The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-08-28

sVcu lHe necessary INSTRUCTIONS IN relation
TO i,npo,ls and duties, and 10 the slave ships
whose arrival is ap,.rehenGed.
lhc President, relying upon your discre-
non. authorizes on ~ draw upon the colec-
tors or Orleans and Savannah for such sums
as MAJ DE necessary 10 defray unavoidable
expenses that may he incurred in the exc
cunon,. not EXCEEDING in your drafts on
New-crieans eight Thousand dollars, and in
your drafts on Savannah two thousand dol =
lars, wituoIt further authority, of which eX-
p"nses you Will hereafter exhibit Il detailed
account duly supported by satisfactory YOU
Chers.
PosrscRIPr.-If governor Folk should
unexpectedly require ANA pcrtinaciously in
slst that the stipulation for the red, livery
OF the territory, should also include that
portion of the country which is situated west
OF The river Perdido, you are, in yielding TO
such demand, only to use general words that
may by implication comprehend that por-
ton OF Country but at the same time, YOU
are expressly to provide, that such stpula-
Il N shall not in any way impair OF affect the
right or title of the u. STATES to the same
Tie Secretary Of State 20 Gen. N1ashe7cs.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
April 4, 1879.
StR,-I have had the honor to receive
your letter of the fourteenth of March
and have now to communicate to you the
sentiments of the p, esident, on the very
teressng subject 10 winch it relates.
am sorry to have tn state that the mra-
sIreS which you appear to have adopted for
obtaining posse ssion ut Amelia Island and ~
ther parts of East Florida, are not author
lied by the law of the u States or the in
struCtions founded on il, under which YOU
have acted.
You were authorized by the law; which
was communicated Il" you, and by your IN.
structions which are strictly conformablt
to it. TO take possession of East florida, on
" in case one of the following contingencies
should happen either that the governor or
other existing local authority should be dis
posed to place it arnicably III the hands of
the u. States, or that an attempt should be
made to take possession OF it by foreign
power. Should the first contingency hap
pen, it would follow that the arrangement
being amiCable, would require no force Oh
the part of the United States to carry it into
effect 1t was only i'll case of an attempt t.
take it by foreign power that force could
be necessary, i'll which event only were you
authorised to avail Yourself of it.
In neither of these contingencies was it
the policy Of the law. or purpose Of the cx-
ccutive, to wreSt the province forcibly from
SPAN; but only to occupy it with a view to
prCventits falling into the hands of anyf ,;re!gi.
power, and to hold that pledge under the
existing peculiarly of the circumstances
OF the Spanish monarchy, for a just result
In an amicable negotiation with Spain.
Had the U. States been disposed to pro-
coed otherwise, that intention would have
been manifested by change in the law, and
suitable measures to carry it into effect -
And as 1t was in their power to take posses
sion whene,e r they might think that Cir
cumstances authorized and required it, it
would be the more to be regretted, if pos
ses sion should be effected by any means Irfe-
gular in themselves, and subjecting The GO
vernment OF the United States TO unmeIited
Ceusure,
The views Of the executive respecting
East Florida, are further illustrated by
your instructions as to West Florida. Al
though the U. States have thought, that
they had a good title to the latter pro-
vince. they did not take possession until
after the Spanish authority hatl been sub
verified by revolutionary preceding, and the
contingency ct the country being thrown into
foreign hands, had forced itself into view.
Nor did they then, nor have they since dis
possessed the Spanish troops of the post
which they occupied. If they did not think
proper TO take possession by force, Of pro
vince, ito which they thought they were just
ly entitled, it could not be presumed that
they should intend to act differently, in re-
spect TO one to which they had not such a
C aim.
] may add, that although due sensbility
has been always felt for the injuries which
were received from the Spanish govt. in the
last war, the present situation of Spain has
been a motive Cor moderate and pacific
policy iowa, dis her.
lii communicating to you these sentiments
OF the executive on the measures you have
lately adopted for taking possession of East
Florida, add with pleasure that the utmost
confidence is reposed III your integrity and
zeal 70 promote the welfare of your country.
To that zeal the error into which you have
fallen, is imputed. But III consideration of
the part which you have taken, which diff
fers so essentially from that contemplated
and authorized by the government, and
contradicts SO entirely the. PRINCIPLES OH
which it has uniformly and sincerely acted,
you will he sensible Of the necessity of dis
continuing the service in which YOU have
been employed.
You Will, therefore, consider your powers
as revoked on the receipt of this letter
The new duties to be performed will be
transferred To the go, ernor of Georgia to
whom instructions will be given on all the
circumstances TO which it may be proper,
at the present junctnrc, to call his at.-n-
ton.
have the honor 20 be,
Very respectfully. sir,
HOnT Obedient servant,
General Matthews.
ZBe Secretary Of State - his ercsHency
d. b. Muchtt, Governor n GrOrgia.
z 80