Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-01-30

ugly presented to the French minister OF
exterior relations, several propositions with
regard to Louisiana but to these ne re-
ceiyes the general answer, !" that every
offer was premature, as it had been deter
mined to take possession as first step.
az. In the same dispatch that gave this
information, MIR. Livingston adds, :" | have
every reason to believe that the Fioridas |
are not coded }" and on tine 28th October, |
wishing on this important spoint. to leave
nothing to conjecture, he had made his way |
to person of highly distinguished rank,
character and consideration, u. b. with
whom he had conversation, which he thus
details :" told him, that the only cause
of difference between US (the United States
and France being the debt and Lou
isiana, conceived that both might be
happily adjusted by making an exchange
with Spain, returning to them Louisiana,
with the exception OF New-Orleans, and
taking 10 lieu thereof, the Floridas, which
with New Orleans should be given to the
United States, in discharge ofthe debt due
by France to American citizens. he asked,
| (whether we should prefer the Floridas to
Louisiana ? answered, that there was no
i, comparison in their value, but that we had
/. no wish to extend our boundaries beyond
the Mississippi, or give color to the doubts
which had been entertained of the mode
ration of our views. He replied, that ne
believed any new cession on the part OF
Spain, w,,Ild be extremely difficult, and
that Spain had parted with Louisiana with
great reluctance.
! This answer could not fail to conclude
Mr.. Livingstone opinion, with regard to the
extent of the cesson made TO France by
Spain, and the sense entertained by the
former, of her own right under it--of which,
! however, he presents new and more stri-
king illustration - The French ambas-
sador," he says. at the Court of Spain, in
structed to.efect this object, the cession OF
the Floridas to France) not with view to
us, but 10 procure for themselves part in
the Gulph, from which they may secure
their own commerce and annoy that Of Bril-
tain.
I In subsequent passage Of the same let
ter, we discover the means employed by
France to promote this negotiation: the
execution of the treaty of Madrid of iGo1,
in relation to Parma and Placentia, is to he
demanded, or if refused evadcd, TO he EN-
forced" The legitimate sovereign of these
duchies (as was distinctly foreseen) declined
toratify treaty to which he had not been
party, and by which his interests were
sacrificed TO those of his son and the Spa
nish ambassador at Paris had no power to
act in TIE case whence the necessity of
dispatching Boumonsi,ie TO Madrid, to
seek from the king, in persons fulhllmentiof
those engagements which he had reluctant
~ taken. TO give efficacy to these mea-
sures, corps d'armee was put into mo-
ton, and early in November Mr.. Liyngs-
ton announcedto his government, that the
knot was cut, and that the difficulty with
regard to Parma and Placencis had endedin
tacit possession OF the former" (8) liz a.
neither letter, OF date which gave full time
for ascertaining facts, We have t:le dcvel-
openent Of the plot Parma, acquired
as We have seen,' was offered for the Flo.
ridas, and the price at which they would
buy TIE one and sci! the other. fixed at 40
millions Of frances" (9) but Spain, who
had already yielded Louisiana with greatre-
luclancy, could not now be persuaded to
redeem Parma by surrender of the Flori
das. (lO).
Failing, as we have thus seen, to Drag
the Spaniarl into cession of these proyin-
ces on the eve oi a new rupture with 6.
Britain, (Which called for additional sup
plies TO the public treasury, and even made
necessary extraordinary means Tor the pre-
seryation of Lousiana) solicitous, besides
TO adjust his differences with the United
States, the lst consu, early in January,
acknowledgement Rernadotte, his Minister
plenipotcntiary andextraordinary at Wash
iegtun, with power to settle all points in
/ discussion between the two nations. There
is, however me- great reason TO believe that
this measure was seriously contemplated,
| much less positively adopted, by Bona
parte, whose maxim j, was, TO bring nego-
Citations with foreign powers near to him