The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-17

formation, becaufe he could MOI be certain that
ms court would, after fuch an interval. have ia
tiled ii IN its turn. The Spaniih cotirt rh-re-
tore, Claims IN extenion of the tern, which is
to eIapie before the meeting Of The ccmmifion-
ers. This claim may probably be made with
iome ihow of juitce, and might he conceded
without very great injury. Rather than endan-
ser the peace of the two countries, II might De T..
haps be polite TO allow them a certain term.
This might be ehiinated to be equal TO that pc
rod, which the Spaniih court would have fayed
had no procratlnation taken place that is, had
the fenate ratified the convention in 1908 s.
s.. There can be little doubt however, that
the fate OF this convention has been compleatly
dependant upon the other queftion in this nepo
citation. Had no difference ariien aboutthe bonn
DIARIES of Louifiana, it is very probable that
SPAN would ratify the convention even uozu,
with the fame readiness which they exhibited
when 1t was originally made, or which thew
would have flown had it been ratified az fri by
the fenate of the United States At that time
there was no difference about Louiiiana, and if
there was none at the prefent time, there would
De as little difficulty in ratfying the convention.
1t is then in the adiuitment of the E. boundary
OF Louillana, that we are to feek for the trlle
motive OF their refufal 70 ratfy this convention;
and that we are to dilcover in fa6t the active
ipring OF the negotiation and difference between
the two countries.
Are we then perfectly fatsked that uitice is
bere on our fde? Is it absolutely certain that
the Rio Perdido, according to the mott liberal
contribution OF the treaty, is the eaferu bounda-
ry OF Louiiana Have the Spaniards no rea-
ION to adopt the contrary opinion Have we
none to doubt the truth Of our own?
In defining the extent of Louiiiana, the treaty
employs not more fpecific terms than "the fame
extent that it now has in the hands of Spain, and
that 1t had when France pofiefIed it, sc. Is
1T certain that tbefe two deicriptions are precif
iy hmilar! Was LouiGana the fame in the hands
or SPAN as 1t was in the hands of France? To
determine the extent of LouiGana as it was in
the hands of Spain, we mutt refer TO the inter-
nal Jur'idiction of that country. Is it not fact
that although the Zip of land from the Milf
hPpI to the Perdido river, was under the filper-
lntendance of the Governor OF n. Orleans vet
that be had two titles on this account :" Cover
nor OF Louihana and Wet Florida 20 Is it not a
fact, that we ourfeves in Cd art of the treaty of
San Lorenzo fpeak of the &c Spanfh colonies OF E.
& w.Florida"? 1.-THE court of Madrid believes with
fome reafon that thefe two descriptions in the
treaty are inconitent with each other, that
LouiiIana IN her own hands and in the hands of
France, were not the fame has Che no right to
be heard In the vindication of her claims?
Would it not be better to come to fome terms of
comPromiie! Suppofe the United States would
give up the tract ofland from the Mobile to the
fSrdldo, would not her own interefts be fecured
q Spain be fatished Whether Spain would be
iatsfed, is uncertain, but certain it is, that our
own interefs would be Nightly injured by fuch
a facrlce! We ihould obtain the navigation of
the Mobile for the weftern country, and flip
on the Tea coat. AS to the land tlelf it is fam
dy, ferile, and fcarcely worth contending for.
fetflIppofe Spain torcject this proportion
Is there no other which we can offer? Cannot
we exchange part of the weitern fecti n of
LouliiSna for f. and w. Florida and fink bv
this transfer all the claims of Spain to any part
of Florida We might thus obtain fca-coaft,
fronting the prnci al ports in the w. Indies aud
bordering on the track of our navigation to N.
Orleans. Mean time we ihould keep in our hands
the weftern banks of the Mfifiippi; and we
ihould enjoy the navigation of that river, with
out the eXpence of creating and maintaining on
Its caitern banks, chain of forts and large
detachment of troops.
propofe this problem therefore, g. propof.
1t with that dIfidence, which fuits nv ieno-
rance of the fubie6t. Are there not flifficient
materials in theie relative ituations to remove
all our differences and erect fold fabric of &C.
commodation with the court of Madrid /?
Died-On Tuefday Taft, at Woodvill-, near
this town, in the 65th year of his age, ALExAN-
ZEN w NJ Is III Inc OSdIl OF tnlS great
and good man, not only his family and thofe in
timately acquainted with him, but the commu
nifty at large have fufained heavy lofts. For fc
veral years he pra6tifed the law in this and the
neighborng counties-his uprightnefs, his ZEAL
his indefatigabie induftry in the caue of his cl-
ents, could not fail to render him both efteerned
& beloved. At the time of the ratification of the
Contribution of the United States was pending
in the feveral ftates, he ftrsnuoully advocated
the adoption of that inftrument. After its a.
doption he was elected to repreient this difr6t
in the LIT and Cd Congrefs--Here his abilities as
itateiman were eminently difinguifbed. The
fprit of the contribution was his polar tar, which
he always kept in view, and defended with
manly eloqlence againR all medtated encroach-
ments. He was afterwards appointed by our
late illuttrious chief, General Wilmington, who
knew juftly how to appreciate his merits, one
or the Board of Commliioners of the CITY of
Wilmington, in which ftation he continued I'M
til, under the preftut administration, the Board
was abolithed. AS private citizen his charac-
ter food high in the eftmation of all who en-
Joyed the pleafure Of his acquantance--He was
affabe, mild and engaging in his manners, fin
cere in his friendfhip, charitable, pious without
ofteBtation, and man of ftrict probity and ho-
nor--But, alas he is gone to that bourne from
whence no traveller returns.--EI nckefer GAG.
FIRE