the
.
583
AND HER COLONIAL AUTHORITIES.
failures and delays of the Federal Government, to promote their interests.
These suggestions of Navarro were well received at Court, and formed the basis of the subsequent policy of Spain and Louisiana towards the Federal Government and the western people respectively, and were the commencement of that series of intrigues and vexatious court delays, which after- wards characterized the political relations of that Power towards the United States .*
.. 1790
The policy of Spain invited emigrants into her provinces, § and restored an amicable and mutually advantageous trade between New-Orleans and the western settle- ments. Still, jealousy of the Federal Power was not allayed, and, indeed, it was much increased, by other occurrences which, about this time, took place, and greatly disquieted the Spanish authorities. The difficulties between North-Caro- lina and the State of Franklin had been adjusted, the parent state had ceded her western lands to Congress, and after her -relinquishment of sovereignty over them, the extension of Federal jurisdiction over the "South-western Territory" took place. In further support of the claim to the boundaries stipulated for in the treaty of 1783, Commissioners on the part of the United States, had concluded a treaty of peace and limits with the chiefs of the Creek nation, which had been fully ratified by them in New-York. With the view of counteracting the effects of this treaty, especially as to boun- daries stipulated in it, another negotiation was made between the same nation and the Spanish authorities, prohibiting the opening of the boundary as agreed upon and ratified in New-York. For more than a.year, the Creeks refused to run the line, and under the influence of Spanish emissaries, many of them were induced to assume a hostile attitude to the southern and south-western settlements.
Another intrigue to increase the disaffection of the west- .ern people, and alienate them from the Atlantic portion of the Union, manifested itself in this year. The inexecution by England, of the treaty of 1783, left in the possession of
* Monette.
BARON DA GARONDELET QUOGENDA STERO,
that Power the posts of Detroit, Maumee and other points south of the lakes, and thus gave to her the virtual control of the North-western Territory .. These. forts . had mot boon given up, according to the stipulations of the treaty, and Were still held, probably with the vain hopo. of availing herself of a future contingency, to inflict some serious- injasy upon her late enemy, the United States. Engaged att time in a war with-Spain, England contemplated on invasion of Louisiana, through the Ohio River. Doctor.Conolly, ' omiscary of the Earl of Dorchester, was derpatobed to the -West, to sound the leading men of the country, and was an thorized to give assurances of aid from Canada; in case of an invasion of the Spanish possessions by the Western .people. A rumor was carefully oironlated, " that four they mand British troops were. in readiness to march from Go- nada at a moment's warning." These disolespres awakened' suspicion that Conolly was a British spy, and be was son- meyer, with the utmost secrecy, out of the country. This treasonable conspiracy had a few advocatesin the Wort, bet with the people generally it found no favour.
Baron de Carondelet, who succeeded Mere, this - year, 1792 { as Governor and Intendant of Louisiana, continued ( the commercial privileges extended by his predeces- sor to the western people. New-Orleans, and indeed the whole Province, derived such advantage from this policy, that a partial infraction of the revenue laws was not only tolerated by the Minister of Finance, but was even justified by the King. To this propitiatory course, Spain was in- duced, not less by the suggestions of an enlarged and pro- found diplomatic policy, than the considerations of pecuniary 1798 S and local interest. "France and Spain were now ( at war; and French emissaries sought, through the prejudice that had been roused against the Spaniards rela- tive to the navigation of the Mississippi, to instigate an in- vasion of Louisiana and Florida by the people of the United States, and if practicable, even a separation of the Western States, and an alliance with Louisiana under the dominion and protection of France."* To carry into effect these pur-
· Monette.
535
M. GENET ISSUES COMMISSIONS.
poses, M. Genet, the Minister of Republican France to the United States, issued commissions to several individuals, as officers in the French armies, with authority to raise troops in the western country, for the contemplated invasion and revolution of Lousiana. The settlements upon the Cumber- land and Ohio, were the theatre of their principal operations. Here, it cannot be concealed, existed elements favourable to the machinations of the indiscreet and impulsive Minis- ter. Apart from the occlusion of the mouth of the Missis- sippi, and the restrictions imposed upon their commerce by the policy of Spain, there was a spirit of undisguised dissatis- faction with the delay and failure of the Federal Govern- ment to secure, by negotiation, those rights, which now the West was able to extort by force. Besides-a fraternal sym- pathy united them to the people of France, and the recol- lection of the past, enlisted their co-operation with the French Republic. It is known that many of the best patriots on the frontier, contiguous to the possessions claimed by Spain, yielded for a time to the seductive influence of these feelings and prejudices, and it required all the vigilance and decision of Washington to arrest the expedition, and restrain the impulsive western soldiery from an invasion of Louisiana, an alliance with France and a possible separation from and dis- memberment of the Union.
