The Enquirer

WEST FLORIDA:

The affairs of West Florida have now reached a Crisis, in which it becomes necessary for our government to act. This crisis calls for the interposition of our Government. We should take possession without delay, of that part, at least, in which the Spanish authority has been de facto subverted.

Every consideration, which can address itself to the interests, the pride and honor of a nation, must powerfully press upon us. The mutual relations of the U. S. and the Floridas recommend an union of force. They are helpless without our protection; our territories are exposed, and our commerce interrupted, without their annexation. Mutual wants & mutual interests, require us to be one. They will share in the enjoyment of that political constitution, which now sheds its blessings over 6 millions of freemen; and we shall bring a new and valuable territory within our scope. It will be "Liberty to them and Security to us."

Our right too extends at least as far as the Perdido; that strip was a part of Louisiana.

We hope that these inducements will be quickened by the conduct of Florida herself. There are the strongest reasons to believe, that the Florida Convention will make application to us for our friendship, and for our protection. And we have the disposition and the means to afford them both. Their public professions have been and are perhaps at this moment, accommodated merely to the policy of their situation. In a short time, we hope to hail them openly as our brethren; as the co-partners of the Independence and the Liberty of the American Republic.

C:

Such has, for a long time, appeared to us, as the wisest course, which we could pursue. Our readers are well acquainted with our ideas on this "Florida question."

To the preceding reflections, we beg leave to subjoin the following statement from the last Aurora:

It is at length ascertained, that a small British force has been landed in Florida, and that the British have taken formal possession of Pensacola. What their views are in this enterprize, we have no other means to judge, than by a reference to the general system of British policy.

We leave it to every one to form his own judgment as to the design, which this event can be no more than a prelude; for Pensacola itself, either as a site for commerce, or as a military position, can be of no importance or injury to any power in full occupation of the West India Islands; and at this moment every colony of the West Indies, is directly or indirectly under the power of Great Britain.

By the Spanish advices recently received, we find that the governing authority at Cadiz, have already discussed the subject of indemnities to Great Britain, in consideration of the succours of men and money, and arms and stores, supplied in resisting France. Among the places spoken of, are the peninsula of Yucatan, and the Bay of Campeachy, in full sovereignty to Great Britain, the Island of Cuba, and the Province of Florida.

We note Florida being mentioned in the singular number only; and it is proper to remark, that this appears to indicate an abandonment of any pretensions to interfere with the rights of the U States under the treaty of Paris; because the bay and river of Perdido being our legal boundary under that title, and Pensacola not being within our boundary, respect is at least for the present, paid to our right, by the discussion of the subject of East Florida only, of which Pensacola is the capital, but in avoiding so far any interference with our rights of jurisdiction and legal title.

It is proper that the public attention should be turned to this subject, with earnestness; as the movements in the province of West Florida, to which we have an undoubted title as far as the Perdido, may become very soon an object of deep interest, according to the springs which move or govern them.

The last Natchez mail, brought the following important enclosures to a gentleman of this City:

From the Natchez Weekly Chronicle.

WEST FLORIDA.

We yesterday received by express from our correspondent in West Florida, the following highly interesting communications which we lose no time in laying before our readers:

Head Quarters Fort of Baton Rouge,

September 24th, 1810.

SIR,

In obedience to the order of the convention, bearing date the 22d. instant, I directed Major Johnson to assemble such of the cavalry as might be ready at hand, and march immediately for the fort of Baton Rouge; I then proceeded to Springfield, where I found forty-four of the Grenadier Company, Commanded by Colonel Ballenger, waiting the orders of Convention. At one o'clock, in the morning of the 23d, we joined Majr. Johnson and Captain Griffith, with twenty-one of the Bayou Sara cavalry, and five or six other patriotic gentlemen, joined us on our march: At four o'clock the same morning, we made the attack. My orders were not to fire 'till we received a shot from the garrison, and to cry out in French and English, "ground your arms, and you shall not be hurt;" This order was strictly attended to by the volunteers, till we received a discharge of musketry from the guard house, where the Governor was, which was briskly returned by the volunteers; we received no damage on our part; of the Governor's troops, Lieu. Louis Grand Pre was mortally wounded; Lieut. J. B. Metzegnes, commandant of artillery, was also wounded, one private was killed and four badly wounded.
We took twenty-one prisoners, among whom is Col. Delassus; the rest of the garrison escaped by flight. The magazines, stores, &c. found in the garrison, have been reported to you by James Neilson, Esq. who was appointed for that purpose.

