Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-09-28
DOMESTIC.

cn, IRON the Uoshi1sioR tfiy Co.,,t
SPAIN AND EIOkIDA ,i,pEAI,N

."' p""Hc miad TO consider the rejection
10y Npaia III The Treaty recently concLI-
oeu oy The U. STATES with her minister
's necessarily cause of war. This dis
ppS',i'n ""s us source, not IN 4 calm con-
quo" oI ihe Stale OF affairs between
'He Two countries, but IN the good wish.
| eS winch The mass OF The American neo.
! pie entertain for the success of the Sn,-
hiSh Patlots, and in profound contemnt
81 TIE monarchy of Spain. i, is com.
"h""iS thought, and no doubt Justly. tina,
"a' WIN Tie Spaniards would greatly
! promote The establishment OF South a.
uefi'ah independence, and that the mill
'"fS ana naval means of Ferdinand VII
w"nii be almost nothing In contes, will,
The u. States. WI"
hn' whatever may he our good wishes
| Ior HE Patriots, and our con,enp, of The
! spanish monarchy, they are evidently TO-
'e'Sh 10 the question of peace or war be-
tween SPAN and this country. 1hGt ought
10 De decided on lis own merits.
he usual method of negotiating trpa.
ueS IS Tor me ministers of east party TO
produce what Is called aJuH power, show
Taofalnary cases where duplici,v is an
| pretended, minister NAV he reon;,ad
besides his full power, To produce his In,
| StJ'actiOms. '
from Mr.. Adams long acquaintance
WIN diplomacy, we shall not PERM, our
serves 10 doubt that he eXacied from Dan
Inns de Onis all that the law of nations
hhner The clrcumstanc would allow hin.
| 10 exact. '
IL, however, on view of the treaty in
question, the King of Spain conccives Thai
ms minister had misinierprr,ed his in.
sir"c'innS, or had exceeded them, the law
% nations iusfifics him in disavowing the
munster ana refusing 10 raiify the treaty.
i"e Ch''eu States owe II 10 themselves
| :" "V j"N'. Ihey have exercised the right
VI 'tJec''ug treaty on very memorable
| occasion. The reader need not be mar
iicui larry reminded of the course rur-
sued by President Jefferson with REGARD
% me treaty entered into i'm 1906 bv
mrssrS. Monroe and Pinkney With the
| h'lilsu government. What our own exc
curve has done, with The sanction OF near
~ 'he"huie c"untry,we cannot consistent
~ refuse 10 The sovereign Of Spain. In The
cas-" OF two other treaties. the United
Htales have ratified Them with moditica
Tons. Should Frriiuaud be disnospd IN
ioilo" such examples, he might very ant.
y quote The British treaty of 1894. and
ihal "iih Sweden of 1916.
from these observations, the soundness
| OF which NH not, we think, be contested
ny any Intelligent man, II is very clear
''id' even II Ferdinand rejects Tie treaty
| "hich Is supposed 10 be now before HIM
such rejection will be 10 valid cansc oi
! "df. III Viii, no doubt, owe our govern.
| iucnl fair explanation of the motives for
| ms refusal 10 rdtiiy, aud that duty he will
ptoDhp'y perform iii the full sly le of Cas-
| lliian pOmpnsiiy.
| nU' although The rejection OF the treaty
viii De no cauSr of war, provided The pro
| Pr'eAPiahaiions are given, the old grounds
| "i complaint VIII eAIst against Spain, per
| maps I'D an aggravated degree Tor however
much Don Luis de Onis NAV be Gisavowei
ana dishonored, and however plagsible
! may ne HE reasons alleged for refusing
10 Fa'iiS me treaty, there will still be room
ioT peiiei Thai The cabinet of Madrid has
| acre" WIN Insinceriiy, and that lyOc,usti.
ha''3't' ana not settlement of differences.
mas poem throughout the whole transaction
lis leading object.
lie causes Of difference between the
two natlous, anterior 10 The formation Of
TIE treaty ceding Florida, are sufficient TO
justify hostile measures if the u. States
chonSe 10 look upon them In that LIGHT
Al me same time, however, these causes
are OF pecHH'aTy nature, and are, there.
Iof",. mailer OF calculation. If ihey
touched The honor Of the nation, there
could he no delay i'll appealing to the
sword. An open and unconditional war
on our part would undoubicdly cost a
great deal more than the amount of thc
claims OF our merchants on Spain. II
would be The height of folly 10 expcn!
lorIy or nifty millions of dollars 10 punish
me SpanIards for not paying us five or
len millions. Bai it does not follow that
we are TO do nothing. The territory be-
tween The river Sabine and the Rio del
N"Iie belongs 10 the United States, If the
treaty should be nuIified, and our brave
troops may Immediately, and of right.
occupy IT. Spain will still be indebted TO
cur fellow citizens large sum Of money.
ana Florida may be seized by military
attachment, as security iof eventual pay
meni. In these positions we NAV pause:
ana u SPAN chooses TO consider them
acts oil war, let her do so. If she de-
clafeS war we can meet the shock with
confidence.
Tie reflections which we make are b,
no means founded upon auy dehuitiye
opinion as 10 The fate Of the treaty. We
are rather Inclined 10 think. and we Ger.
family hope, that it may vet be rattle
lie reported treatment Of the MARQUIS d,
casa flulo, andol Don LUIS dcOnis does
h9l appear to a.. TO be wholly, ii II is at
all, connected wi,h the ratification of the
treaty; u will not have been lho first
Time That Florida has been separated by
treaty from the Spanish monarchy. Ii |
wac transferred to Great .itain by Spain |
ID i763. Admitting, then, that Tie Mar |
quls has beed imprisoned and lie Dan ar |
rested, as has been reported, an that thcy !
are both 10 be tried, the inference is not |
50 clear That they are victims 10 The ven |
geance OF their master, for having nego. |
lIated ihc treaty rel,inn Eln-id.