Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-05-09
FOR THE ARGUS.
+. 4H1 PEOPLE or TEE UNITED saAr r i.

- - -. ;.>.- .ri
to THE PEOPLE or TEE UNITED srATRs.
Concerning the boundaries and cession Of
Losasiaaa, and fhs interference Of Frdnce
IL, fhe confesf a0ifh Shain. e..
!. Among the subjects which were consi-
dsred By the las: cogrsss, none claimed
more attentions. or csased more irritation
than that which related 70 the boundaries
OF Louisiana. II seems that the Spanish
government have insisted upon con,
struetion of this trea v, very different from
that which is commended for by some Amr,
ricahf.. A great deal has been said and
published upon this subject. :. The, argu;
ments on both sides have been submitted
TO public notice. and every man Who pre-
tends to be a POLITICIAN, has had an opbor-
tunity to form an opinion. .tr,,ac
:; Il is no; now intended to retrace any of
these arguments, or to. say more than may
be sufficient to shew that the writer of this
article .enieitains the .opinion,. Is that The
Forsdds urre nor comQtrehended nor intend
cd, on Me part Of Stain, 10 be cou.frehend-
cd IN The sale and eession Of Louisiana" and
even admitting that the technical words
OF the conyeysnce, or the tefms Of the
! treaty, or any accidental .misundsrstand.
ing, had included the Florids., would it be
either Just or polite TO insist. upon q bar
gain which was not understood OF intend
Ell by one, of the. contracting partiesi If
| a similar case existed between two indivi-
duals, court Of chaaCery would intx rfare,
and either declare shat the bargain should
be, or set aside the contract. AS this is a
dispute between nations, which is bound
by no other chancery than that of Heaven,
they could only resort 10 the customary
modes OF demanding, Claiming, refusing,
negotiating and fighting. The Spaniards
were in possession. They declared that
they neither had sold nor Intended to sell
the disputed country. On the other hand,
many Americans contend for opposite O.
plnions-a quarrel has succeeded and vi.
oience has boon committed.
Although this MISUNDERSTANDING, for
some time, threatened to terminate i'm war,
nothing ever appeared that the Ameri.
cans were willing to- give up the bargain,
! to take back their money, and return that
country, concerning which there was no
dispute. II is therefore reasonable 10 sup.
pose, that they preferred the country
which had been received to the price
4 which was given--nor is it now believed
that any man who dispassionately weigh,
the importance of New Orleans, and the
navigation OF the Mississippitoth the western
parts of the United States, would restore
them for the price which has been given.
IT this is q truth, upon what principles of
justice can 1t be pretended that we should
insist upon more than the opposite barty
intended to ssll--sand To receive an Adj.
tional country for which a Just considera.
ton has not been paid, Although il, such
a case, it might be justifablc for public
authorities to make use of arguments, and
TO resort 20 address for the purpose of OBJ.
tanning the additional claim, vet thew
would be unable to make atonement in
case war should be produced BY persist.
ing in the demand, and still less would
they be justified, il war should be wseed
| on that account.
II IS very well known, that there are ma
ny Americans, who would very gladly en-.
brace this or any other occasion of going
TO war with Spain, and because the pr.s;.
dent OF the United States has shewn a d;s-
inclination to this mode Of adjustment, he
has been accused of pusillanimity, of hay.
ing abandoned the real interests of his
J country, and of being unfit to hold hi,
high station. In consequence of the nuh.
lie clamor which has been excited. ,tnoo
this subject, it is said that tho minister of
the French empire has thought fit to de-
clare, that "if the United States sbouId
make war upon Spain, on this account. 4,
would be revenged by Frances" This o.
pen, frank and honorable conduct of the
minister, has also become the subieel Of
invectiye, and the president of the Unnsd
States has been accused of being awed bv
this declaration, the threat as il is called.
These and other thiogs Of importance.
induced congress TO hold secret debates,
in he course of which propositions was
brought forward to appropriate two mill.
ons Of dollars for the purpose Of purchas.
ing The Flor'dss.--There certainly was
much wisdom 10 preserving this secret m.
I'll the ss,eats who we're employed IN NAL.
J the treaty, had an opportunity to .xoc,,,.