Republic of Florida-Western

The republic of Florida-Western (in English: Republic off West Florida ) was a transitory republic, founded the September 23rd 1810, made up of part of the actual positions of Louisiana, the Mississippi and Alabama. After only 34 days, the US government annexed of force Western Florida and incorporated it in the Florida Territory which will be divided later into three states.

Context

After the Sale of Louisiana by the France, the United States and the Spain held the long ones and unfruitful negotiations concerning the statute of Western Florida then belonging to the Spanish colonial Empire. Meanwhile, the American colonists had settled in this area and defied the Spanish capacity. The British colonists, remained in the area, badly also adapted Spanish reign, which led to a Rebellion in 1810 and to the establishment of the Republic of Florida-Western. The September 23rd, after assemblies which were held as of June, the rebels submerged the Spanish garrison of Red Bâton, and deployed the flag of the new republic: a single star on a blue bottom. This flag will be later named the Bonnie Blue Flag .

Borders

The borders of the republic of Florida-Western included all the territory in the south of the parallel 31e, the west of the Perdido and the east of the the Mississippi but in the north of the Lac Pontchartrain, the southern border while being the Gulf of Mexico.

Political system

The Constitution of Florida-Western was largely inspired by the Constitution of the United States and divided the government into three capacities, the Exécutif, the Législatif and the Judiciaire. The legislature consisted of a Sénat and a Chambre of the representatives. The Gouverneur was elected by the legislature. According to the Constitution, the official name of the nation was the State off Florida (the State of Florida).

The first and only governor were Fulwar Skipwith, a former American diplomat who had taken part in the negotiation of the Vente of Louisiana.

Annexation

The October 27th 1810, part of Florida-Western was annexed by a proclamation of the President of the United States James Madison, which asserted the area like belonging to the Vente of Louisiana. First of all, Skipwith and the government of Florida-Westerner were opposed to the proclamation, préferrant to negotiate the terms of their entry in the Union. However, William D.C. Claiborne, which had been sent to take possession of the territory, refused to recognize the legitimacy of the government of Florida-Westerner. Skipwith proclaimed that it was ready “to die by defending Lone Star Flag”. However, Skipwith and the Parliament made volte-face and accepted the proclamation of Madison. The United States took possession of St Francisville the December 6th 1810 and Red Bâton the December 10th 1810.

In 2002, Leila Lee Roberts, downward of Fulwar Skipwith, made gift of the original of the Constitution of the Republic of Florida-Western and the documents there related with the service of the Files of the State of Louisiana.

Sources

David A. Bice. Original The Lone Republic Star: Scoundrels, Statesmen and Schemers off the 1810 West Florida Rebellion . Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2004. ISBN 1-891647-81-4
Roger G. Kennedy. Mr. Jefferson' S Lost Causes: Land, Farmers, Slavery, and the Louisiana Purchase . Oxford University Near, 2003. ISBN 0-19-515347-2
Cox, Isaac Joslin; The West Florida Controversy, 1798-1818: With Study in American Diplomacy ; Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Near; 1918.

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