Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-03-05
From the .Mtqp- York Lue7&.g Pest.
COL. PICKERING.

Sta.es, cersusing tiiis veteran statesmen, h's
not Sa;let, 70 excite. and il Ill unusual degree
tie public attention; the entire novelty OF the
proceeding, the high policical station Ct the
Senate, and the distinguished reputation OF
| Col. Pickering, naturally unite to give to this
transaction al urcommon degree o. lnteIest.--
Fion this consideration we have been led to
! look into the whole subject with care and I'M
partially, and noW submit to the pnb!Ic tie
| following observations as tic result oi or eZ.-
| a4iiration.
The srscches Of the Senators upon this &C.
| casion, IS they are reported II the National N
| teliigencer, have been CIR authority ior what
, passed in that body
The constitution provides that each housc
of Congress may determine The rules Of It's
proceedings, punish It's members Ter d'soT-
derlv behaviour, keep Journal OF its pro-
ceec.ings, aud publish the same, except such
parts as ln2y III their judgments requ.re secre-
cy.
Under this provision the Senate have made
the following rule, " eli confidential commu-
niCat,Ons Made by the President OF the United
States to the Senate, Shall by the members
thereof be kept ,nyio!abiy secret" In the con-
gressionai sessions of lSC3-4 and lSO4-5 sliil-
dry confidential communications respecting
Louisiana and the Floridas were mate BY the
President 20 the ocratc. Those ofthe latterds,te
are understood 20 have related to a ncgcCla-
ton afterwards Instituted for the purchase of
one or both OF the Floridas--these iicgocia-
tons as we ali know, completely failed SPAN
denied that By the Cesson of Louisiana VIC OBJ
taincd title to West Fio,ida--when we press
ed a different construction OF the Ccssion, and
required her to submit the question to arbitrd-
ton, she declined it aiG when we afterwards
proposed to purchase West Florida she re-
fused to sell it.
While these negotiations were going on at
Madrid, application was made both by SPAN
and the United States to the French govern
ment, to afford its influence lii support Q.
their respective prctcntlcns but here again
the United States were repuised the Spanish
ambassador Grayina, ard tie American minis
ter Armstrong, were each informed by Tai
ieyraId, that in the opinion OF France the y.
States Lad acquired no title to West Florida
by the oession OF Louisiana. 1t is moreover
an understood fact, that Ealleyrand went fur
ther, and told the American minister, that if
the United States really wanted the tIoridas,
ts.ey must abandon all ideas OF obtaining them
by spurious construction OF the act cedin9
Louisiana, and at once frankly open negoci-
alton 70 purchase them: That Spin was IN
wiling 20 Part with this territory, but that
France Was always DESTROYS to promote the
reasonable views of the United States, ;I,d if
abardcrirg the Quihbiing pretention of claim
inr under the cession Of Louisiana, the Unit
ed States would come forward with an offer to
purchase the Floridas, that France would not
refuse her good Offices to bring the affair to a
satisfactory conclusion. Then repeating, that
as strong aversion was known to exist in
Spain against the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the Flo
Tldas, eflCaC,Ous means must be employed to
soften the diSinclmaiiOn and for this purpose,
If two millions OF dollars were placed at the
disposal OF France, she might make such use
OF the money, that purchase of the Flor;das
might be effected, and perhaps for sum not
exceeding that which Was paid for Louisiana.
1t was upon this suggestion, as we have al
ways believed, that the appropriation of two
millions OF dollars was secretly made, and the
money placed at the Presidents disposal in the
session of 1894 5. The very Mr.. Skipwith,
who with so much credit to himself, and ad-
vantage to the United States, is now perform
ing MS part III NtSt iOTlQa, sailed from THIS
port in the spring of 1905, in the Hornet s!oop
of war, for France, carrying with him as we
all supposed, the facilitating means which had
been required, with suitable instructions for
their discreet application.
The sudden and important changes, which
about this period took place in the north of
Europe, deranged this disgraceful project
The overthrow Of Prussia was followed by the
development OF the intentions of France re-
speeding Spain, and contest for the govern
ment, as Air. Jefferson told Congress, having
arisen in Spain, all further negotiation con-
corning Louisiana and the Floridas, has by the
course of events, been discontinued.
The Junta have sent an ambassador to this
country, with offers, as we have been told to
cede the Floridas, and to compensate the i'm
mepse losses occasioned by French privateers
cruising out of Spanish ports; this ambassador
has not been received, nor do We assert that
he ought to have been: king Joseph also
sounded our government to ascertain whether
they would receive a minister from him; this
also was prudently declined +: Commissioners
bovp doHhtieSs anpeared in ,l,ic cc,,,4,, Co.