Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-03-25
FOREIGN NEWS.
LONDON, Jan. l6.

We inserted Yesterday some American
State Papers, relative to West Florida and
Ncw-Orleans, which appear to Us to be OF
much more importance than they have ap-
pcared to be in the eyes OF our cotemporarles
The people of West-florida having declared
themselves independent, and formed con-
vei.tlon, have solicited to be admitted into the
union OF the United States, as IN independent
territory. In reply to this Request the An,c-
rlcan government refuse to recognize In the
convention OF Wcst-f Florida, any independent
authority assert, that they have acquired a
right to Wcst-Fiorida by purchase, and they
have directed immediate possession to DC
taken of Louisiana. Now without stopping to
MAKE any observations upon the principles
disclosed iii these state papers, OF buying a
people Just as if they were SO many heads of
Cattle, principle SO suOyerslve OF all those
winch produced the detection of the United
States from the mother country, and formed
the basis of their union, VIC beg our readers to
attend 70 the time at which these measures
have been ordered. The Floridas and Loui-
siana, as our readers know, run in direct
line from east to west, and are at the southern
extremity OF the territories OF the United
States Louisiana Was bought of the French
government by America 1t belonged osten-
silly to Spain; however the American go,
vcrnment treated for this possession of Spain,
with the French government, and the purchase
was made of tie latter A negotiation was
entered into for the Floridas, which the able
author Of the letter Oh the genius and dispo-
sitions OF the French government says, "was
throughout a series of humiliation for the U
nited States.''- We do not believe they were
ever formally sold to America, though the
latter made very liberal offers and earnest in
treaties, and carried on a large protracted ne
gotiarion to obtain them. All these purchases
and negotiations were carried on SO long back
as the wear 1908. But Notwithstanding the
right now avowed SO uneQuivCC4lly, the Ame-
r;can government did not attempt to take pos
session of louisiana by force she suffered it
to remain under Spanish authority, giving now
as reason that this forbearance was OCCASION
ed sby conciiiatory views, and by a.con6dence
in the business Of their cause, and in the sue
cess of candid and amicable negotiation with
Just and friendly power" bu, if their pur-
chase with France was valid and just, why
enter into negotiation with Spain to get the
territory SO purchased coded to them? Does
not this circumstance warrant conclusion,
that they had bought territory with defec-
tive title However, for seven years America
remains quiet solely from conviction OF the
Justice Of her cause and the goodness of her
title In that interval, it had been given out,
that BonaRefte had determined to seize Lou.
isiana for himself. Emissaries went at diffe-
rent times to France, to represent the adyan-
tage of holding Louisiana. They were favor
able and their memorials were supposed to
have prevented the yielding the Floridas, be-
cause they would be SO necessary to the ute
rior views of Bonaparte upon Louisiana. On
a sudden, however, on the 9th Oct. and the
18th Nov and We beg our readers attention to
dates, the President throws off his forbearance,
and ordering on the 9th October New.Or-
leans and West Florida to be taken possession
of, replies to the convention of West Florida
OH the 18th Nov. that the right ofthe U. States
to certain limit in that territory was acquired
by purchase, and that he cannot recognize in
the convention of West Florida any indepen.
dent authority. This determination was made
after the President had received those dis
patches from France which induced him to
issue his proclamation that the Berlin and Mi.
Ian DEGREES were repealed and a safe inter