The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-04-14 00:00:00

DEPARTMENT or STATE. DEC. 21.

The following has been addressed to the Committee
of Foreign Relations:—
`• Sir—ln answer to the question contained in ynur
letter of the 10th, I have the h unuttr to state, for the
inforniatiJn of the Committee—

" I. That information has been received by the Go-
vernment of the. foiled States,thungli not through adirect
channel, that another motive, besides those alleged in
the letter of the Duke of San Ternado, to Mr. Forsyth,
did operate upon the Spanish Cabinet to induce the
withholding of the ratification of the treat•, namely,
the apprehension that the ratification would be i 11111 l e-
'Gately filled by the recognition of the United States
of the S►►uth American provinces.

"2. By all information which has been obtained of
the prospective views of the French and Russian Govern-
ments, in relation to the course which it was by them
thonglit probable would be pursued by the United
States, it is apparent they strongly apprehended the im-
mediate forcible occupation of the Florida, by the
United States, on the non-ratification by Spain of the
treaty within the stipulated time. France and Rlstia
have both most earnestly dissuaded us from that course,
iin -not by y regular communication, hut by friendly ad-
vice, account of its tendency to kindle a general
war, w %..-11 ;iiey friar would be the consequence of a war
heiween the United States and Spain ; that by exercis-
ing patience a little longer; by waiting at least to hear
the Minister who was announced as coming to give
and receive explanations, could not fail of obtaining
ultimately, without resort to force, the rights to which
it mita admitted we were entitled. lint measures of
violence might nut only provoke Spain to war, but would
change the state of the question between us—would ex-
hibit us to the world as aggressors. It is not expected
that in the event of a war with Spain, any European
power will openly take a part in it against the United
States; hut there is no doul,t that the principle reliance
of Spain will be upon the employment of privateers in
France and England, as well as in the East and West
Indies, and upon our own coast, under the Spanish sag,
but manned from all nations.

" 3. The inclosed copies of letters contain information
with regard to the subjects mentioned. In the month
of September, a corps of 3.01M1 men at t:veil at the Ha-
vanna'', from Spain; one-third of wh are said to hive
already fallen victims to the disease ; but we are assured
that no part of this force is intended to he employed in
Florida.

" At the time when Captain Reid left Madrid, Mr.
Forsyth had no positive information even of the ap-
pointment of the person n hi, is to come out as the Mi-
nister. Indirectly we have been assured that he might
be expected to arrive here in the course of the present
month.

(Signed)

"../onyt Qctscv Au.tms."

The opinion which we expressed yesterday, er-
-4treedllgrThe Greenock affair, has been amply cur- '
roborated by subsequent accounts. They add, in-
deed, to the magnitude of the affray, and the
fatal sacrifice of human' lives with which it has
been attended, but they show the whole to have
been a detached fact, arising out of peculiar,'
and chiefly local circumstances and feelings,
and totally unconnected, in its origin, with
the insurrectionary movements at Paisley and
Glasgow. It is, therefore, calculated to excite
more regret than alarm. It will also, no doubt,
be followed by a satisfactory investigation into
the nature and merits of the case. Had it taken
place in England, melancholy experience would
have left us but little hope of seeing an inquiry set
on foot ; for we have such clear-sighted Magis-
trates and Grand Juries Cat they discover truth
at once, without the tedious process of an in-
vestigation. But in Scotland, where the autho-
rities have eyes and ears for the people, as
well es for themselves, a different course will
be punned. They know that a denial of in-
quiry is, in almost every case, a denial gjvatiee.
They know, too, that to oppose contemptuous