Apprehensive of the success of Genet and his emissaries upon the Cumberland and Ohio, the Baron de Carondelet adopted every measure to defend his province from the threatened danger. His forts, as high up the river as New- Madrid, were reinforced. As another method of precan- 1794 { tion, a treaty was concluded with the Chickasaws,
securing the alliance of that nation, and permission for the establishment of a military post within the present boundaries of Tennessee, near the mouth of Margot (Wolf) River. For this purpose, the Chickasaws ceded the fourth Bluff, with the view of erecting thereon a fort, which was to be kept in good repair, for the purpose of protecting Louisi- ana from any invasion from the United States. The fort was called "Fort San Ferdinando de Barancas," and stood
.596
CARONDALET .RENEWS TAR INTRIGUE
upon the peninsula formed by the junction of the Marget and the Mississippi." .
So successful had been the intrigue of M. Genet; in pro-
ducing-rather in unveiling-a spirit of serious die. '1795 affection on the part of the people of the West-with the Federal Administration, that Governor Carondelet tosk. measures to secure the favour of the Western poopto. to alliance with Louisiana under the Spanish.monosoby ... .. went so far as to authorize his emissary, Power, to. promi .: every thing desired by the people, and to give thein mesomeest of the readiness of the colonial government.to furnish (r), ammunition and money, to sustain them in the attempt to:three of the authority of the Federal Government. . *.
At a period somewhat later, promise was made of great of land, to such as would submit to the Spanish dominions while intimations were secretly disseminated.among the ... suspecting people, that Spain would extend to them, se ... community, every commercial advantage and privilego.which could be desired, provided they were disconnected from the Federal Government. The Spanish Minister, resident inthe United States, had declared unequivocally to his confidential. correspondents, that unless the Western people would declare themselves independent of the Federal Power, and establish for themselves an independent form of government, Spain never would allow them the free navigation of the Missis- sippi ; " but upon these terms, he was authorized and would engage to open the navigation of the river," g.c.t
:
The first settlers of Tennessee and Kentucky-received, through the courtesy of the Spanish authorities, many com- mercial privileges, but they were unwilling to submit to the species of vassalage, implied by the manner in which the river commerce was enjoyed. They could not receive as special favours, what they claimed as common and indefeasi- ble rights.
At length, Spain, embarrassed in European wars, and still
* Monette. This fort was also called Echore Margot, and was defended biy eight pieces of eight pounder cannon.
t Butler, as quoted by Monette.
-
537
. TO SEPARATE THE WEST FROM THE ATLANTIC.
apprehensive of invasion of her American possessions by the pioneers of the West-whom all her intrigues had been unable to seduce from their allegiance to the Union-inti- mated her willingness to negotiate on the points in contro- versy. Mr. Pinckney was appointed as Minister Plenipo- tentiary to the Court of Madrid, and a treaty was con- cluded and signed, on the 20th of October, 1795, covering the whole ground 'of controversy which, for more than ten years, had engaged the attention of both countries.
