Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/214

182 for the time, were by no means abandoned. As heretofore related, the United States troops having been withdrawn from East Florida, except from Amelia island, on the demand of Governor Kindelin, a state of anarchy ensued in the province. June 19, 1812, the day following the declaration of war, the portion of the President’s message relative to the occupation of Florida was referred to a committee. This committee reported a bill (Ibid., p. 1683, 1685) authorizing the President to take possession, which passed the House June 25th. This bill was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 14 yeas to 16 nays. Notwithstanding this legislative action, President Madison deemed it necessary to hold Amelia island under authority of former acts of Congress.

The affairs of East Florida were in this indefinite shape when Congress assembled in November, 1812. Mr. Anderson, of Tennessee, brought up the matter in the Senate December 10, 1812. A committee was appointed, from which committee Mr. Anderson reported a bill (Annals of Congress, 1812-1813, pp. 124, 127), January 19, 1813, to take possession of both the Floridas, East Florida to be held subject to future negotiation with Spain. This bill was amended so as to apply only to that portion of Florida west of the river Perdido, in which form it passed the Senate February 5th by a vote of 22 to n, and passed the House February 8th. It became a law, by the President s signature, February 12, 1813. (Ibid., pp. 132, 133.) It was thus definitely decided by Congress to occupy West Florida permanently by virtue of the title derived under the cession of Louisiana in 1803, and to refuse its sanction to the occupation of East Florida. This action was a disappointment to the administration. Influenced by fears and rumors that Great Britain, either by securing a cession or under color of alliance with Spain, would seize the province and gain such a foothold that her possession could not be shaken off, the President had hoped that Congress would author-