Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-12-09
Head quarter, Of the army Of the United
States
Natchitoches, Sept. "a, 1906.

SIR,
] After the recent communications whic
/ have passed between his exce!lency govei
nor Herrara, colonel Gushing and governo
Claiborne, and his reiterated repulsion O
their reasonable and rightful demands !;
will confess TO your excelIency that nough
bus the very high and solemn obligation
| which / owe 70 humanity, could vanquis'
/ the repugoauce with which now have tht
honor 10 address you, on q topic profound
! ~ interesting to our respective nations, in
asmuch as 1t may involve question @
peace or war.
The differences of opinion which have
/ prevailed, concerning the contested limit.
OF Louisiana, having been submitted 10 a.
mieable negotiation by our respective sove
re'gns; the aPPea! to ra;iona! enquiry is an
admission of the dubiosiiy OF she right, and
therefore should prevent any change of mi.
| lisary positions, postersor 10 the delivery
of the province of Louisiana TO the United
States.
The government of'he American union,
founded inrigh;, aud conducted by reason,
| has been instructed by the history of other
times, how 70 valse he blessings Of peace /;
and Being unambisious of conquest or mill.
tary fame, is DESTROYS 60 preserve fair &
friendly understanding With all the powers
of she earth
Thus clrcumstancrd, and under daily ex.
pectaslon of a favorable issue TO the depend,
Jog nsgoclayions, it would mark sanguina,
ry spirit, and be most ungracious and
unwarransabie deed, were the military eff
GERS Of either government by an ACT Of pre-.
cipiiancy, TO Illustrate the benevolent views
OF pac!ilc discussion; and make way for
ne commencen OF hossilities, whose f.
nal ISSUE may bafhs human foresight, but
whose pyob bic consequences would BE-
scenes OF revout on end bloodshed, Often
sive TO humanity, and subvcrsive of the
general policy Of nations
10 tbs state Of things | am ready TO
pledge myself thar pending the oeeocia.ions
OF the swo, COUNTLESS. nothing SHALL be az.
tempted against MS catholic naj4sty's sub
Jects or territories by the troops under nv
command unless his officers should a..
tempt, as they haze already done, 10 limo.
vate the 'sta,u quo" at the surrender Of
the proviace, By occupying new ground.
or erecting new posts, or unless they should
trespass On the righ,s of the citizeas, or vi.
olaie the Sovereignty ct these states the
former conduct will compel counter movs-
menes and occopancies, aud The latter will
not only justify recria,ination, but will in
faiubty excite il; aud thus hoslili:ies may
be produced, Notwithstanding the peaceful
dispositions OF the high powers, TO whom
we are respectively accountable.
When the troops of the Unled States
took possession of this post, the Spanish
commandant, from whom It was reccived
did not de fac the limits of his jurisdiction;
yet it was notorious that Nacogdoehcs
formed the barrier post OF the approximate
province OF Fexas. Il was kaawa also tina,
controversies had existed between France
and SPAN. respecting the western Limits oil
| monsieur Laussatt, the French commas.
| soner, who delivered the province to the
United States, that the professions o
| France went SO far west as the Rio de
| Noue. But we were cot infor med tina, an,
/ line of denmark alton had ever been trace
! 60 partition these provinces.
] Whether such line of territorial iuris
| dicsien mad ever been established or not
been the provinces of Louisiana and Tex
as, one had been rendered Indispensable b.
the sale of the former 10 the II. States
for the administration of justice, the secu
rlty OF properly, aud the prevention 0
hostile collisions and these states witt
professions far more extensive, adopte,
!, the Sabine river as he most obvious, mos
convenient, mos, material and least excep
ltlonaose temporary boundary.
am therefore, sir, commanded by til
= taresidenf Of rhs Efnitaa G4.t.a