Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-10-20
Froa tie UsrrEn srArrr CAzrrrE.
DISPUTE WITH SPAIN.
NO. III.


tack. need scarcely observe thatwe could
make no impression upon her European or
South American don,inions. Visionary as
are many of or citizens ip their ideas re-
;latiye to the weakness of the SPaniards,
there can be none who would advocate at
tempts that would only create i1dlcale and
laughter-Our military operations could
not therefore, | presume, extend further
than the Floridas, and Cuba, or possibly
the romantick views of some OF our peo-
pie may, have embraced the conquest OF
Mexico. while our naval exertions must be
limited to privateering.
The force which Spain has hitherto kept
up in Florida, is sac to have been inconsi-
derable. From Cuba and Mexico, howe
yer, where larger bodies ofsroops are main
tanned, reinforcements would soon be re-
ceived, amply sufficient at least to rePel
sudden incursions-and in the event OF our
making that country, the probable scene of
action, an efficient army would doubtless
be sent thther from Europe.
As on our side we have scarcely the sha-
dow of military establishments, we should
be obliged, certainly until an army could
be raised and disciplined, to rely wholly
on the efforts of our western militia, which
could not it is believed be brought into ex-.
ertion without much greater dlhculty, and
would in reality be much less formidable
than is generally imagined.
Without referring to the constitutional
objection against sending the militia out OF
our territories, the thin and scattered po-
pulation of the westerncountry, precludes
the possibility of our being able to raise or
maintain large bodies of troops there. In
other countries, the class of men who fill
the ranks of an army, can be spared with
out injury to the public, or loss to them
selves. They seldom have any property or
the expectation ofprocuring any, are often
without employment, and are frequently
too lazy, to seek for it. Bu, in the ives
tern parts of the United States this descrip.
ton Of, persons il it exists at all, is not a
numerous one. There, almost every indi-
vidual has some p roperty or the means OF
acquiring it; he has most Frequently ia.
milv to provide for, and farm to cultivate.
However well disposed therefore he might
be, to take up arms for the defence of his
country, We, he will not be inclined to de-
sert all his objects in life, for the purpose
of eHecting a remote, perhaps an unneces-
sary conquest.
Tbs great distance too, Of those states
from Florida, whose western settlements
are most powerful, would oppose an insu-
perabie bar to their lending any efrctual as
sistance; and the country to the southwark
of Kentucky is vet in its infancy, and would
as has been shown in a preceding number,
require the concentration Of all its energies
for its own defence.
Thus. then we should 6nd it dif6cultfto
raise the force necessary for offensive ope-
rations !; but if it was raised, the mode Of
attack would present embarrassment me-
riting serious and deliberate reflection.
By land any attempt against West Flo
rida is supposed to be impracticable. We
never could dream of traversng an army
drawn from those parts of the country,
which are capable of furnishing one (espe-
cially if we were assailed by Indian hostili-
ty) over the unhealthy wiIdernesses they
must pass through, before they could reach
the enemy.
Its presumed, therefore, that the at
temp: would be made by sailing down the
Mississippi; by setting aside the expense
and delay of building boats adequate to the
Transporting large bodies OF men, and the
difficulty of navigating them in a stream
confessedly dangerous, how would our
troops be assured of safe or speedy re-
turn The current oft the Mississippi is
strong at all seasons sometimes liz is irrezz
sisiible.. and a,S ret me can it be assembled
but slowly and laboflously. Would it then