Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-12-21

SF'Su'cdt.N named, anu 'lidt they
VIII be so held by the Unied States. r.
aVoio any Possible misconceptions, your
| answer Us this statement is reqnesied:
and the exchange OF the ra,iiicaiioi,s will
be made, under the explicit declaration
aud understanding, that all the above
rdeh'iohed grants, and all others derived
! lrom them, are null and vo,d.
pray yen 10 ac ept the assurances of
! any distinguished considerations
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
Don Luis dc Oms to he Secretary Of State.
TRANSLATION.
SIR: have received the note Won were
| pleased 10 address me, OF ihis days dale
| III which you state that, by the eighth
article OF The treaty signed by us on the
22u OF last month, II was agreed, on the
pari OF the United States, that all grants
ct land IN the Fioridas, made by lis
Catholic Majesty, or his legitimate au
thoritIes, subsequently to The 24ih of
] January, 1918, are declared TO be null
aud void, with full understanding
that II included the grants alleged 10
| have been Grade in tue course of the
preceding winter, by the kiug, 10 tie
| Duke OF Alagnn, the Couni of Punon
Rostro, and MIR. Vargas aud that, there
| iore, you request al me- declaration
| That, Wherever the date of those grants
may have been, II was fully understood
| by. US, that they are annuIlpd by the irea
| ,y,as much DIS il they had been specitoaih
named.
With the fraukness aud good faith
which has ulforUiy actuaied my con
duct, and which Distinguish The character
OF the Spanish nation. | have To declare
To you, sir, that ,'len | proposed the
rev of oil al
| queni 10 the dale above mentioned il was
| With the full belief that il compreilended
those made TO The duke of Aagns, as
| well AS any others which had been slipu
lated al that period.
But al tile same time that l offer YOU
ihis frank. simple, and ingenious decIa
ration, have TO express To- YOU that. II
my cone option had been different, or IL ~
had appeared TO me that any OF those
grants WIRE prior 10 the date aboyemei-
toned, | would have insisted upon their
recognition, as the honor of the king, my
master, and The uuquestionable rights OF
his sovereignty and of his possessions,
! and the disposal of them obviously re-
| CURED.
will hasten TO transmit 10 my govern
ment dnr information OF The whole and,
/ impressed as ] am. With the conviction of
l
| the wishes OF the President, | persuade
myself that he will, with pleasure, parIi.
| cipate IN that sentiment, by admitting
The explicit declaration which YOU have
| requested OF me. In the mean time. |
| begy you will favor me with your answer
10 The explanations requested yesterday,
| IN relation to HE late act of Congress-
concerning piracy.
| BE pleased TO accept the assurance of
my distinguished consideration. q cd pre-
serve you many years.
LUIS DE ONls.
| Washington, 10th March, 1919.
Tile Secretary Of State to Mr. Forsyth.
Department of State,
| Washington, 10th March, 1919.
John Forsyth, Minister PlenipOientiary
| 10 Spain
SIR; By the eighth article of The treaty
| OF amity, settlement. aud limits, between
the United States and Spain, signed OIL
| the 22d Oi last month, all the z ants at
lands, made by his Catholic Majesty, or
by his lawful authorities, since Tie 24,l,
of Jan. 1918, in the territories ceded by II.
Z. NJ. TO the United States, III the Fiori
das, are de; Jared aud agreed TO be null
and VOID. This date Was proposed bV
Mr.. OnIs, and acceded To- on ihe part
OF the u. ). with a full and clear under
standing, on both sides, HAT The grants
made, or alleged 10 have been made, i'm
tie course Of the preceding winter, 10
tie Duke Of AIagon, The Count of Punon
Rostro, and MIR. Vargas, were among
those declared 10 be null aud void Co
pies OF thu grants 10 the Count OF PunOn
ROsiro and Ia Mr. Vargas, IN ile iorm
Of orders 10 The governor General OF The
Island OF Cuba, aud 10 the Governor of
the FIoridas, has been Transmitted to This
Department by MIR. Ervin., tie first OF
which bears date the 9th Of February.
and Tie second the nth of March, 1878
but 80 copy has been received of that IT,
the DIX of Alagon. As, however, the
authenticity Of ,hese documents might
be denied and Tie grants have never been
made public, II Is proper that tie posi-
billy OF any future question, with regard
to those grants, shoHld b guarded a
galnsl; for which purpose The form Oi
declaration Is enclosed, which il will be
| proper Tor YOU to deliver on exchanging
tie Tdtlflt atious of the treaty, 10 the
Spanish Minister with whom YOU will
make the exchange. The fact of the
mutual understanding that those grants
were annulied by tbe treaty, is fuIly and
explicitly admitted by Mr.. Onis, in his
answer, dated ibis day, 10 neie from
me Oh this subject copies OF which,
With Translation of his ans er, are here
with enclosed. 1t is not anticipated that
| -
lsIhe following are the words Of the propo-
sitien contained in the letter OF Don Luis de
Onis TO the Secretary OF State, of the l6lh Mo-
yember, 1915:
1.-The extent of what can agree TO is that
the late grants made by II "a. in the Foridas
sIHce the 2ith OF January last. the dte OF my
titSf note, annOuucinsr ais m Aiesfy's ,giiluues.