Congressional secrecy 204 years ago – Congress Commemorative Half Dollar Coin

Today, the Congress Commemorative Half Dollar Coin tells the story of the secret meetings of Congress back in 1811 and their goal of protecting the Southern frontier.

From the Annals of Congress, Senate, 11th Congress, 3rd Session:

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Tuesday, January 15

The following confidential message was received from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Miller, two members of the body:

Mr. President: The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed an enrolled bill, and an enrolled resolution, we are directed to bring them to the Senate for the signature of their President.

The President signed the enrolled bill and resolution last reported to have been examined; and they were delivered to the committee, to be laid before the President of the United States.

Friday, January 18.

Mr. Cutts, from the committee, reported that they did, on the 15th instant, lay before the President of the United States the enrolled bill, entitled “An act to enable the President of the United States, under certain contingencies, to take possession of the country lying east of the river Perdido, and south of the State of Georgia and the Mississippi Territory, and for other purposes;” also, the resolution making a declaration with respect to our Southern frontier.

The following confidential message was received from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Gray, two members of that body:

Mr. President: The President of the United States hath notified the House of Representatives that he did, on the 15th instant, approve and sign the enrolled resolution, making a declaration with respect to our Southern frontier.

The following confidential Message was received from the President of the United States:

Mr. President: The President of the United States did, on the 15th instant, approve and sign “An act to enable the President of the United States, under certain contingencies, to take possession of the country lying east of the river Perdido, and south of the State of Georgia and the Mississippi Territory, and for other purposes.”

Ordered, That the Secretary communicate the same to the House of Representatives, confidentially.

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In 1811, the Revolutionary War had ended several years earlier; however, the British were not peaceful losers.

Congress and the President of the United States wanted the approvals in place in case a foreign government attempted to occupy that Southern frontier.

Meanwhile, in the area, the Spanish as an ally to France had taken the territory from the British as part of the Revolutionary War.

However, the Spanish still held control of the area in 1811.

Even then, people from the newly formed United States moved south in large numbers along with people from Spain coming to colonize the land.

As more people moved there, the area became American rather than Spanish.

As a result of the 1811 secret proceedings, a few U.S. military expeditions traveled into the territory—some official, some unofficial.

In 1821, without significant force, the Spanish ceded Florida to the United States under the Adams-Onís Treaty

Was the secret Congressional act necessary? Maybe, maybe not…

We remember those efforts of the early nineteenth century to pull that Southern frontier, called Florida, into the territory of the United States.

The Congress Commemorative Half Dollar Coin shows against a beautiful Florida sunset.

Congress Commemorative Half Dollar Coin