932. BOUNDARIES, Louisiana.—
The
boundaries of Louisiana, which I deem not admitting
question, are the highlands on the
western side of the Mississippi enclosing all
its waters, the Missouri of course, and terminating
in the line drawn from the northwestern
point of the Lake of the Woods to the nearest
source of the Mississippi, as lately settled
between Great Britain and the United States.
We have some claims, to extend on the seacoast
westwardly to the Rio Norte or Bravo,
and better, to go eastwardly to the Rio Perdido,
between Mobile and Pensacola, the ancient
boundary of Louisiana. Those claims will be a
subject of negotiation with Spain, and if, as
soon as she is at war, we push them strongly
with one hand, holding out a price in the
other, we shall certainly obtain the Floridas,
and, all in good time. In the meanwhile,
without waiting for permission, we shall enter
into the exercise of the natural right we have
always insisted on with Spain, to wit, that of
a nation holding the upper part of streams,
having a right of innocent passage through
them to the ocean. We shall prepare her to
see us practice on this, and she will not oppose
it by force.—
To John C. Breckenridge. Washington ed. iv, 498.
Ford ed., viii, 242.
(M.
Aug. 1803)
