Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1817-12-16
BY THE NAILS.
SPIN.

The Minifter of Finance, in his Bud
get of +" Ways and Means" calculates
the product which will ariie from the fale
of the Fioridas as one of the items which
will 60 to pay off debt of four hundred
millions. From this it would appear
thar the Floridss are up for faIe, and
that Spain actually calculates on receiv-
ing a large fun for them he queftion
then is--who will be the purchaser
The United States, we prefume, is at leait
entitled toihe refufal and if we lhould
purchafe, it is Reasonable to suppole, that
the amount. inltead Of being paid. will be
carried TO the credit of spain. Should
the offer be made to the Byitifh, there is
likewiie claim to an amount far Beyond
the value of the territory in quettion.
Ruilia has been lately making flrong
projections offriendthip. and is defirous
TO acquire poG- zion on this Gde of the
Atlantic There may be others difpofed
TO purchase, bur we doubt the policy of
permitting any foreign power to hang on
our borders by the purchafe of the Flor
idas. Hence, if Spain is ferrous in her
views of difpo(ng of the Floridas, we
can be the only purchafer-but as to
paying any money when our claims re-
main unliquidated, cannot in reafen be
expected. Our citizens, who have 70
long and 70 earneitly remonlfrated a
gaint the effect of Spaniih depredations
mutt have attention paid to their claims
in any negotiation with Spain and all
though on this point, every trick and e
vaGon will be reforted to by the Spanifh
government to obtain further time, and
await the iffue of affairs il South Amer
lea, it is hoped that the period of bring
ing cur affairs to termination with
Spail will not extend beyond the prefent
felton, of Congre(s. Nat. Advo.
SAVANNAH, NOV. 20.
1t is aferted that Don Onis his in
ftructions from the king to tender the
Florldas to the United States, for SIX
MILLION Of dollars out of which fun
Spain agrees TO deduct the amount of
fpoliations made by her on the propertyof
American citizens. Such is the conf
dence placed in this report, that the
ftocks of the different Offices, that have
fufered by the depredations of Spain
rofe in one day q per cent in value.
The path which we fhould purfue to-
wards Spain, will, we truit, be marked
with deciiion and energy. We are un-
der no obligation to her fhe has com
mited ong ferries Of aggrefions againft
this country but owing to the concili-
atory difpoGtion of our government an
open rupture has been prevented. We
hall wait the deeifion of Congress in
full confidence. that they will not COM
promit the honor of the nation, while
they Unfit on prompt iettement and
atonement for grievances, of which we
have much reafon to complain.
The Augufta Herald ftates, that Brig
adler General Thomas Glascock, has
been appointed to command the detach-
ment of Militia from this Gate defined
to Join General Gaines troops.
tits faid in the Liverpool Courier of
the 9Th of October. that it is ftated from
Madrid, that the King of Spain, in con
fequence of loan by the Britifh govern
mant of G4oo,ooo has agreed to aboifh
the flavest,ade. This is an important
event, if il be correct, as there will then
remain only one nation in Europe, viz
Portugal. by which that difgraceful and
inhuman traffic is allowed and that one,
we have no doubt, will find it necehary.
in fhort time, TO follow the general ex
ample. When once the prohibition fhall
become universal, the trade, if attempted,
will be in violation of the law of nations,
as well as nature, and we prefume the
maritime powers of Chriltendo.n will, by
a convention. agree to ufe their naval for
ces to purge the world of the mott pirat
ical banditti, that ever exiifed, When
the time comes, that a general warfare
hall be waged with lave-traders, it will
become TOO hazardous a commerce TO be
carried on TO any comfortable extent
Treat the perfons engaged in it like Pr
-. a.aLa~ he cIeo~aI oH