The various and complicated duties devolving on me, from the pressing circumstances of the moment, forbid a more minute detail.

The firmness and moderation of the volunteers who made the attack, was fully equal to the best disciplined troops. Whole companies are daily flocking to our standard, and the harmony and Patriotism prevailing in the garrison must be highly gratifying to every friend of country.

Accept, for yourself and your body, Assurances of my high esteem and regard.

(Signed)

PHILEMON THOMAS.

Commander in Chief of the Fort of Baton Rouge and its dependencies.

The Hon. JOHN RHEA.

President

of

the Convention

of

West

Florida.

Certified to be a true copy of the original in my office.

(Signed) ANDREW STEELE, Sec'ry.
BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE of West Florida,

A DECLARATION.

It is known to the world with how much fidelity the good people of this territory have professed and maintained allegiance to their legitimate sovereign while any hope remained of receiving from him protection for their property and lives. Without making any unnecessary innovation in the established principles of the government, we had voluntarily adopted certain regulations in concert with our first magistrate, for the express purpose of preserving this territory, and shewing our attachment to the government which had heretofore protected us.

This compact, which was entered into with good faith on our part, will forever remain an honorable testimony of our upright intentions and inviolable fidelity to our king and parent country, while so much as a shadow of legitimate authority remained to be exercised over us. We sought only a speedy remedy for such evils as seemed to endanger our existence and prosperity, and were encouraged by our governor with solemn promises of assistance and co-operation.

But those measures which were intended for our preservation, he has endeavored to pervert into an engine of destruction by encouraging, in the most perfidious manner the violation of ordinances sanctioned and established by himself as the law of the land.

Being thus left without any hope of protection from the mother country, by being betrayed by a magistrate whose duty it was to have provided for the safety and tranquility of the people and government committed to his charge, and exposed to all the evils of a state of anarchy, which we have so long endeavored to avert; it becomes our duty to provide for our own security as a free and independent state, absolved from all allegiance to a government which no longer protects us.

We, therefore, the representatives aforesaid, appealing to the supreme ruler of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do solemnly publish and declare the several districts composing this Territory of West Florida to be a free and independent State, and that they have a right to institute for themselves such form of government as they may think conducive to their safety and happiness; to form treaties; to establish commerce; to provide for their common defence, and do all acts which may of right be done by a sovereign and independent nation. At the same time declaring all acts within the said territory of West Florida after this date by any tribunal or authorities not deriving their powers from the people agreeable to the provisions of this convention, to be null and void; and calling upon all foreign nations to respect this our declaration, acknowledging our independence, and giving us aid as may be consistent with the laws and usages of nations.

This declaration made in convention, at the town of Baton Rouge, on the 26th day of September, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and ten. We the representatives in the name, and on behalf of our constituents do hereby solemnly pledge ourselves to support with our lives and fortunes.

(Signed)

John H. Johnson,

John Mills,

John W. Leonard,

William Barrow,

Philip Hicky,

John Morgan,

Edmund Hawes,

Thomas Lilly,

William Spiller,

John Rhea, President.

By order of the Convention,

ANDREW STEELE Sec.
Postscript to the same paper.

Just as our paper was going to press, we were informed by a gentleman direct from the town of Washington, that his excellency David Holmes, governor of this territory, had received intelligence by an express, that Col. James Callier, of Washington county, with a party of forty or fifty men had taken possession of the garrison and Spanish settlement on the Mobile. We give this as we received it; we cannot vouch for its authenticity.