The Sun.
London, England, 1804-01-20 00:00:00

course is througli.a level country, their currents are
gentle, and the tide flows considerably above our
boundary. This circumstance, together with the
depth of water which many of them afford, ren ler
them accessible to sea vessels ; and ships of zoo t ms
burthen may ascend for several hundred miles i
-the heart of the Mississippi territory. Thesesrivers,
however, which run almost exclusively within our
own 'limits, and which it would seem as if Nature
had intended for our benefit, we must be indebted
to others for the beneficial use of, so long as the
Province of West Florida shall continue in the pos-
session of a Foreign Nation. If this Province were
of itself an independent Empire, it would be the
interest of its Government to promote the freedom
of trade, by laying open the mouths of the rivers to
all nations, this having been the policy of those
Powers who possess the mouths of the Rhine, the
Danube, the Po, and the Tagus, With some others.
Bat the system of ColOnization, which has always
heretofore prevailed; proves that the Mother Coun-
try is anxious to engross to itself the trade of its
colonies, and affords us every reason to apprehend
that Spain will nbt readily admit us to pass through
her territory, to carry on a trade either with each
other, or with foreign nations. This right. we may
insist on, and perhaps it may be "conceded to us : bUt
it is possible it may be denied. At all events, it
may prove the endless source of disagreement and
perpetual hostility.
In this respect, East Florida may not perhaps be
so important, but its acquisition is nevertheless
deemed desirable. From its junction with the State
of Georgia, at the river St. Mary's, it stretches
nearly four hundred miles into the sea, forming a
large peninsula, and has some very fine harbours.—
The Southern point, Cape Florida, is not more than
zoo miles distant from the Havannah, and the pos-
session of it mayrhe beneficial to us in relation to
our trade with the \Vest Indies. -It would likewise
Make our whole territory •compaEt; would add con-
•siderably to our coast, and by giving us the Gulph
of Mexico for our Southern Bouodary, would render
us less liable to attack, in what is now deemed the
most vulnerable part of the Union.
From the foregoing view of fads, it must be
seen, that the possession,of New Orleans and the
Flotidas, will not only be required for the convenis,
ence of the United States, but will'he demanded by_
the most impeiious necessity. The Mississippi and
irs branches, with those other rivers abeSve referred
to, drain an extent of country not less perhaps than
one-half of our whole territory, containing at this.
time one-eighth of our population, arni progressing
with a rapidity beyond the experience of any former
time, or of any other nation. The Floridss and
New Orleans command the only outlets to the sea,
and our best interests resplie, th"t we 311001 d get
possession of them. This requisition, however,
arises not from a disposition to increase our terri-
tory, for neither the Floridos nor New Orleans offer
any other inducements than their mere geographical
relation to the United States. But if vs e look for-
ward to the free use of the Mississippi, the Mobile,
the Apalachicola, and the other rivers of the Wes:,
by oursetves and our posterity, New Orleans and
• the Florida! must become a part of the United States,
either by purchase or by conquest.

The great question then which preStrits itself is,
shall we at this time lay the foundation fur future
peace, by offering a fair and equivalent considera-
tion ; or shall we hereafter incurthe hazards and
horrors of war ? The Government of the Voised
States is differently organized from any other in the
world. Its .object is the happiness of man ; its po-
licy and its interest to. pursue eight by right means.
W/a; is the great scourge of the human race, and
should never be resorted to but in cases of the most f ,
imperious necessity. A wise Government will avoid
it, when its views can be attained by peaceful
measures. Princes fight for glory ; and the blood
and treasure of their subjects is the price they _pay.
In all nations the people- bear the burden. of War ;
and in the United States the people rule. Their
representatives are the guardians of their rights, and
it is the duty of those representatives to provide
against any event which may, even at a distantdly,
involve -the interest and the happiness of the nation.
We may, indeed, have our rights restored to us by. -
Treaty ; but there is a want of fortitude in apply-
ing temporary remedies to permanent evils ; there-
by imposing on our posterity a burden which we.
ourselves ought to bear. If the purchase can be
made, we ought not' to hesitate. If the attempt
should fail, we shall have discharged an important
duty. War may be the result; but the American
nation, satisfied with our conduct, will be animated
•by one soul, and will unite all its energies in the
contest. Foreign Powers will be convinced that
it is not a War of aggrandizement on our part, and
will therefore feel no unreasonable jealousies to-
wards Ls. We shall have, proved that our objea
was justice ; it will be seen that our propositions
were fair; and it will be acknowledged that our cause
is honourable. should alliances be necessary, they
may be advantageously formed. We shall have
merited, and therefore shall possess general confi.
dence. Our meagures will stand justified not
only to ourselves and our country, but to the
world. In another point of view, perhaps, it
would be preferable to make the purchase, as it is
believed that a smaller sum would be requisite for
this object than would necessarily be expended, if
we should attecnpt to take possession of it by force ;
the expences of a war being, indeed, almost incal-
culable. The Committee have .no such information
before them, to ascertain the amount for Which
the purchase can be made ; but it is hoped, that with
the assistance of two millions of dollars in hand,
this will not be unreasonable. A similar course
was pursued for the purpose of settling our' diffe-
rences with the Regency of Algiers, 11, the..appro_
priation of one million of dollars prior to the corn-
mencement of the negotiation, and we have since
experienced its beneficial effects. Under these im-
pressions,
therefore, the Committee recommended
the adoption of the Resalution referred to them in
the following words, viz.
Resolved, That a sum of two millions of dollars,
in addition to the provision heretofOre made, be
appropriated to defray any expences which "may be
incurred in relation'to.the intercourse between the