Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-05-20

'eiuPiatsu Inc measure TO De carried into
effect Only in a just and legal manner, BY
iair purchase. know NO other way
IN which territory can be acquired, con.
sistent with common right abd principle.
1t was iniimaled, it is true, to US, tha, it
would be easy 10 take possession of this
country by force, and that it would be al
ways in our power to take it, whenever
we should wish to become the owners of
1t; but fot ore, l disca,m all disposition.
to wrest ehat country from its rightful
owner, without any other ground Of claim
than superior force; SO far as the coun,
try is oursb by purchase, I am disposed 20
CLAIM aud hold possession of il, but not
further.
But SUPPOSE, sir, we take possession Of
this country by force, we should moi there.
by acquire just right to it. Such a
measure Mould not be consistent with or
authorised by the law of nations. and
could vest in US no valid title. 1t was
Ter these rsasons, that considered the
only eftectual way of acquiring Just H.
tie to this country. was by entering INTO
a TAR and honorable compact for i with
Its righ,tul owner. The measure was
agreeds,o by a large majority, made by
Two thirds Of the members of this House.
1t seems@ tp he agreed by all, we ought
to acquire this country, and the principal
question was, how shall We get it, or
what shall Se give for it! was, sir, of
opinion, lhatsit would be best to give mo.
ney Tor 1t, that we should in this way get
cheaper than by rcsorling 10 any other
means. That it was much cheepcr to
pay tor 1t with money, than with the
blood OF our citizens. considered tina,
The land wauld repay, and more than re
pay US Tor the purchase noney-and tia,
the additional revenue we shor,d acquire,
wonid give us still further Compensate
o" Tor our trouble, and advance made in
acquiring the country.
| proposition was offered abont the
same time, TO exchange territory TO the
west OF the Mississippi for The Floridas.
! was decidedly opposed to that PROPOSE
sion' lprotcsted agains, it then, and Shall
ever oppose il.
! conceived it contrary 10 the consii,u.
tional right Of TIE people at large Tia,
Congress should ,ssrme the power Of
wing away, or disposing of single ac5c
OF our territory 20 foreign nation.
considered that Sle territory in question
j rs part OF The union, and if so, that W.
might as We'll attempt TO give away a
| part ola state. considered this as rs
taoiishing principle Of most DANCE.
rous KIND. which might in time lead 20 6
dismemoerment of the union.
II you can dir pdse Of this territory, n
foreign powef, you can of part or the
whole OF state. You mag transfer, a,
one time, position Of Country to tie east
ana at another portion to the south as
well as to the west--and by this means, a
designing majority would be enabled. 81
apprehensve OF rivalship in power or in.
thuence, from the increasing population OF
auy part OF your country, 10 ro.ssld OF. the
union al pleasure, SO as 10 sui, their own
particular vitws, did, therefore, call ND
on ms House to guard agains, sccl, dan.
gerous consequences. / also cop.iders..l
that the coan,ry in question would be set
ted by people OF some nation. prefer.
rec u should be possessed by those OF
the limited States, and their ,,osterity
tnrever--thst they might fcrs, ha, one
great family FROM the Atlantic to the Pa.
CHIC ocsan--aud / did not wish on the
contrary, TO enable the subjects of f.
reign nation to increase aud strengthen
themselves in our ueighborbocA, who
might at some future day, not yefv Dis.
tani, become our rivals AID cur enemies.
IL was observed that Mis- money, would
so TO France. /, wa, then stated, and il
has been repeated, that there was n,.
thing to authorize the belief that France
was to get this money from us. I,i,true
it was well knoWn, If we believe thu oub.
lie prints, that France had 90, monev
from Spain; that Spain previous to beinr
engaged "a the present war as the .lly Of
France, had to purchase her neutrality
from France, with money, ard that the
treasury OF Spain was in great degree
s'ie treasury of France. And SUPPOSE
this to be the case, what have we to do
with itf Are we TO constitute ourselves
the guardians of The Spanish treasury
Is it material 10 US what Spain does with
the money after she geisi,. And ifSpsir
consults France who is her ally, with re.
gard to the sale, has she not right TO dc
il Has she not a right 10 be as submis,
slyc TO France as she pleases? WouIt
that be any objection to our acquiring III,
country from spain can zee no ob;ec