Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/203

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 143 American army conveying instructions as to his actions in military affairs. He was fur- ther instructed that in the absence of precise definition of powers, he was to consider him- self in possession of all authority accustomed to be exercised by his predecessors, the Span- ish commandants, and was to govern himself by the circumstances under which he was placed and was given a wide discretion in his actions. In accordance with these grants of authority, Stoddard, who was at Kaskaskia, wrote to De Lassus informing him of his se- lection as an agent of France, and notifying him of his early arrival in St. Louis. On receipt of the reply from Governor De Lassus, Stoddard proceeded to St. Louis, and on the 9th day of March, 1804, received from De Lassus the transfer from Spain to France. The occasion was made as dignified and for- mal as it was possible to be made under the circumstances. The Spanish soldiers were drawn up in line, the inhabitants of the town assembled in the street in front of the build- ing, and Governor De Lassus then issued a brief proclamation. In it he set out the fact that the flag under which thej' had lived for a period of thirty-six years was to be with- drawn. He released them from their oath of allegiance to Spain and wished them prosper- ity. There was then executed a document in the nature of a memorial of the transactions which had taken place. After this had been signed, Governor De Lassus addressed Cap- tain Stoddard as agent of the French repub- lic, saluted him as such commissioner and for- mall,v transferred to him authorit.v over the province. After Captain Stoddard's very brief response to this address, the flag of Spain which was floating from the staff was lowered and replaced by the flag of France. The Spanish soldiers then fired a salute and retired after having received the American troops who were in chai'ge of an adjutant of Stoddard. When this was done, the flag of France was lowered and that of the United States was put in its place. De Lassus then addreissed a communica- tion to the commandants at Ste. Genevieve, New Madrid, Cape Girardeau, and the other posts in Upper Louisiana informing them of the actions whie-h had taken place on that (lay. It seems that tlie transfer of the other posts were made without any formality, ex- cept in the case of New iladrid. Here the flag was lowered and a salute was fired, but these were the only ceremonies observed, even there. Captain Stoddard, having come into pos- session of the territory, informed his superi- ors. Governor Claiborne and General Wilkin- son, of the fact and issued a i-ather lengthy address to the people of Upper Louisiana. This address is found in the archives of it Stoddard congratulated the people of Lou- isiana on account of the change of govern- ment which they had undergone. He in- formed the people as to the probable pro- visions that would be made for their govern- ment, and he pointed out to them some of the tlifferences which they would observe in the government under the United States. He de- scribed the change as a change from subjects to citizens and he assured them of his very great interest in their welfare and his very great desire to conduct affairs, so long as he was in charge, to the best interests of the i^eo- ple of the province. By these acts the territoiv of Louisiana passed forever from the control of Spain. The hopes which had been built, first, upon the marvellous explorations of De Soto, and la- ter upon the treaty of Fontainbleau, were
 * Iadrid and is an interesting document. In