Alexandria Gazette & Advertiser

Spanish Decrees in relation to the Land
Claims in Florida.

We have been favored by Col. Hamilton,
one of the Commissioners on Florida
Land Claims, with two important decrees
of the royal authority of Spain, declaring
certain grants of land to the Duke De Alagon and others to be unalienable. This is
important to be known, as the assignee of
the aforesaid Duke is now said to be making large sales in this country under his
purchase.

We understand from the same gentleman that among the papers and documents detained by Gen. Jackson, from
there have been found many important
royal decrees, defining the powers and
privileges of the Spanish Governors; and
being sent away with Gov. Coppinger,
thus enabling the Commissioners to compare their grants with their authority. It
is conjectured that the reasonable vigilance and energy of Gen. Jackson, at that
time, will have preserved for the United
States upwards of one million of acres.

Charleston Courier.

The Capt. General of Cuba to the Governor of East Florida.

[TRANSLATION]

His Excellency the Secretary of State,
and of that office under date of the 18th
of July last, states to me as follows:

“MOST EXCELLENT SIR—Under this
date I state to the President of the Council of the Indies, the following: The
king, our master, has understood, that the
alienation of the lands granted in the Floridas to the Duke de Alagon, Count de
Punonrostro, and Don Pedro de Vargas,
and others, has been encouraged; thereby compromising the high policy of His
Majesty, and contrary to the only import,
and true meaning of the laws. His Majesty therefore commands me to renew to
your Excellency the order, for the information of that Council, that the gifts of
said lands are not to be understood as alienable, and much less to foreigners—according as it is ordered, and is provided
by our laws. By royal order I communicate the same to your Excellency for your
information, and that of the Council, and
for your more exact knowledge thereof;
and by the same I forward it to your Excellency, for your information and government.

And I transcribe it to your Lordship,
for the same ends on your part.

God preserve your Lordship many
years.

Havana, Oct. 30th, 1818.

[Signed]
JUSE CIENFUEGOS.

[TRANSLATION.]

His Excellency Don Martin de Garat,
Secretary of State, and of the office of the
Treasury of the Indies, has communicated to me, under date of the 31st July last,
the following Royal Order:

“Under date of the 27th inst. the Secretary of State informs me what follows:

“Excellent Sir—Under date of the
28th April last, I have communicated, by
Royal order, to the President of the Council of the Indies, what follows:

“Excellent Sir—When the king, our
master, thought proper a little time since
to condescend to the distribution of various lands in his dominions in the Floridas, as solicited by some of his meritorious subjects, it was under the idea that
this gift would cause no injury, and that
the donees should use them agreeably to
the legislative system which governs on
the subject, as is expressly manifested by
His Majesty, in his own concession,
communicated to that Supreme Tribunal,
transmitting also correct copies of their
respective solicitudes for examination.—
In this state, His Majesty having understood that the covetousness of foreigners
had deceived the good faith of the donees,
by trying to enter into negociations for
the purpose of appropriating part or the
whole of these gifts, or taking advantage
of the benefits arising therefrom—which,
should it be verified, would not only
cause many political inconveniences, but
might occasion great injuries to the said
donees by the invalidity of their contracts,
notwithstanding their good faith. To obviate therefore such evils, His Majesty
has determined, that by that same Supreme Tribunal that has issued the orders
of concession, each of the persons interested in the same, be notified the precise
terms in which they are to understand the
tenor of said gift, so as that the general
expression, granted in so much as it is not
opposed to the laws, can give no room for
explanations; and making them understand that it is not in their power to alienate them, in part or the whole—particularly to foreigners. I communicate the
same to your excellency: by his Royal order, for your intelligence, and compliance thereof in the Council, of which you will
give an account to His Majesty.

“Which copy to your Excellency, from
the same Royal Order, inasmuch as it
may refer to the same, in that Ministerial
department of the Indies, as also that under date of the 19th of the present month
—I have informed the proper Council of
the punctual observance of that decree,
in as much as His Majesty has understood, that, compromising his high policy, and
against the only sense and spirit of the
laws, it was in contemplation to promote
the alienation of the lands granted in the
Floridas to various individuals;

“Which I copy to your Lordship for
your intelligence, by Royal order.

I transcribe the same to your Lordship
for your information and compliance
thereof.

God
preserve
your
Lordship
many
years

Havana, Nov. 11th, 1818.

[Signed]
ALEXANDRO RAMIREZ.

To the Governor sub-delegate of
Finance St. Augustine Florida.