Finally, after a few minor vicissitudes, through which the colony
passed, up to 1792, Baron Corondelet appeared as Governor. Two years
following his appointment, the treaty of St. Lorenzo was entered
into between the United States and Spain, by which was granted free
navigation to every kind of water craft, belonging to the United
States, through the lower waters of the Mississippi. The effect of this
treaty at once aroused a spirit of enterprise, and gave an impetus
to trade and speculation, which fixed forever the prosperity and
preeminence of the crescent city, as the great emporium of the western
world. The Spanish Governor, however, not deeming the stipulations of
the treaty of sufficient account for his consideration, continued to
exercise his authority, much to the detriment of those who had been
induced to embark in business, as permitted by the stipulations of
the treaty. This interference on the part of the governor, did not
much accord with the enterprising spirit of that class of traders
who had embarked their all upon the waters of the Mississippi. This
class of men differed widely from those with whom the governor had
hitherto been accustomed to meet. They were schooled under different
teachers than the servile minions of Spain, or the too credulous and
confiding Frenchmen, who had long been submissive to his will. But
the “live yankee,” and such too, as constituted the boatmen of the
Mississippi, had never before crossed his path, and how to meet them,
was a task which he was not able to accomplish. The traders from
the beginning assumed a position to maintain their rights, and this
begat in the governor an impression that they were insolent in the
extreme, in daring to oppose his authority. The consequence was, the
restrictions upon the traders were more stringent than ever; until
finally, by an armed force under Andrew Elliot, the territory was taken
possession of, and the refractory governor compelled to acknowledge the
stipulations of the treaty and respect the right of the traders. From
this time until 1803, the territory was quite prosperous, when Spain
re-transferred all her rights and interest to France.