Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-06-25

States. lie declared II as his opinion,
that at all Tie events that could happen al
thiS Time, there was not one which so
deeply affected ihe commercial Interests
al Great Britain as the cession IN question.
lie hoped sc would long continue To live
IN slate oi peace with the United States
but AZ none of their iordShips could tell
how long thai peace would last, or how
soona war might again break on. between
as and that nation should II uniortu-
n3ieiy happen, the possession the Flo
II ias bv the United States, would place
the whole of omr West India trade at the
mercy u. the Americans. They would
thus have possession a: so many com
,no'iinuS ports, aud would be enabled
10 send out so many armed riuiZers, that
not ane at our merchant vessels. passing
s!,i" ar oW ot the Cult oi Florida, could
escape them. The Americans would
thus bc able TO aunihiiaie the whole Of
our trade IN that part of the world, and
give an influence io black governments
III Inc Yves; indies, that might he de
struciive OF our interests there. On all
these grounds, II was greatly to be la
mcn'ei, that every possible means had
mi been taken to prevent such a cesSion
as this taxing place. When The peace of
Utrecht vas made, The British negotiators
'el' how important IL Was 10 prevent such
ces@ions ~ this and il was accordingly
provided IN ihal treaty tina Spain was not
~ give up 10 any power, any portien OF
her territories ia America. But, although
inn,. negotiations for the securIty OF The
different countries of The world had been
EARNED on al Firnna, 10 oHe conceived il
necessary 10 make any provision that
suoUii have jii.: eject of preventing The
III 40 tod Eat
ilan hr~" stated, from high authority, that
Tie lrealy nj Utrecht should be consider
td as The common law Of Europe, aud
N ills instance, His best principles were
departed from. After all The sacrifices
which Engldnd bad made during the late
Maf, II MAS as little as she could expect,
10 have Il security OF This kind from Spain,
against 90 great a danger as this. Aier
having done SO much Tor Strain, j, was
not TOO much for England 10 expect from
her, that she shoul, be found never to
make any ces>ion SO destructive 10 our
best in'errg!-. On this part OF the subjrct,
he" he dis rot mean to move for
any papers but IT any statement that
n. gti serve 10 elUcidatr ii couii be made,
he huptd such statement would not be
withheld. He should, however, move for
copies of any communications that might
ing tDsii0w such disavOwal on the part
OF the American Government respecting
th, ahOcious ACT IN question, as slIeuld
prevent a similar act III future from be-
inn considered as coniormable TO the la "
oil nations. The noble Marquis conc iu-
ded with moving for papers 10 this ef-
feet.
Earl Bathurst said, he should not follow
tie Noble Marquis in all lhrarguImenis he
had used respecting the CrssIon of The
EiNridas, because he had declined max
Inv ANY motion on that part of the sub
lcci. lie did not see any reason why one
Government had not right TO cede a
portion ut lis own territory TO anO-
Their Government, without any right OIL
The part OF a third Government TO find
me ifiiSe must see how dangerous il
Woh" ne To lay down aS Il principle, thai
not one country could cede territory to
another, without the British Government
being made responsible for such an act
Nothing could be so inconsistent with
our own security, as that of going about
from one country to- another for the Dur.
pose at guaranteeing their respective pos
sessions. AT the time the treaty of Utrecht
was made, the Fioridas were not i'm the
possession OF the Spanish Government
ne shoul'l now proceed to the immediate
question before the House. The Noble
Marquis must see how extremely delicate
"oni'i.b be 10 lay before the House any
partial communications that might have
been male TO Government respecting
the two individuals mentioned by him !:
AMI even II thay were laid before the
House, he would then have but a yerv
imperfect communication. Ii might be
sad, that the act Of putting these men TO
death, was Of such nature as TO make
II incumbent on the British Government
10 call tor the punishment of the person
Wiio had ordered that execution. He
tlOrtl Is y coniended, that the British Go
Ncrnmenl was not bound to call for auy
act OF reparaiiop. Two persons were ia
ken IN The Spanish territory acting with
hostility against the United States. and
were put To Jea,h. Ii WAS the government
possessing the territory IN which this ACT
was done, that had a right To COMPLAIN
OF II /; and the act was not done or sane
toned by The American Government. Ii
was done without their knowledge; and
tie question now was, whether this should
he considered an act which called upon
our government 10 seek for reparation:
ihls was question of very great deIica-
cy. Ii we shonld once seek repara,ion
w ''"' NV 't"iNit Oui ucndnu, Dut
push 1t TO the utmost extremity and
therefore II was proper TO consider how
far il was polite TO run the risk Of doing
ihat which might lead 10 hostility, when
we wercn0l called on by any necessity
TO do so.-lf British subject thought
proper TO engag' III the service Of foreign
Slate without Tie consent of his own Go.
veTnment u he Joined that State in car
TyinE Oh war against another, and both
lirse STATES were at peace with Great
n:,.-. III L.. ~ -. ~, 'N"'