Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-11-29
From .he 1ordon zoni.g Chronicle.

The FioT'idGs.-lt was natural to expect,
after war like that of the Peninsula, IN
which 50 much British b ood and trc isuie
were exhausted, that the subject OF indemni-
ties would come on the carpet, as soon as the
object was attained and peace established.
1t was very difficult matter, however, to
settle this point, in consequence of the in
definite terms OF The tfea.Y made by Mr..
Gaming, and the difficulty Of treating with
Ferdinand and his ministers, who, far from
beng prepared TO give an indemnity, ra-
tier thought we had done more harm than
good in aiding to liberate the Peninsula,
am would have been happy if an English
nan had never trod their ground. Hcncc,
by every means in their power, are they
now trying to undo what little, sucial as
well as political, improvements we sought
to introduce, and it will be no wonder, if in
the next edict issued by the inquisiticn, it
be deemed crime of heretical depravity,
for Spaniard to be heard speaking Eng
fish. This indemnity quest on, consequent
~, has met with great difficulties, as well
Tor the reasons just ass gned, as because
the services to be compensated were per-
formed to the cortes, and it would be very
inconsis ent, after his past conduct, for
tertlinand to seek to remunerate them,
and, indeed, he only knows of them by
hearsay.
Under this state of things it is easy to
conceive the great dilemma in which the
ministers have been placed, as well as their
worthy representatives in Madrid, who
have not learned logic enough to undergo
the syilogism and Other knotty arguments,
the monast counselors OF Ferdinand bring
forward on this subject. This indemnity
question was, however, warmly agitatcd i'll
Madrid, in November last, and the whole
weight and influence of England at last
wrestt d from the tenacious Spaniards, it is
generally believed, an indemnity, viz East
and West FLORIDA. 1t is generally sup
posed that several demands were made
before this point was agreed on, viz.
free trade to Spanish America, the cotton
trade Of Spain, the Island of Puerto Rico,
the Spanish part of St. Domingo, Cuba,
the Balcares, Canaries, and for what we
know, the Philippine Islands. Either OF
these bonuses, separately, might, perhaps,
have satisfied our wishes, but the Spanards
were too wise to let one go: so it would
seem as # We had been forced to be content
with the Floridas, because SPAN could re-
tain them no longer on account of the North
Americans, and the neighboring revolutions
of Mexico. In making this corccss on,
however, it is not clear. whether some va
iuable principle has not been given up, and
whether some condition has not been ex-
acted from us, opposed TO the feelings and
wishes OF the people of England. Time
will enlighten us on this point little more,
but in Spanish America, we ought TO re-
member, there is ar present general in
surrecuon against tyrannical power,
strong and irresistible impulse of human
nature grooming undcr opp ession, revo-
luton, in short, the most Just and interesting
in its nature, as We'll as its consequences
to the world, TO be found in the annals Of
history.
To suppress this revolution, we kn8w
that the inquisftion has been armed with
the bayonet and the dagger, that religion
mas been prostitutcd, aad that all the en-
gines Of rancour and malice have been set
TO work. To suppress this revolution also
spain has frequently called upon England,
under plea, that IN our treaty we had
guaranteed tie integrity Of The Shazfsh |
monarchy. It would be long and tedious !
to carry Our readers thrcugn the various
occasions in which Spain has urged Eng |
land to interfere and decide against her III !
tramarine provinces, but this treaty has |
even, by the agents of the latter. been in
terpreted into the right of demanding the !
persons of Spanish Americans landing in |
England. 1t mas hitherto been thought that |
these remonstrances, on the part of Spain, |
have been unnoticed, but in our last treaty |
there is an additional clause, inserted on |
Aug. %, 1914, as the Sd additional rtcIe,
whereas the body OF the sam is sgned on |
the 5th Ju'y, same year, which has created |
some alarm. 1t is IS flows
" His Britannia majesty b.ing anxi1us that the |
troubles and disturbances when unfortunately pre-
val IN tie dOminons OF lis Cathol mai -sty in ~ |
eriea shodl6 asc, and the subjects ot taese pro.
sinces should return to their obedience to their law
ui IGN, gagesto take the most .c ctual mea-
sures for preventing his SUBJ cts from furnishing |
ar'os, ammunition, any other waIike article TO
lie revoIted in America"
To this, another Circumstance of more |
important nature has lately been added, |
tending to prove that some charge has ta-
zen place in the policy Of England, which |
III the last parliament was pledged to be |
strictly, nay delicately, neutral, between
spain and her ultramafine provinces. If |
so, it is now generally asked, can this be in |
Of the cesSion Of the F!oridas
70 England Can we have bartered our
honor, our national foresight, and integrl-
", together with our mercantile interests, |
or this bauble Let US lock for a moment |
On the real merits If this gift on the part of |
spain and what will accrue to us, by being
made lords over the Fioridas.
We are not aware, that from time 70
lime, long and elaboI ate memoirs have
'een presented to government, on the sub
ect of the Floridas, since we held posse s.
ion Of that country, so there have also
Ell respecting the cutting of the isthnus
Il Panama, and in all probability they have