Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-05-16

w" @-sN,''Sii W ShtiiciJ 10 part WIKI IL. |
whether, IN the las, case, She receives !
an equivalent, must rest exclusively with |,
her ~ Judge. Il the present instance,
II be true that France has control over
her, whence can this influence arise but
from the greal Importance TO her of the
protecting arm OF France and whether
she pays for this In money drawn from
her own mines, or from purchase made
by as, is altogether imma,erial. We are
bound to pursue our interests. Let her
pursue hers.
w. France mas been represented as
having ihreatened US with war in case we
engaged in hosti.,ies with Spain; and
this allegation is sci forth n,he shape of
an argument against any further negocia.
ton with Spain, which it is ccntended,
would, under such circumstances, be in
the highest degree humiliating. Under
what circumstances the allsdged threat
was made, or whether il was unqualified,
we are not informed. We have, however,
no hesitation in ayerring that no such.
threat has been made by France, and in
saying that svhaf has been distorted INFO a
fhreGt zras nothing more than candid ans.
7ver IF me Frc,,ch government 70 an altfi-
cotion from OR seiVes az TO srhaf she NIGH
do, in case Of a sOar between the United
States and Shain; which we knew before
as necessarily resulting from her treaty
with Spain. BY that treaty we find, after
laying down, generally, the assistance
which each government shall have a righl
TO demand from the other, the following
conclusive stipulation, which is soapplica
biz az 10 seem 20 have been provided for
tie present case.
The required power shall likewise
Furnish. on The demand Of the requiring
power, within the tenn Of three months
from the requisition, eighteen thousand
iaiantryi and six thousand cavalry, with
propotlionable Train OF artillery, 10 be en-
1'loged solely in Enrote, or in defence oJrthe
coio'ies, which The contracting ho7vera has.
SEES in The gugfsf g1crico."
When then The question was put 20 the
minister of France, If the u. States O 10
war with Spain, what part will you take,
VIVA, other reply could he make, Than thai
a war with the one power would produce
war with both. Ii was q question " bich
need not have been asked but being out,
The answer given, SO far from being
threat, was the only answer which could
with sincerity, have been rendered. II
announced the truth, and nothing but The
iiult, IN style neither arrogant nor of
fensive.
V. a distinguished member of the exc.
cu'ive government, has been charged with
having made an application to the Sesre
taty ct The reasary Tor money TO aid in
The hegocio,,on for the purchase Of the
FioIidas, PREVIOUS TO any appropriation
having been made for this PURPOSE hy
Congress.
inns is indeed serious charge. Were
ittrue, it would have become the repre-.
senialives oil The people, The guardians Of
The national treasure, 10 have instituted a
rigid enquiry. We will not undertake TO
say ihat there are not cases in which i,
would not be the duty Of the executive 20
lay his hand, wiIhou, Z legislative sanS,i.
on, on every dollar in The treasury. Such
cases not only may exist, but actually
have occurred. They are, however, such
as lavolve the dearest interests of the
country, and they can only spring fiom
III jse great and critical emergencies in
which deep and impending evils are rea.
dy unless averted by immediate and de
cisive measures, TO burst with destructive
fury on communities. no one will pre-.
tend 70 say that the Florida purchase was
OF THIS description. Blu, is Tie charge
tfuef Let any man read the following ex-
tracts from The journals of The House of
Representatives, aud Judge for himself.
The charge was made-~w when Mr..
Jackson offered the following resolution,
which was agreed TO:
Feso!ped, 'rha, tbs secretary of the
treasury be reqae,trd 10 Communicate to
this House an N.loimaiion which he may
possess ~ relation 20 an application said
70 hege been made TO draw money from
the treasury f0rihe purchase ofihe Flo
r'das before an appropriation made by
law for that purpose.
few days afterwards the following
3eiter was received from the secretary Of
the treasury:
SIR, .1 snr1 IS. sos.
In answer to The request con AIMED
in the resolution OF the House Of Repre-.
sentalises Of the stb instant, I have he
honor respectfully to state, that ano an
Piica,ion has ben rnade TO draw money