Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-04-17

pray you, Sir, to accept the assurance ofmy
(signed) JOHN q. ADAMS.
No. 10.
TRANSLATION.
The sheralier Don Luis de Onis to the Secretary
of State.
SIR have received your letter of the 10th
of this month, by which see with great regret,
that in acknowledging the receipt of those |
had the honor TO address TO you on the 10Th of
last month"; and the 5th and 9Th of the present,
you omit to answer them, and decline taking
into consideration the iHdisputable facts and
grounds, and the Irresistible arguments advan-
ced in them, in relation TO each of the points
embraced by the dispute set oil foot by the 60
verument of the U. States. You say il is use
less again to discuss the iacts, reasons and ar
suments prodaced by the Spanish government
in the years 1872 and 1903 and in 1905 the A.
merican plenipotentiaries aud the special eX-
traordnary mission, conformity with him. ha g.
wing theu replied TO the different points of the
notes OF the Spanish ministry, in manner ca
pable of calculating the respective rights of
each OF the two powers and establishing the
pretensions OF the government of the u. States;
for proof OF which yon refer me to the letters
of Messrs. Monroe and Pincknev, to his ca tho.
lie majesty's minister, Don Pedro Cevallos, of
the 2Sth of January, 10Th February, sih and
10th March, 9th and Goth April, aud 18th May,
1905.
l think il proper TO observe, in the first place.
that although the facts, groundsandarsuments
then produced by the Spanish government do
not differ essentially from those stated in nv
notes, their irresistible and conclusive force is
neither altered, nor in any manner impaired
Truth is of all times aud reason and Justice
are founded on immutabIe principles. III is on
these principles that the rights of the crown of
Spain are founded TO the territories eastward
and westward of Louisiana, claimed by YOUR
government as making part of that proviRce :;
rights of immemoriai property and possession
never disputed, but always notorious and ac
knowledged by other nations.
In the second place, must remark to Won
that throughout The whole correspondence on
this subject, between the ministry of the u
States and that of his catholic majesty, there is
not single fact or single argument, that can
affect the certainty, or decisive force of the
facts, grounds and reasons which support and
determine the aforesaid rights of the crown of
Spain. There does not appear to be single
incident to give the smallest support to the
pretensons of your government. All the vague
positions on which 1T has been attempted to
found them have been Tefuted and Gissipated
by the Spanish government, by demonstIa-
ton so luminous and convincing, as 10 leave no
alternative to reason TO Tesstit.
To lay all this aside and merely to say, 4" that
it is matter already thoroughly debated, on
which nothing further essential can be urged,
and that the American government insists on
maintaining contrary opinion, lis to adopt an
arbitrary cause, because this opinion not being
Supported by any solid foundation, and being,
as it is, Numerically opposite to the unques-
tionabie result of facts, aud to the most incon-
testabe principles and arguments, does not,
nor can if give TO the United States, any right
to the pretensiOns they have formed. Neither
can it he required that the government of
Spain should subscribe TO this opinion, and re-
nounce its rights to the territory which the u
| States wish TO possess in the Spanish provinces
bordering on those States, since that opinion
as Ihaye already said, is altogether grouDdIess
and arbitrary, and since, on those rights
there neither does, nor can there, fall any
doubt.
1t is the sincere wish of his catholic majesty
that just mode of amicabIy settling all pend
ing differences may be adopted, and he has ati.
thOTzed me, for this purpose but neither the
| powers he has conferred on me, nor my own
| sense OF duty, permit me TO enter into AN ar
| rangemeBt which is not based upon the princi-
| Piles of common justice, combined in good faith
| with the suitable considerations of reciprocal
| utility or convenience. Being axiouSy desi-
| rous OF carrying the wishes and frank DISPOSE
| tions OF my sovereigniDtO execution, ISuggest
ed to you, in our last verbal conference, the
| expediency Of your making to me such prOpo-
sails as yos might think fit to reconcile the
| rights and interests of both powers, BY defini
| tive arrangement of the differences peHding
| between them. Since You communicated the
present state ct things to the President, YOU
| have proposed TO me ~ your note plan Of ar
| rangement oradjuStmcnt, embracing the ques
ton Of boundaries, and that of indennities
! which is as follows
TO settle the former, Won propose" that Spain
] shall cede all her claims TO territory eastward
Of the Mississippi, that is to say, the two Flo.
| Tidas y and that the Colorado from its mouth
| to its source, and from thence TO the northern
| limits of Louisiana, shall be tie western boun.
| Diary OF that province
have expressed in one proposal what YOU
| have stated in two, as both are reduced TO the
ces'ieu of territory by Spain. IL j. not only
| pretended that Spain shall cede both Floridas
to tie United States, but that she shall likewise
| cede 10 them the vast extent Of Spanish terri
| tory cOmprebended within the line following
| the whole course OF the Colorado. presume
that II Is the river Colorado. of Narchitoches
yOn speak Of, and not Of another. bearing the
| same name, and wbich is still farther within
the limits Of the Spanish provinces. leave
! It to you, sir, 20 examine tie import Of these
two proposals, and 90 see whether they are
compatible With the principles ofjus ice, OF
| with those ofTeciprOcal utility or cODvenience
II is demanded OF Spain 10 cede provinces and
| territories 81 The highest Importance. not OnlS
TO the eastward, but TO the west . ard OF .OuiS
ena, and that without proposing auy equivalent
or compensation.
4 o settle the question Of iudemnities yOr
| make the following proposals..