Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1803-12-24

Touiaaa1.--Ine rneaiureS or our gov
eminent connected with the acquilition OF
LouiGana, feems now to arrea the atten-
ton of every politician, and every other
fvbieef, even the alteration or an I'M
portant feature of the contribution,
Teens to be conGdered of minor impor-
lance when compared with the occnpa-
ton Of this newly acquired Territory.
Indeed almof every day fonlefhing new
and unexpected is tranfpiring on this head.
The affair began in myitery, and through
its whole courle, has been covered with
doabt and darknefs. But the cloudswhich
heret afore oblcured our viGon are rapidly
vanilhing,- and we have reafon TO believe
that we ihall, at lealt, have clear and
diitina view of the cloie Of this impor-
tant tranfadion.--The drama which has
70 long fixed the attention of the people
mutt ioon have an end, and we heartily
with our prelens prcfped, would jufify
US in looking for pleafng conclufion.
But if the Secretary at war is to be credit
ed, we ought to prepare ourfelves to Giten
| to the rafting of arms and the fhouts of
victory, infead of the fveets of negotiation
and the fongs of peace.-It is now decid-
ed, as will be 1een in the columns of this
paper, that 1000 men are to be aDemb!cd
and held in readiness to march at The l6ortsR
notice for the purpofe of taking poGefion
of LouiGana. And the caule aligned by
the tecretary at war for this war-ike rlea-
fure is g that there is reajon to /ujpe9 tba.
The e6Icer5 sff5e Spanj@ government at Neq.-
Orleans may decline or rsfg|s fosice pog5c
fon Of The sentry Of LmjEana, eeded to The
United States BY TIE French Republic" We
do not protels implicit confidence in the
fore6ght of our pretent governors. But
before they yentured upon 70 frong a
n,eafure as that Of rafting 1000 men, we
are bound TO fuppole that they had pow
erful and convincing realons for expect
ing op?oftion.-lt is at any rate enough
TO thew, that Spain has not afented to the
cefion, and that we have yet to fight for
what we have purchafed and purchafcd
too at theprics Of fifteen millions Of dollars!
Secretary Dearborn tells US that we have
"realon TO fulpe6t'' that fuch will be the
event, and if he is mifaken we are not to
blame for it. Let us then for moment
review the meafureS our government has
purified with relped to Louiiiana. When
a fragrant violation on the part Of Spain,
Of lolemn treaty would have fulfilled the
u(e of force TO fecure us In the ponehIon
of our rights, the horrors Of war, and the
advantages Of negotiation were depicted
in the mott glowing colors. At that time
Louifana was, as it Gill is, in the pohef-
fion of Spain, and ak the civil and militia
ry powers were exercifed under the au-
thority of the Spanilh government. It
was then iaid, and perhaps truly, that
Louihana was coded to France. But
France had not taken pofellion Of the
country, nor had he Jingle folder,
cn this continent to fubjugate or defend
it. 1t was, however, determined bv- our
government to negotiate, and with France
We did negotiate, and for 100000
of dollars. The French Republic trans
ferred her right TO the United Stat es.-
Upon the payment of this immene fun
Of money we furely had a right to expect
peaeeable Petition. But it now fcems,
that we are not to expect that act Of rigbr
or of tapOr 1--WE do not know which Mr..
JeHerfon would term it) from the 6 en-
.lightened government of France" but
mutt ourfelves ufe the necelary means to
accomplish the end.-In other words,
we mutt eonqsser Lomfana BY farce Of arms.
We would ak of every American, if
this be the cafe, what we have gained by
our negotiation with France ?-Louifiana