The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1818-11-24

FeNoay-c.f irc VI NV Tral
and de ions nj representatives. /:

session, will tighten The burthen, inseparabie
from the high trust committed TO you. The
fruits OF the earth have been unusually a0un-
dant commerce has hourished the revenue
has exceeded the most favourable anticipation,
and peace and amlty are preserved with tor
eign nations, on conditions Just and honorable
to our country. For these inesiIulase bles-
sings, we Cannot but be grateful To that Prov
ldence which watches over the destinies o
nations.
As the term limited for the operation of the
commercial convention with Great Britain will
expire early 81 the month Of July next, and it
was deemesl mpOrtsnt that there should be no
interval, asring which, that portion Of our
commerce. which was provided for by that
conventioa, should not be regulated, either by
arrangement between the two governments, or
by me authority Of Congress, the Minister Of
the United States at London was instructed,
early IN the last summer, to invite the atten.
ton Of The British government TO the subject,
with a view 10 that object He was instruct
ed e propose, also, that the negotiation which
Il was wished Is oPen, might extend to the
genei al commerce D: the two countries and to
every other interest and unsettled difference
between them; particularly those relating 10
impressnent, the fisheries, and boundaries,
in the hope that an arrangement might be
made, on principles Of reciprocal advantage,
which might comprehend and provide, in a
satisfactory manner, for all these high con-
Gems, have the satisfaction TO stale, that
the proposal was received by the British gov
eminent in the spirit which prompted it, and
that negotiation has been opened at London,
embracing all these objects. On full consid-
Grafton OF the great extent and magnitude of
the trust, itwas thought proper to commit it
TO not less than two OF our distinguished CHI
zens, and, in consequence, the Envoy Extra
ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary Of the
United States at Paris, has been associated
with our Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary al London to both OF whom
corresponding instructions have been given !;
and they are now engaged in the discharge Of
It's duties II IS proper 70 add, that, to pre-
vent any inconvenience resulting from the de-
lay incident 10 negotiation on so many i'm
pertant subjects, it was agreed, before enter
ing on 1t, that the existing convention should
be continued for Term not less than eight
years.
Our relations with Spain remain nearly in
the state in which they were at the close Of
the last session. The convention of 1902,
providing for the adjustment OF a certain por-
ton OF the claims OF our citizens for injuries
sustained by spoiliation, and SO long suspended
by the Spanish government, has at length been
ratified by it, but no arrangement has yet
been made Tor the payment OF another portion
OF like claims, not less extensive or well
founded, or for other classes of claims, or for
the settlement of boundaries These SUBJ
jects have again been brought under consider
alton in both countries, but no agreement has
been entered into respecting them. Id the
mean time, events have occurred, which
clearly prove the i'll effect Of the policy which
That government has 50 long pursued, Old The
friendly relations Of the Two countries, which,
II is presumed, il Is at lcas: OF as much impor-
lance to Spain, as 10 the United States, 10
maintain. A state Of things has existed IN
the lorldas, the tendency OF which has been
obvious 10 all who have paid the slightest al
tenlion to the progress OF affairs in that quar-
Ter. Throughout the whole of those provin-
ces 10 which the Spanish title extends, the
government OF Spain has scarcely been felt.
lis authority has been confined almost exclu-
sisely to the walls of Pensacola and st. Au-
gustne, within which only small garrisons
have been maintained, Adventures from
every country, fugitives from Justice, and alb
sconding slaves, have found an asylum there.
Several tribes OF indians, strong in the mum
Der OF their warriors, remarkable for their fe
rocity, and whose Settlements extend TO our
limits, inhabit those provinces. These diff
ferent hordes of people, connected together.
disregarding, on the one side, the authority
oil SPAN, and protected, Oh the other, by an
imaginary line,- which separates Florida FROM
the United States, have violated our laws pro-
hibiting the introduction OF slaves. have prac
used various frauds on our revenue, and COM
mllted every kind Of outrage on our peacea-
Die citizens, which their proximity 10 Us en-
aoled them 10 perpetrate. The invasion Of
Amelia Island, last year, by small band Of
adventures, not exceeding one hundred and
hity IN number, who wTesied it from the in
considerable Spanish force stationed there and
held ii several months, during which, single
feeble effort only, was made 10 recover il,
which tailed, clearly proves how completely
extinct the Spanish authority had become
as The conduct of those Adventures, while in
possession of the island, as distinctly shews
lhe pernieious purposes for which their CON-
blnaton had been formed.
Ibis country had, in fact, become the the.
atre OF every Species of lawless adventure.
With little population Of lis own. The Snanish