Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-11-16
From the Boston Rebertory.

The question of the reception of Mr.. o.
mis- as representative of the Spanish provi-
sional government, appears to US really to
be attended with perplexlng circumstances.
We must confess That we cannot See the ar.
guments in favor of. his being recognised
by our government in so strong alight, as
some of our friends. While there was any
probability that Spain could or would main
tain her independence against the usurper,
we owed, both on the scale of gratitude and
as "a nation concerned in the great cause of
the freedom of nations, all the aid and coun-
tenance,wc could bestow. But if it is mo.
rally certain the government from which
Mr.. Onis derives his Official character will
soon be swept away, do what you please in
its favor, what can be the great advantage
of forming connections which must be bat
momentaIy. 1t is said the colonies of
Spain, which will disdain Ito submit
to the tvrant, will consider the refusal to re-
ceive Mr.. 0nis as an afron:, and that our
property within their jurisdiction may be
endangered. We canno. pretend to predict
as to their measures but we do not see
under existing prospects of the mother
country, that such construction can iairly
be insisted upon. The colonies it is certain
may, if they choose, remain perfectly Sin-
dependent of Bonaparte. If they declare
!, independence or attach themselves to any
other government, and we recognise them
in the character they may choose, what
@more can they can require
But as we have already observed, this is
question of complicated nature. We
do not venture to offer decided opni on as
to the course that ought to be pursued; nor
do we see the coEclusiveness OF the reasons
which have been offered in favor of recog-
nizing minis:erfrom the Seville Junta.
The above was in type for last Fridays
Repeltory, before we knew what policyNlr.
Madison would adopt and we-cannct yet
see that his declining to receive MIR. Onis
is unjustifab,e, or that the Spanish colonies
can, with propriety, consider tia cause OF
offence. 1t as not improbable that were
Mr. Onis Row to embark tor Spain he
would fad the government by which he
was commissioned destroyed. The most
active in the struggle, if any have conducted
so as to deserve that character, will undoubt-
e,.ly emigrate to South America. which in
all probability will declare itself independ- /
ent, and may remain SO i'll spite of the con-
,uueror and despot of Europe. # South
America, should send minister to the U. I
States, we trust an acknowledgement of
their independence, recognition of their
representative, and disposition to establish
friendly intercourse would be the eonse-
quence.
Ifduring, the American revolution, the
patriots of the confederated states had ma
infested general apathy to the cause OF in
dependence, orbut q few sections displayed
the zeal and +valer-o men determined to
conquer.ov die; ifw he'd left the French |
to sustain the brunt OF the battle, and suffer.
ed themto s,arve or embark for. Europe and
leave US to our fate-if by such conduct we
had rendered cur cause, to all human APP
pearance, forlorn and hopeless, would Spain,
Holland or any other kurepeanpower have
thought it polite, or incumbent on them, to
receive ministers from s We believe not.
1T may be our view ithis subject is in
correct butt appearsto us, while we keep |
up friendly commercial intercourse with |
the free part of Spain, and in this way do
them all the positive good in our power,
that undertheir present circumstances they
can insist onno more and that the non.re-
ception of Mr.. Onis offers no barrier to
good and friendly understanding with the
future independent empires of Spanish South
America, Cuba, or Mexico, as soon as they
assume that character.
-:@:-
NNnON Dot,I..