The Louisiana Constition, adopted on January 22, 1812, did not include the Florida parishes within its boundaries:
We, the Representatives of the People of all that part of the Territory or country ceded under the name of Louisiana, by the treaty made at Paris, on the 30th day of April 1803, between the United States and France, contained in the following limits, to wit; beginning at the mouth of the river Sabine, ‘thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of said river, including all its islands, to the thirty second degree of latitude—thence due north to the Northernmost part of the thirty third degree of north latitude—thence along the said parallel of latitude to the river Mississippi— thence down the said river to the river Iberville, and from thence along the middle of the said river and lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico—thence bounded by the said Gulf to the place of beginning, including all Islands within three leagues of the coast—in Convention Assembled by virtue of an act of Congress, entitled “an act to enable the people of the Territory of Orleans to form a constitution and State government and for the admission of said State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purpose :“ In order to secure to all the citizens thereof the enjoyment of the right of Life, Liberty and property, do ordain and establish the following constitution or form of government, and do mutually agree with each other to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the name of the State of Louisiana.
On April 14, 1812, the U.S. Congress passed an act that gave the land between the Mississippi River and the Pearl River to Louisiana, if it wanted it.
On April 30, 1812, the Territory of Orleans became the State of Louisiana and the eighteenth U.S. state.
On August 4, 1812, Louisiana legislature passed a resolution which accepted the territory between the Mississippi and Pearl Rivers as part of Louisiana.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana in General Assembly convened, That whereas the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, by an act entitled "An act to enlarge the limits of the State of Louisiana," have provided, that in case the Legislature of the State of Louisiana shall consent thereto, all that tract of country comprehended within the following bounds, to wit : beginning at the junction of the lberville with the river Mississippi ; thence along the middle of the Iberville, the river Amit [sic], and of the lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the mouth of the Pearl river ; thence up the eastern branch of Pearl River to the 31st degree of north latitude ; thence along the said degree of latitude to the river Mississippi ; thence down the said river to the place of beginning ;--shall become and form a part of the state of Louisiana, and be subject to the Constitution and Laws thereof in the same manner and for all intents and purposes, as if it had been included within the original boundaries of said State.
(The Iberville was also known as the Manchac river or Bayou Manchac)
image of the Constitution of Louisiana
text of the Constitution of Louisiana
Congressional Act of April 14, 1812