The National Register.
London, England, 1818-04-27 00:00:00

412

.NO. 533.—V0t. Xi.

POLITIC AL DISQULSITIO,N.

ON 'FIE: DISPUTE BETWEEN 2PATN AND AMEfIICA

EVERY year, we cn almost to say every rat
from our late traresaflantie possessions, affords fresh
and hapartant matter fur almost boUndlese contem-
plation, and the roost useful reflection. In a space of
time scarcely sufficient for the maturity of the intellec-
teal power of a human being, have the United States
of Araeriel riser. from the. origin of their political et-
istence, into a flourishing, State, and achieved a power
not only competent to the preservution of themselves,
bat already threatening to their neighbours, and likely
to inereasetoan extentalmost incalculable. The last mail
from America furnishes us with the official correspondence
which has taken place hetweca the ;overnments of that
country and Spain, relative to therestitutioa of those parts
of the Floridan, which were wrested front the latter
power by the former, during a period of mutual peace ;
and et rtainlyail the truth of the observations we have
jest made require the illustration of evidence, none
more positive could be adduced than this correspondence.
In defiance of every received principle in the laws of
nations, America resolutely persists in retaining the
acquisition of :ruttier she has made at the expense of
ber neighbours ; rejects, with a sneer, the propasnl of
European mediation ; and haughtily and abruptly re-
fuses to enter into further communication on the sub-
ject. The reasons assigned by Mr. Adams against the
practicability of acquiescing in the demands of Spain,
of which, however, he does not pretend to deny the
justice, is, that the territory in question being 710111 an-
nexed to the United States, by an Act of the Govern-
meat, it is become impossible again to separate them.
'l'he best that can be said of this description of argument
is, that it is laco3ic ; and in political controversy gene-
rally proves, if not the right, at least the power of the
party that makes use of it. The conduct of the Unit-
ed States in this instance, so nearly reser:Hes that of
Napoleon when in the zenith of his power, that it may
fairly be nscribed to the same source ; a consciousness
of power suilleient to maintain in practice, what in
principle might be disputed ; and thus has the terri-
tory in question bean ineorporated.:n that of the Unit-
ed States, with as little ccremury as accompeuied the
aenexation of Holland to the French Empire.
The occupation of Amelia island by the forces of
the United States form another point far discussion in
the correspondence before referred to; and, speaking
candidly, the arguments of America on this subject,
claim some respect, at least, far plausibility. Spain was
notoriously incapable of preserving either :he peace or
the possession of the island, and the parties into whose
power it had thilen, are alleged to have transgressed
time limits of neutrality, and to have caused geett
injury and interruption to the commerce of the Laited
S tates. Howeter this may be, the right of America to
the island, are et least es good as those of the parties
from whom she immediately forested it; and, admitting,
es she does, the claims of :ipain to the possession of it,
whenever the latter may be enabled tc occupy and de-
fend it, it would, under these circumstances, be uarsir
to reproach America as the aggressor in this instance.
Bet what Spein has to fear, is, that ere the period arrive
wheet she will be enabled to enthree her right by her
powem, an Act of Consress may settle the tate of this
island, as it :wears to have done that of her posses-
slims in F lorida ; and from an act of this description,
it should seem, according to the dovtrine laid down by
Mr. Adams, there can be no appeal. It is certainly
amusing to observe America keeping eloof a hit so much
primitive simplicity, from " the labyrinth of European
polities" in her official declarations, whilst is her
conduct, she is making a practical assertion of points
of which those politics, in their wildest theoretical
extent, would ecarcely admit the discussion. Gratit-