In accordance with the provisions of that treaty, Mr. Elli-
1797 [ cott, the United States Commissioner, was in this year ( on the Mississippi, in order to run the boundary line and to receive the posts east of it. Here, most unex- pectedly, the territorial authorities of Spain interposed ob- jections. During the delay consequent upon these, another, and the last Spanish intrigue, was detected, the object of which was to continue, to Spain, the possession of the very territories she had bound herself to relinquish to the United States. A former emissary, Mr. Power, was despatched by the Baron de Carondelet, with proposals to the people of Kentucky and the inhabitants of the Western country gene- rally, to withdraw and separate themselves from the Fede- ral Union, and to form an independent government, wholly unconnected with the Atlantic States. The danger of per- mitting the Federal troops to take possession of the posts on the Mississippi River, was pointed out, and an offer of pecu- niary assistance, from the royal treasury at New-Orleans, to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, was made by the Baron, for the purpose of organizing the new govern- ment ; and the same amount was to be furnished by his Catholic Majesty, for the purpose of raising and maintaining the troops which, immediately after the declaration of inde- pendence, were to take possession of Fort Massac. Twenty field pieces, ammunition and small arms, and every neces- sary appendage to an efficient army, were also to be placed within the fort. His Catholic Majesty engaged, also, to assist the new government in subduing the Indian nations south of the Ohio, and agreed to be bound, by future treaty, to defend and support it, in preserving its independence, and
TRAATT NANG AND SOUNDAREN
to grant them a decided' preference, on: commercial subjects, over his Atlantic connexions." .
., Some individuals on Cumberland and in Kentucky, had con- nived at the expedition, as proposed by Gonet, against Lon- isiana, but the Western people, having How - obtained the navigation of the Mississippi River, all-their wishes, wom gratifled, and Mr. Power received: from them little dmecar- agement, and no. promise of co-operation. . .. .. . , ."'
The boundary was soon after ran, and the. . posts:correr- dered, as provided for in the treaty, and. the-angry contro versy which had, for ten years, convulsed; the Westers country, was at an end.
During that whole period of political excitement, #t.j worthy of remark, and highly creditable to the goed conse and patriotism of the people of Tennessee, that: they in no case, seduced into an abandonment of. their rightsand duty, nor of. allegiance to their own country, and fidelity to their republican principles. The masses of them. rimaisel true and incorruptible. Isolated instances of individual de . : fection, did occur. Prominent and ambitions men were found in different sections, sustained it may be, by here and there a partizan, not unwilling to elevate themselves at the immi- nent hazard of the welfare and permanent interest of the country. Among these there was little unanimity, and ao well-digested concert of action. They gave rise, however, for the time being, to the following parties, as enumerated by Monette :
. I. In favour of forming a separate and independent ro- public, under no special obligation of union, except as might be most advantageous.
II. In favour of entering into commercial arrangements with Spain, and of annexing themselves to Louisiana, with all the advantages offered.
III. Opposed to any Spanish connexion, and in favour of forcing the free navigation of the Mississippi by the arms of the United States, with the invasion of Louisiana and West Florida.
IV. In favour of soliciting Republican France to claim a
* Marshall.
539
INTEGRITY OF WESTERN SETTLERS.
retrocession, or make a reconquest of Louisiana, and to ex- tend her protection to the western settlements.
V. The strongest party, however, was in favour of new independent state organizations in the West, leaving it with the Federal Government to regulate the Mississippi and boundary questions with Spain.
To estimate properly the virtue, the patriotism, the loyalty and the republicanism of the western people, when, with a noble disinterestedness and self-sacrificing devotion to the Union, they resisted these artful and powerful appeals to their sectional and local interests, let it be remembered, that the several communities to whom these appeals were made, had penetrated through a vast wilderness of desert and mountain-that their own courage had expelled a savage enemy-their own rifles had achieved their conquest-their own enterprise had planted and defended their settlements- their own efforts had made their fortunes, provided them a home, and the benefit of a simple, but stable government- that with little assistance from the old states, almost none from the General Government, the wilderness, under their, own industry and culture, "blossomed as the rose ;" and that the fertile banks of the navigable streams in the distant vallies, in whose bosoms they dwelt, were rewarding with a luxuriant harvest of rich fruits, their own labour, upon their own fields ; that the intervention of hundreds of miles and great mountain ranges, insulated them from the commerce of their Atlantic countrymen, and that for the products of the whole West, there was but one great outlet to the ocean and to the markets of the world-the Mississippi River; and that the right of freely navigating that stream, though gua- ranteed to them as a result of that Revolution which they had assisted to effect, and of those victories achieved in part by their valour, was still withheld from them, under the vexatious delay of Federal negotiation. Under such cir- oumstances of admitted neglect, disappointed expectation, deferred hope and accumulated wrong, to remain constant, and faithful, and loyal to the Union, is alike a rare instance, and evidence, of all that is heroic in forbearance, lofty in patriotism, and majestic in national virtue. Western purity
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