Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-03-04

Iellce me UiSdIfeemcttS WHICH nave uil-
happily arisen between them, from tic
effect of circumstances. His majesty !
fully convinced that no treaty OF con
vcntion can he durable, unless it is Ioun
ded in equality and mutual convent
ence, has particularly directed me, thai.
keeping III mind, the reciprocal, politica!
and commercial interests, which unite
the ;wo nations, should so adjust The
detinliile arrangement with the person
whom the President should authorize 20
that effect, that no controversy could
ever again arise between them.
cannot conceal from you, that to ar
rive at this end, ii is Indispensable TO be-
gin by amicably discussing and agreeing
upon the rights Of each OF the two powers,
and that the result of This discussion IS,
what ought to guide us in arranging the
indompitics and fixing the limits which
may be Just and mutually convenient 10
the two nations. You had the goodness
To say 10 me, that this method lad heen
adopted by YOU and Mr. Cevallos, AMI
that, five renewed 1T, precious tine
would be lost without our being abb To
agree. In such Il dilemma, and anxious
10 contribute my part 10 accelerate tie
negotiation, | took the liberty to pro ose
To you the only other method which APP
prared 10 me 10 exist, besides the one
which have just mentioned, 10 arrange
these differences, which is this: that the
two powers, throwing off all idea Of ar
grandizement, and sacrificing reseniments
& comp 'aints of little importance, should
proceed, with good faith, 10 fix limits be-
tween them which should be mutually
convenient, which should not he liable
| 10 controversy, or he unknown 10, or Vi
| olated by, the respective subjects of
! each.
You did me the honor 10 applaud
| proposition so frank and liberal, as die
tated by equity and good iaith-and
| made known Ia nae, with the same frank
ness, that Tive United States desired 10 u
mite 10 its dominons all the territories
which belong IA Spain to the east Of the
| Mississippi; and that, for them, they
would offer to Spain those which were
between the Rio del Norte and the Colo
RADIO. But as not ONLY these lands, hut
all those which lie between The Colorado
and Cape North, drawing a line hy the
| river Mermento, or MermentaO, towards
the Preside of Adais, and from tliCrce
| by the ArrOvo Onda towards Natchifo-
ches, are part ofthe province Of Tex
as, belonging to, and in the uninterrupt-
ed possession of, his majesty, without
there having been, III relation thereto,
any dispute between France and Spain.
that dispute being solely as 10 NatchIto-
ches, which tort The French raised, IN
Justly, in the territory ofhis catholic ma
iesty: it results that this proposition rot
only does not offer compensation 10 lis
majesty for West and East Florida. whose
cession the United States intimate would
he very agreeable 10 them, butt Involves
the REIMBURSEMENT of the property aud
possession which his majesty has Of the
territory III the province of Texas, which
lies between the Colorado and the yiciHi-
ty of Natclitoches.
propositions so distant from the C.
quality and reciprocal convenience in
which we have agreed 10 treat these at
fairs, ] answered, that as The powers of
his majesty had been hastily sent 10 me,
by Mr.. Ccvallos, 90 take advantage ofthe
departure OF Mr.. Brent, have moi receiv-
Ell express Instructions touching the entire
cession of the two FlOridas, which the
United States wished and although they
prove to me the desire of his majesty to
accommodate them III all arrangements
which may be compatible with his inter
ests, saw myself obliged 10 wait for in
strrctions on this point, of so MUCH tie
greater importance, as il relates 10 the
ceSsion by his majesty to the United
States, of the port Of Pensacola, which
was the KEY Of tic Gulf of Mexico, the
| DeSI pOrI OF thdt OulI, ana when was the
more necessary 10 his majesty for the Sc
curity of his possessions but that, in the
mean time, ii YOU should propose 10 me,
on the part of this government, TO make
the Mississippi the frontier, | should see
in that proposition a disposition on the
part of tile United States 10 offer some e.
quivalent, and IwOuld recommend it to
the consideration oflis majesty as fixed
and stable limit, to assure the peace and
tranquility of the two nations.
| hope that YOU will recognize in this
exposition, the sincerity and ingenious
ness with which proceed, and HAT you
will, on view of it, adopt, OF the Two
modes proposed for setting OH foot The
negotiation, that which will be most agree
able to the United States. The first that
is to say, that of discussing and agreeing
upon the reciprocal rights and prelensI-
onS of the two nations, is the safest, and
that which ought to conduct us, with the
greatest precision, TO flIe imdemnlties and
tn The establishment of limits between
them, since nothing is more easy than
that. eacl. point of justice beiug agreed
upon, the equivalent to il should be ar.
ranged upon principles of equality AND
reciprocal convenience. The second is
shorter but itrcquires REIMBURSEMENT o
all views of aggrandizemeut0 OH both sides
aud that EACH government, adopting as
basis tl'e nj possidetis, either OF the yeai