Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-07-28
RICHMOND, july Is.
THE FLORIDA QUESTION.

question. We shall speak TO
them right OH :" we shall lay before
them plaia unvarnislied statement of our
opinion. Figures OF rhetoric we leave TO
ths&e who have time To- look Out for them.
Why say that we have ,:.ken q deep in
ierest III the Florida question The news
papers have rung with il for weeks. Eve
ry American citizen has been more or less
ayi'a,ed, according 10 the light in which
he has seen II.
We have seen il III a point ofview, which,
was calculated TO excite a very peculiar
interest. We tai, in this country, a great
deal of faith. of public justice, OF reve-
renee for the law of nations. We dcnouuce
The crooked politics OF princes, their am
biiion, their sacrifice of public law at the
unlallowed shrine of their interests. We
rcproJate the partition of Poland, the seiz
ure at Napier TdnAy & the Duke f .
helm en- neutral soil, the infamous cap
ture of the Copenhagen feet. We have
contrasted th" course of our republic
with these outrageous transactions we
have scOrned 10 practise i'm ourselves
what we have denounced in others. We
have not confined our love of justice to
sctpfy morts--we have acted upon the prin
cipies we have proiessed. Thank Heaven!
there Is no deliberate stain upon the ma
tional code of this country. While the
law OF nations has been iramrlcd under
o IN Europe, America has always up
held it,. Our cabinet has maintained
the rights of uatio2s with unrival'rd zeal
and ability. Our ten volumes Of State
Papers support the cause Of truth, with an
energy which may challenge comparison
with the proutlest diplOmatists at the old
world. They place the course Of our go
vernmeni, ia its foreign relaiioms, on the
highest ground. Wehave protested against
the imiraction of neutral rights with all
the energy of conscious innocence. We
have acted upon maxim which Henry w.
had in vain prescribed TO princes" Where
shall hoaor take refuge, If she be bamished
from the bosom OF repubiics"
But, now when cur own interest is cou-
cerned. when part of Florida is seized by
our troops, what language do we hear
What say the public prints, will, few
excepiiuns,on this question Where are all
the professions for public law 2 Where is
that honest indignation which they have
lavished against princes for breaches of
that law Is the case altered" because
IL is convenient for us 10 round off our
territory" with Florida What infatuation
has seized them upon this subject? They
have seen the honor of our government
assailed by foreign suspicious. They
have seen Bells London Messenger cliarg
ing Mr.. Monroe with management anu
dupiiciiy--in aiming TO get possession of
Florida underline aDectation ofc carrying on
Seminole war. They have seen the same
insinuatiOn published from the pen of Ike
son ofa French Senator, Nj. Saulnier-who
SAYS, that "Ariigas Is tile professed object OF
the enterprise OF The court OF Rio janet
70, as the Seminoles are that OF the en-
terprize of the Washington government"
Too many of our papers lave encou>ag-
ed Instead of rcprling such insinuations.
SoRie Of them approve Of Gen. Jackson's
occupying Pensacola, because they con-
tend that iDe Wa,t Florida-Sume OF them
say, that as we hare got il, ice had better
kesp it-Some, that as =" Spain owes our
citizens several millions of dollars for
commercial spoliaiions, why not a.;ac Ii
the Floridas by way of security? Ano-
ther, "a Washington paper of July 23d J
firmly believes, after making many par
ticular enquiries on this head. that the
cabinet feelings, however tluctuating, or
however delicate they may be towards
Spain on the occasion, are not prepared
10 throw away the advantages thai NAV
be derived by negotiating with The Flori-
das in their liands--we have passed the
Rubiron-we should keep y hat we have
got, till some satisfaction is obtained Qor
spoliations y and that on this ground, we
presume the administration will hold on,
and make a short cat, by demanding al
once, This territory, either as pledge, or
III raymeni for spOliations" Others pledge
ia ms Nv, s lOback The administration up-
outIesc grounds-Olhers,w boignoran,ly
bleDl Gen. J. with TIL Executive, applaud
Tie Administration in anticipation for its
kecn-sighted policy III projecting the
IN asure-MOst of them, indeed, aifemp;
TO justify the occupation by the necessity
of the case, the danger which movers up
on our frontier from the uncastized sa-
wage, tile treaty which Spain has violated
or iht agsTessions Of which she has been
guilty. What has been our regret 10 see
some republican papers, for which We feel
the highest respect, heedlessly jusiifying
The measure upon these grounds! True,
Mey lave confined themselves to the gen
eral rgumeni-scOrning TO disgrace that
argument by pleading the advantages we
may reap by the occupation Of Florida
In vain, has Tie humble voice of II few
other presses been raised against such
doctrines. In vain, has the high honor Of
tie nation denounced such vie :. In
vain, has the constitution of orr country
plead irumpet-tongued" against llis ex-
ercise of such powers by a military agent
of the executive department. For mo-
meDt many viriuous citizens have been
blinded TO these considerations by the
glory which gilds The name of Jackson,
llir wrongs we have received from Spain,
or the supposed instructions of tlie Exc.
cuiye.
Twas impossible 10 see so many presses
and so many persons led away in this
manner, without the greatest anxieiy
We felt for The honor and constitution oil