He was the intimate friend of Daniel Clark, who was the first
Territorial representative in Congress; and it has been supposed that,
through the instrumentality of Clark, the Government declined pursuing
the claim against him. He first emerged to public view in a contest
with Mr. Jefferson relative to the batture property in the city of New
Orleans. Livingston had purchased a property above Canal Street, and
claimed all the batture between his property and the river as riparian
proprietor. This was contested by Mr. Jefferson as President of the
United States. He claimed this as public land belonging to the United
States under the treaty of purchase. The question was very ably argued
by both parties; but the title to this immensely valuable property
remained unsettled for many years after the death of both Jefferson
and Livingston, and finally was decreed by the Supreme Court of the
United States to belong to the city of New Orleans.
When, during the invasion of New Orleans by the English forces in the
war of 1812 and '15, General Jackson came to its defence, Livingston
volunteered as one of his aids, and rendered distinguished services to
Jackson and the country in that memorable affair, the battle of New
Orleans.
Pages:
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877