The National Register.
London, England, 1818-09-07 00:00:00

'3512.—V0L.

roi.rricAL insQurscrioN.

ON Tar. smzurt.: of Tar. rLotams.

. AMONG the vavious arguments broog!:t forward ou
...7fit• cf tl-.3 seizure of Pensacola by Itannibal the
Cheat, (which was attacked by hi.le as Saguntum was
by the lesser' Hannibal), during a period of profaned
race, it is stations that the 11epaLlicans have already
abjndoned the pretests as which they attempted to
justify that owrage, and are satin led, at length, with
boasting of the advantages which may result from it.
One patriot (a tr.e!nbcr possibly of the New Cartha-
ginian staa) tells us, that the Floridas are usefirl to-
wards itrengthedin;; the southern frontier; ancrthem—
fore they must be -retained. Another says, that Florida
abounds in live oak, Which has become rather acarce
in.nt2ro northern emu:tries ; and therefore ",sve• must ,
keep the Flaridas," A third supposes it " not impro-
bable'' that the British may hold Haven-nab ; and
sive Pensacola would afford, in ewe of hostilities, a
coonnaskiing harbour, the Ploritlas ought - not to be
given up. A fourth honest 'get:than:ln acknowlei.r.gcs
hirfraok belief t the Spanish provinces were wrong-
fully laid hold of , but, faith he, " since the blow bus
t
been struck," thgKeoveraase. nt must trot shrink from
its own actions ; the peopla wish fur the Floridas, and
" they must not be surrendered." Is point of morality,
and in point of logic, we have seldom had the good
fortune to sweet a parallel fur this; nor do we conceive
that its falllow 4oulit be found in any school of practical
reasmient, except stlck 'as emigrate periodically front
the Rivet:Thames ta the tasters, shores of -New Mt-
luid. Are the Republicans aware that every total.

deration which they have urged in favour of retainitig
the Spanish provinces, becomes an eistally
for able ruo-
tivb with other ssations forcompelling the U'llittal States
.i
to restore them? 'flag f the pissil)le cotititccire.y of
war with England be r.saf&deirt rtratinn for strength-
sting the southern frontier L-for plundering from Spain
trlpply of ship tim.lrey—"or obtaining against Gre.tt
Uritaiu a comnian,ling port—the same contingency is
an argument of precisely the same value in the eyes of
the people thus men aced in tliov itions of repithl ican states-
men, for peeve sting that accession of frontier strength ; '
for tiithlsoldi::.; that su,pply of all-conquering live cols ;
and for wresting from North America that commanding
port. The dechiration, that liccaime the offence hts been
committed, it must be maintained ; because the goods
stolen are of high price, the rubbery must be defended ;
and bemuse the Giver:inn:it has been guilty of an
cerage. it-becomes a d aty hteld of repairing, to per-
s'st in it f--Jleally the notions of right ana wrong
which must prevail where such doctrines and principles
ars circulated, would have acme better title to tho ad-
.l.irationof Englishmen, if they dill hot betray w stror.g
a resemblance to twat system r.f ethics so long estah-
...led at Netvgate. "l'he fridon of whole, ale rebbcry
I.- eras accorlin!Jy to tlnive in all prts of North Ante-
r:ea. Lefevre Desiinacvc:;, and his cGrps of ‘• honour-
ti'lle" exiles, actuated, w prestune, by the double all-
Irelus of ol,i prepensitier, and recent ensinple, have
ized a L',litairia/, a proyinen to themselves—the pro-
•:pee of Texas, namely—which., as it happens to be
eluimetl at, cneo by the Spanish (.i:.a crnnse it and the
I Trited States, Messrs. T),!onmettes awl Co. pronounce.
t. he the property tif neither, and have thcrellire lappre-
r 4tited it to their own we&

Si%ce writingg thrnbove, we 'have rertlve,l the Arne-
rlC,4ll juu.ynals, ‘which cootain a th,conpmt that appears
trhe exposition in nabs:awe, tho,:zh not iu form,
of: the tteutiments. e:ltsetailtzt by the Washington cabi-
nu, as to 6,1 invasion uf Flaridu, pn.l the seizure of
Pensuola. It establ;,l;e t tvo rob!ttiuf ivr,x/rtance
14, 13.41 vlr of the United States, ana to the iuteresits
Gau v.! Jultrm cri;: 2. II

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