west line, beginning on the river Mississippi, on the thirty-third degree of northern latitude, was erected into a distinct government, denominated the territory of Orleans: and the other was annexed, under the name of the district of Louisiana, to the Indiana territory.

The executive powers of government, in the territory, were vested in a governor, appointed for three years, unless sooner removed, by the president of te United States. He was commander in chief of the militia, and had power to grant pardon for offences against the territory, and reprieve, as to those against the United States, till the pleasure of the president was known: he had the appointment of all civil and military officers, except those for whom other provisions were made by the act.

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A secretary of the territory was to be appointed, for four years, unless sooner removed, by the president. His duty was, under the direction of the governor, to record and preserve all the papers proceedings of the executive, and the acts of the legislature, and transmit authentic copies of the whole, every six months, to the president. In case of the vacancy of the office of governor, his duties devolved on the secretary.

The legislative power was vested in the governor, and a legislative council, composed of thirteen freeholders of the territory, having resided one year therein, and holding no other appointment under the territory or the United States. The territorial legislature was restricted from passing laws, repugnant to the constitution of the United States, laying any restraint, burden or disability, on account of religious opinion, profession, or worship, preventing any one from maintaining his own, or burdening him with

that of others: from the primary disposal of the soil, or taxing the lands of the United States. The governor was charged with the publication of the laws and the transmission of copies of them to the bi president, for the information of congress; on whose disapprobation they were to be void. The governor had power to convene and prorogue the council.

He was to procure and transmit to the president, information of the customs, habits, and dispositions of the people.

The judicial powers were vested in a superior court, and such inferior court and justices of the peace, as the legislature might establish; the judges and justices of the peace holding their offices during four years. The superior court consisted of three judges, one of whom constituted a court. It had jurisdiction of all criminal cases, and exclusively of capital ones, and original and appellate jurisdiction of all civil cases of the value of one hundred dollars and upwards: its sessions were monthly. In capital cases, the trial was to be by jury; in all others, civil or criminal, either party might require it to be so.

Provision was made for the writ of habeas corpus, admission to bail in cases not capital and against cruel or unusual punishments.

The judges, district attorney, marshal, and general officers of the militia, were to be appointed by the president, with the advice and consent of the senate.

The compensation of the governor was fixed at five thousand dollars, that of the secretary and judges, at two thousand each, and that of the members of the legislative council at four dollars a day.

The importation of slaves from foreign countries was forbidden, and that of those brought from the

United States was allowed only to citizens, bona fide lice owners, removing to the territory.

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All grants for land within the ceded territories, the Suc title whereof was at the date of the treaty of San Ilde-ai fonso, in the crown, government or nation of Spain, a and every act and proceeding subsequent thereto, towards the obtaining any grant, title or claim to such lands, were declared to be null and void. There was a proviso, excepting the titles of actual settlers, acquired before the twentieth of December, 1803. The obvious intention of this clause was to act on all grants made by Spain, after her retrocession to France, and without deciding on the extent of that retrocession, to put the titles thus acquired, under the control of the American government.

The president of the United States was authorized to appoint registers and recorders of land titles, who were to receive and record titles acquired under the Spanish and French governments, and commissioners who should receive all claims to lands, and hear and determine, in a summary way, all matters respecting such claims. Their proceedings were to be reported to the secretary of the treasury, and laid before congress for their final decision.

By two subsequent acts, congress made provision for extending the collection and navigation laws of the union to the territory.

Every vessel possessed of, or sailing under,a Spanish or French register, and belonging wholly, on the twentieth of December last, to a citizen of the United States, then residing within the ceded territory, or to any person being, on the thirtieth of April preceding, a resident thereof, and continuing to reside therein, and of which the master was such a citizen or resident, was declared capable of being enrolled, registered or

licensed, according to law, and afterwards to be denominated and deemed a vessel of the United States. Such inhabitants were, however, required before they availed themselves of these provisions, to take an oath of allegiance to the United States, and to abjure their former one to the king of Spain, or the French republic,

The inhabitants, thus taking the oath, were entitled to all the benefits and advantages of holding vessels of the United States, as resident citizens.

The ceded territory and all the navigable waters, rivers, creeks, bays, and inlets, within the United States, emptying themselves into the gulf of Mexico, east of the river Mississippi, were annexed to the former Mississippi district.

The city of New Orleans was made a port of entry and delivery, and the town of Bayou St. John a port of delivery.

The district of Natchez was established, of which the city of that name was the sole port of entry and delivery.

Foreign vessels were permitted to unload in the port of New Orleans only, and the same restraint was imposed on vessels of the United States, coming from France, or any of her colonies.

Vessels from the cape of Good Hope, or any place beyond it, were admitted to an entry, in the port of New Orleans, only.

The president of the United States was authorized, whenever he should deem it expedient, to erect the shores, waters and inlets, of the bay of Mobile, and the other rivers, bays and creeks emptying themselves into the gulf of Mexico, east of the river Mobile and west of the river Pascagoula, into a separate district, and designate within it a port of entry and delivery. The

territory was erected into a judicial district of the United States, and a district court, with circuit court powers, was established therein.

It having been represented to the President of the United States, that many persons, formerly engaged in the military service of the United States, and har ing deserted from it, had become inhabitants of the ceded territory, chiefly in that part of it immediately below the line of demarcation, on the left bank of the Mississippi, where they had establishments of property and families, and were in such habits of industry and good conduct, as gave reasons to believe they had became orderly and useful members of society, he granted to every such deserter, as an inhabitant of the ceded territory, on the twentieth of December, 1803, a free and full pardon for his desertion, and a relinquishment of the term during which he was bound to serve.

In the latter part of that month, Laussat sailed to the Island of Martinico. He concluded his last communication to the minister from New-Orleans, with the following observations: "The Americans have given fifteen millions of dollars for Louisiana; they would have given sixty, rather than not possess it.— They will receive one million of dollars for duties, at the custom house in New-Orleans, during the present year, a sum exceeding the interest of their money, without taking into consideration the value of the very great quantity of vacant lands. As to the twelve years, during which our vessels are to be received on the footing of national ones, they present but an illusive prospect, considering the war, and the impossibility ¦ of our being able to enter into competition with their merchantmen. Besides, all will in a short time turn to the advantage of English manufactures, by the great