Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-08-20
For the alexandria Gazette.
THE FLORIDAS.

giue me thy rineyard, that 1 may hare
it for a garden Of herbs. because at is
near unto my house, and l .ciu Sire you
the .corth Of ii in money.
Bat t" Eaboth said to .ahab. the Lord for
bid it me, that I should gire the inherit
once Of my fathers unto thee"
The nature Of men in all ages is the
same, aad ayarice is still the ruling pas
sion Of little minds. No sooner have they
obtained one desire, than they have an ad-
ditional imaginary need of some new ac-
ouisition, as Ahab had for Naboth's vine
yard. not so much to allay their thirst for
dominion as to feed it.
The proceedings of the rulers of our
own country exemplify this assertion.
Before the acquisition of Louisiana we
were content and happy. The members
that belonged to our political body were
healthy and acted in unison one with the
other. After getting possession OF that
gontv exuberance, our appetite for this
Kind of requirement began to increase.
We longed for Florida, although the pos.
session of it would not enrich us a whit.
Finally, an opportunity offered of seizing
on part of it, while the proper owners
were SO harrassed at home that they had
not a chance of defending their right
Their helpless state did not excite our pi-
~. The chance was fair and we en-
braced it.
If we had legal right to that part of
the Floridas, as some assert, why did we
not manfully seize on it at first 1t would
have been more honorable, and have look
ed more consistent with the rules of a vir-
tuous republic, than to sneak on, in the
manner we have done. But national ava
rice does not stop here. From the threat
ening aspect of our strengthening all the
posts on the frontiers Of the remaining
nart, it would seem as if we intended to
make ourselves masters Of that likewise.
This step may be considered in two lights |
First. the bad policy of not preserving
national honesty, as we have not sha
dow of right to the possession; and Sc
eondly, the advantage or disadvantage the
possession Of it may be to tho United
States.
Should the Spaniards ever regain their
liberty, can we dare to look them in the
face after robbing them Of their terrific
ries. No; we will draw on ourselves an
inyeterate enemy, who, justly incensed at
our lack of faith, will leave nothing untri-
ed TO iniuye us. And should France con-
uuer them, she will claim Florida as her
RIGHT. Leaving the unrighteousness of
the cause out Of the question-should we
succeed in possessing ourselves OF this
country, will our ambition cease here
No-the mines of Mexico will have more
attractions for the greedy eye of avarice
than the sandy plains of Florida; we would
calculate on innumerable advantagesw which
might result from eur acquiring the lands
from one ocean to the other. But even
after possessing them, the query will he
whether we conquer them. OF they us
whether they will adopt our manners and
customs, or We set contaminated by
theirs / believe tho latter will be most
ant to prevail, as the contagion OF effemi-
nacy is more likely to spread. than the
simple rusticity ofrepubiies. The bane-
full effects ofthis would occasion our down
fall sooner than any scourge OF war which
might take place. The Grecians were
plain, honest, brave and invincible, before
their conquests over the Persians gave
them a taste Of their luxury this IN
strung every nerve, and finally paved the
way for their conquest by the Romans.
whe themselves fell by one Of the causes
which will, fear, occasion the fall Of the
u, s. VIZ. the too great extent Of terrific
ry for not being able to keep all the MEM
hers of the empire in proper order, the
whole fabric fell by its own weight.
Another circumstance to be considered
Is. that we caunot with safety to the inte-
est of the Union, take in these newly
a vquircd territories as sister states and
9, Y policy and constitution forbid Our re-