The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-12-13

Law Of Nations to which the Fioridians ap
peal for the support of their Independence
AZ all events, Florida must one day be a
part OF the u States Nature has ordain-
ed the event -
An energetic government 4uould -
Humph
From the alexandria Daily Gazette IF No
ycMber 9
Though Florida by the Louisiana Con .
vention. was ceded TO rs as far as the river
Perdido. the Inhabitants of the Mississippi
Territory are not the people of The U. S.
nor Cnngr IS We imagine the principal
htndrance to our taking possession of West
Florida. is the Presidents foue or fear of
Bonaharte liking Joseph. claims were ou,
OF the question, me case 7oouid be different.
1t the President tanks himself unau hYrsed
To ACT, ne ought to recommend the subject to
Congress. law passed many yea,s ago,
establishing Custom House at the Mobile !;
since which We have constantly been paving
duties to the Spanish"
From The Virginia Patriot, of Nov. 1e.
That territory, yves Florida } has, many
weeks since. declared itself independent of
ITS parent country, and as it's inhabitants are
not strong enough to maintain government
by themselves, they must of course either
De incorporated with. or remain dependent
on, some other power. They are said al
ready to have signifed a wish that this
power should be the U. States. tits. more
over we'll known that the u. States have
Claims, never yet adjusted or relinquished,
upon part or the territory Of the province.
Z" With all these facts inviting their atten
ton, have our government done nothing res
pecting the province9 Have they closed
their eyes upon the opportunity thus pre-
scented them for honorably acquiring pos
Sc ssion OF so important tract of country.
Have they folded their arms in Iistless apa-
ny 30 behold England or France siehhing
IN and securing the h,1xe (Which fortune
has noTu, fierhafS for the last time, tArozur
zoifhtn omr reach !? Or has the dread of
Napoleon's frown restrained them from i'm
proving the opportunity thus afforded them
I'VE are loth 20 believe any of these SUP
positions to be facts. We Cannot think. nu
merous as the blunders are with which the
present administration are chargeabe, that
they can be so total, lost to a sense of the
true interes S of the u s. as not. long ere
this, 10 have taken some effeCtuai steps for
securing at least the friendship and depep
dence, II not the ostensble government and
control, OF the territory in question: we
cannot believe them so profoundly stupid or
so wantonly treacherous as willingly to see
an English orIa French flag waving in tri
umph aud security along the whole extent
OF our southern frontier"
Weil-here WE have it IN black g. zuhite.
bl way OF frsvious speculation, tina, the
Measure is right ; that our claim is sound
title Hne auspclous tha. an en-
erseic government 4ooutd act--,nd that
nothing would stay ne hand ut the Presi
dent, 6nt the fear or the love of F,,aace.-
w ell all these deClaI aions was it
to be erfected that any thing would be said
against i,
g Who asks that question, l. it you,
sir, VIII" hast Just risen from the perusaI of
the Oceana or the UIopiai o. is il you
SIR, who hast Witnessed the opposition eve
ry measure has met with, from The federal
lists, unless 1t favors the views 1T Bri,a,n
Is IT their praising the arrange Meut Of Ers
kline. and then their abuse If the president
for it, after its di>avowaI--is it their
support or sackson----or VITA rs 1t, sir, that
gives you such liberal ideas of the hottcy of
the fcderalistss You think these gentle
men are eeT-gagged you are m,staken-
their prints are Eels, which slip over or
under" their own solemH declarations
In few weeks, they will receive The cue !:
and the whole pack VIII yeip i'm concert.
against this measure. You stare, sir
but the cry has already begun. And those
very men, who have insinuated that Flor
da would not be occupied from a fear Of
France, VIII now boldly assert. without one
title of proof, that it is occupied at the de
sire OF, and in trust for France"
MIR Wagner, now the Oracle of the Bri
fish Agen,s, and since the retirement of
Coleman, the Field MARSHALL of {" the
British Party in America" has ohened me
cry in his Federal Republican" Ana
what are his grounds?
First, the u. S. have no fiEIe-we thought
this point was settled among the Federalists
themselves--it will lead us too far TO pursue
il now.
But though they had right, "is it con-
sistent with sound policy Dust the Spani
ards at the point of the bayonet e''-.Hnszve,
4" The Spaniards," that is, old Spain, IS Gust
ed---then we, the other claimant, come in.
sohere her authority has been su6perted
'While spain was the ally Of France, we
did not dare TO assert our right in arms"
ANSWER. WhiiSt the Spanish authority
e.risted in Florida, we did not interfere. -
curious proof OF our pusillami.v, that we
did not g assert our rights" when Spain was
the ally OF France, and yet we should do it,
when spain has become the appanaee of
France
1--WE think it a Just speculation. that West
Florida has been seized. not only with the
consent OF France, but at her special in
ance. and is probably, to be held in &c
cree frnsf tor Napoleon, un Ill the fate of
Spain is determined. "-ANswaR. What
proof is there oback this generous sushieion?
What Jact what shadow OF Il fact? NOT
OuP-Auu uDon gnerp s,sn,c,,,, orI.,