The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-07
].


mate caufe was the ornaments which had take,
p'ace IN the Spanih ports, and the rerria of the
opaniil' government TO explain to MS certain
points refpecting which we had right 70 de.
nand full and satisfactory explanation. II
was not denied, but on the contrary exprcfsly
admitted by the gentleman on the o.her ftle,
that the treaty of ST. Ildephonio furn;lhed an
unqusitionable ground of war, and how was
mat ground affected by any thing that had oc..
Cured iince? To afcertain this II became ne.
eceiary to inquire firft, whether that ground had
been weakened or abandoned by anv mark of
appreciation, or acquicicence on our part in the
terms of that treaty? Secondly. whether any
agreement had taken place to fufpend the ex.
erc''e OF our right to 70 10 war, aud what were
tAe conditions Of fuch agreement? Thirdly, if
.uch agreement exi!ted, whether is conditions
mao been vicaied; and, il 70, what was the cx-
p!anation required and received in conIedncncc
OF 'nch violation ! That the treaty of St. u
dsphonio was rs unambiguouily as words could
express an otferive treaty, he thought, could
not be queiticned for moment. Tn The hiit,,rv
OF diplomacy he never heard of any thing more
explicitly binding both the contracting psrt;es
to an unconditional offentiye co-operstion. II
was, IN fact, rnuS more Deceive thar. the fs,ni-
~ compact-for, according to tie s.h article,
II precluded the party requiring the execution
OF the treaty from any right whatever, even To
inquire as to the c7ute or Object Of the wa.
winch called for the execution Of this treaty,
IL therefore clearly formed j-f ca4f. Of war,
bnt then there was difference between the ey.
itcnce OF capie of w., and rcfclution 10 90
to war (; and TO this difference we attended. IF
we retoved on war, our right 70 commence IL
a%ainit Spain was unimpea chable the moment
our hoitiiity with France began, without any
previous declaration whatever. For there could
ne no equitable obligation on us 10 give anv no.
t1 he n,
winch was from that period virtually in a fate
OF hoitility with u.s. If it were otherwile the
aqanih government, and that of France al!o,
would have had an advantage over ue. Such
was our right at the commencement of the
French war, and that right he could not cor.
ceive to be in the leaf degree affected by the.
judiciary treaty between France and Spain.
nat treaty, which was quite matter of ar
rangement and communication between the par
ties, left us upon the fame footing as before.
Stili, however, we declined to exert our rights,
becauie we were refraiued by motives of poll
cy from iuch eXertion. We did not with TO 90
to war with Spain. We did not feel Spaniif
war to be defirable. Therefore, although VIC
telt great doubts Of the pofIibiiity that Spain
Sou.d pre:erve complete neutrality with rs
while we were engaged in war with France vet
we determined 10 make the experiment. This
experiment nanifrftrd the hs.ncvo!ence OF on
government even though the profpe6t of fuckis
to DE derived from experience of the fohnev
cononct OF spain was not at all encomagJg. I.
had, indeed, been matter of great tiouhyamoug
our itateimen whether, iince the fanny com.
pact Spain could, after the COMMENCEMENT Of
war, between this country and Pance, long
continue neutral; and arother/very natural
doubt arofe out OF this. wheiAerfve iilould leave
TO France the choice OF the pe,;5d when it would
fut her nterei} bca to put IN end TO flat neu
tra!Ity, or choofe that perod which might be
mott favourable TO our ON views.
In the war OF 1873 arprobabiIitie: concnrred
in inducing our minjFrs 10 fippofe that Spa;n
would not join witkfrance againft us; but vet,
although fuch iuDfion againf the paIpable in
terefts of Spain,f did take place, and Miniters
were ceniureJYfy the Members of oppoftiou
for being 70 Iind as TO entertain for moment ,
a contrary ~ ulation. Still this was a calcnla.
ton Of thfame nature as that which the mem.
bcrs Of tf Pref-nt oppoftion would urge the
prcfentmnifers to Perfift in, notwthn3ndine
the apered circumstances Of Spain and ths ma
teris' difeence between the obligations of the
fapi!y conpast & that ofthe treaty of Idepbon.
IT, Ghs'encn had obferved that innruttiona
dhtinct and Deceive had not beea
fent.o our Anbafador at Madrid, with rsfpect
tone conduct that be Mould purfre upon re-.
lving an anfwer to the application he was ii.
ected 10 MAKE to the Spaniih government az
IT'S intention respecting the execution of this
rea'y. But he could conceive nothing more
nfonnded than that obfervation. Mr. Frerc
'as 'nitructed to ak the SpaniG minifrv.
,he'her they meant to execute the ok!irations
!, the treaty OF ildepbonfo, Ct to what extent
ne aniwcr he fhould receive, he was 10 tarnE.
III to this court, without delivering anv onini-
= TO the Spanih Mininer, as to the refolu.io,
men orr government might be likely to take
pom inch anfwer. la zach inftructions there
as nothing hngulaa on the contrary, moth.
g was more common than TO prefcribe flcb a
onduct to hmba6adors. lie recolIeGed one
hndred initances of fmilar letters. To forbid
re Arbitrator from forming any decillon un-
2 the anfwer he might receive, could NOT he
ia to be injudicious for the condn9 proner
DC Purlued upon fiich anfwer mutt denend
pom Observation-Disclosures, of which poy-rn.
ent would be moG competent to Judge. and
ereiore government was right in rer.rvin- m
lie diciiion oftbat fubte6t. In f7et
x lnitruciions fent to our Ambanador At M
nd, were precilely fmiiar to thofe forwarded
Mr.. Frere. When that ambafador tvqqdi.
eted to apply TO the Court of Spain for an
pl1nation Of the family compaa his order WIS
make no comment on the explanation he
'ght receive, bat to tranfmit il immediate,,.
th's Court-and yet Lcrd Egrenoht, who
We thoie orders, was never pronounced an in
n , or unwite S'atefnan. Many other rre.