Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-12


IN 1900; but not having in my hands the
correspondence Of Mr.. Pinckney with the
government of the United States. from
which | might be able 10 ascertain what
knowledge he may have had on The sub
Ject-to what extent and TO what period
he was instructed relative TO the proposals
! which, he made to Mr.. Cevallos, I have
been forced 10 conclude that such notor-
| ETY. had not reached him, or that he was
| not aware of Ike true boundaries of Lou
| isiapa. II may have been also, that not
outstanding the treaty of 1900, and not
| wiihsfandrg the royal cedula of 1902,
that minister may have doubted in 1903
| o! the bona fide transfer of France, see
my that the colony then sill remained
under The government of Spain. II is on
ly bs Orch suggestions that | can account
for bis proposing 10 purchase of Spain
Territories which had been ceded 10
France, and 10 guarantee territories Of
bis Catholic Majesty on the west Of the
Mississ'ppi-nblchc could be mother than
Louisiana--It not being possible for me
To imagine that he intended any country
beyond Louisiana, much less all the vast
colonies of Spain.
beg your exceiency 10 observe that
II no where appears in Mr.. Pinckney's
communication, ihattbe acquisition made
by France bad given, as YOU conjecture,
Importance Ia The mind oi that Minister,
TO the acquisition sought for by the u.
States. On the contrary, he is very ex-
piicii III the motives which he assigns for
hs offer; these arose out of the niscon-
duet OF the lniendani al New Orleans.
which had confirmed AN opinion pre,i-
onsly entertained in the u. S. that il was
absolutely necessary for them 10 acquire
somep permanent establishment on the east
side ofihe Mississippi or on the Mobile ITO
that end Mar. Plnckney asks for the whole
ct his Majesiy's possessions TO the east
ward of the Mississippi, or for what is
6efWscn that rlver and the Noble :" this
proposal includes New Orleans of course.
And again, he speaks Of the " indispeit-
sable necessity Of their (the United Sta'es)
possessing saitdbie establishment on that
,ire'," meaning the Mississippi: here al
so he al!udss 10 Louisiana Now, though
IL should be allowed that Mr.. pinckney,
as we'll as Mr.. ELECT, had fallen into the
error of Supposing that, after the ccssion
OF Louisiana io France, the whole ofiYrst
Florida YET belonged 10 Spain, neither he
nor Mr. Eilicoit could have sgppssed that,
after such cessioA, New Orleans belong
ed 10 Spain, or. indeed, any other such
point on Tue Mississippi as Mr.. Pinckney
sought 10 obtain.
The replies of your excelency TO these
questions of mine, which ou consider
as constituting The principal force of my
argumest, but which offer TO you no dill
Guilty, only prove that our opinions, as
10 what districts are comprised within
The limits OF Louisiana, are al variance
and since they prove nothing more,
may be excused from now entering into
the varions reasons by which either gov
eminent has supported lis professions.
Your excellcncy supposes that Mr..
Pinckuey's negotiation was concurrent
with That contemplated and then on the
point of being made with the French gov
eminent, for the purchase of Louisiana /;
that il was therefore he sought 10 pro-
cure +" places of deposit on the mouths
ct navigable rivers" passing through The
Floridas; but, Louisiana purchased of
France, MIR. Pinckney's great purpose,
" 10 secure TO the citizens OF one halt Of
the United States the certain means al
exporting their products" was obtained.
He wanted a permanent establishment"
on The Mssissippi; he could not have
desired a better than New Orleans it
was mol by the acquisition of points OF
entrepot on such streams rs The" a mite"
The g Pearl" and the =" pascagoula, s,id
those intermediate, which are loo dimi-
nutne 10 find place on The chart, or
name, that MIR. Pnckney could have
thought of efecing his object, TO Sc
cure the citizens OF ore half of The ".
S'ales The certain means of exporting
Their products :" these were not Tie +" Da-
sIgable rivers" which he spoke Of; he
could not be DESTROYS Of obtaining these
little spots, whilst MIR. Monroe Was pur.
chasing, at Paris, real cntrepOis, rich ter
liorIes OIL bOtbj banks Of tie Mississip-
~, rivers which come some hundred
leagues from lie interior, which i0ay car
ny on their capacious surfaces the pro-
duets, not of America only, iini Of The
whole world whilst the United States
were acquiring, in fine, according i6
Their constrnciioH,) the very Territory in
wliclI the above mentioned rivulets. as
well as The more important Mobile"
run.
But whatever may have been Mr.. finck-
ney's knowledge Of the THEN stale Of al
fairs, whatever we're his views or offers,
his plan OF tie guarantee WAS moi reuro-
duced IN The negotiation which soon at
forwards took place at Aranjucz by the
special mission Of which he was 4 mean
Der: the actual negotiations are bat re-
ncwal Of that wlicli then failed. u the
| United States tn II absial1ed from offer
ing, or refused 10 give guarantee, for
! tori, they will do so now. Under 30 cir
! cumsiances whatever could the offer made
! by MIR. PIntkney, moi accepted III Tie
! lime, have been binding on the u. States,
| or have formed a rule Tor its conduct IN
! subsequent negotiations, rucli less can
| thai offer be admitted 10 consideration At
this dag. under a total change 81 cifcuni~
eiances, and OF relative possession IN lie
! territories nllich we're ilieD the subject Of
Deg0ciall"n.
Your cxceiIcncv snens surprizedat Tie