Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-06-25


had SO much control over. her councils,
that she could not exercise free will
They laid hold of an expression which
had been used in unofficial conversation
by an eminent member OF the executive
branch of the government, that i, appear
ed To him France discouraged an accom-.
mediation Of the differences between us
and Spain, with the view to produce ano-
Their purchase of territory for the benefit
OF their joint Golfers. They. pronounced
that France had dishonorable views'of OBJ
taining money At the expense C. Spain,
and that the proposition 10 purchase was
an ignom,nious concurrence with those
views on our part, productivity the threats
OF that power. This last ASSERTION is
founded solely on civihand candid answer
given by the French minister oil foreign
affairs 10 question of serious interest, put
10 him by our ambassador at Paris; whe,
Their France would take part in the war, in
case OF hostilities between the Sni,ed
States and Spain; 10 which the reply was
that she would OF course give aid to spain.
Merely an avowal thzt q connection as in
Innate exists al present between the two
nations as that OF the ancient family com
pacl, through the force OF which and its
effects upon other powers, Spain was bro't
in along with France 10 orr aid in the
struggle for our independence. a simple
confession, which could not at the time
have worn The aspect Of menace, because
expressions Of regret at Inc serious APP.
pearance of the differences between Spain
and the United S.aies, the sincerity of
which there was no sure reason TO doubt,
had been previously used. But the sound
est judgment, the BEE understanding, and
the most Ingenious moral disposition may
not always guard warm aud quick tenn.
pers in the glow of ardent debates, agains,
precipisancy and Inconsistency. against
unsouDd views or unyarrauted differences
and constructions. They suggested that
we should pay our money upon risk,
for the title made By Spain, under the in
huence of France, might on favorable
occasion be revoked by Me former power,
when her government fal into the hands
ct other men. Tkatit Us p sacrifice OF
our future rspose as well as cur honor to
escape present dfhcuIty.
They did not succeed, however, in com.
munlcal'ng their punctilious sentiments
to-lhe majority of the house. Z he men,
bers composing it could not understand
why, as France was bound to Join in the
war on the part of Spain, if The affair
came to that issue, she E,ight not with pro-
priety use the influence over her councils
which naturally arose out Of that oblieati-
on, 10 procure measures which would "a
vert war. They could notsee how under
such circumstances, the title made TO US
by Spain would be rendered que tionabe
by the exercise of that influence. They
would not admit that we had right to
take into consideration the probable APP
pllcalion Of the money by Spain, after she
had given us her receipt for it. They
would not concur in the unjust suspicion
that it would be employed for infamous
purposes at Paris, and that there was
probability Of its being dsSipsted there,
without attaining the end contemplated.
They persisted in thinking that it we
could get our elst rights established, pro.
cure territory OF great Importance 10 us,
and secure peace at the same time by
making a regular purchase Of East Flori.
da at liberia, price, although it might be
afterwards said something had been allow
ed TO ex,iDguish the claims of Spain upon
West Florida, and part of south western
Louisiana, yet that the peace not only
could not be an ignominious one, but that
the termination OF the dispute would be
entirely honorable and satisfactory. They
saw no humiliation 10 their country in of.
fering to France and Spain combined, the
alternative of assured peace and a gene
rous price for Florida, or in the manifest
risk, from inevitable collisions Of war,
with its certain consequences, the inva-
sion Of Mexico and Cuba. Two millions
of dollars were appropriated and put into
the hands of the executive, without an ex-
press declaration Of the obleG intended,
which could have had no other efFeet than
to shew a want Of confidence in the wis.
dom, purity and disposition of tn. chief
magistrate to promote the views of the le.
gislature, which did not exist except in
the breasts of small minority.
a resolution was exported from the
house, expressive of an opinion, that an
exchange OF territory was the most eIigi-
bic mode Of settling the dispute about
boundaries. But this was a nugaiory dc.
cIaraiion, for Spain had already rejected
aliberaI Offer Of that kind, upon the ground