The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-12-14

the establishment or Government In
Florida, which should preserve order
there the Minister of the United States
who had been recently appointed to his
Catholic M.jesty. and TO whom the rati.
lioation, by his Government had been
committed. to be exchanged for that of
Spain. instructed to tra"t-lit th: latter TO
the Department Of 5 &c s. soon as OBJ
tanned, by public shi SUBJ ed TO his
order for the purpose. laeAge cted de-
lay occurring in the ra,id- ion, y Spain,
he requested to be infora u Q. me cause.
1t was stated, in reply, that the great I'M
portance Of the. subject, and desire to
obtain explanations on certain points,
which were not specified, had produced
the delay. and that an Envoy would be
despatched to the United states, to OBJ
tain such explanations Of this Govern
ment. The Minister of the United States
offered TO give full explanation on any
point, on which it might be desired |;
which proposal was declined. Having
communicated This rcsult'to the DEPART
nIent # State, in August last, he was in
structed. Notwithstanding the disappOius-
mcnt and surprise which it produced to
to inform the government OF opain, that,
if the treaty should be ratified, and trans
mitted here at any time before the meet
ing of Congress, il would be received, and
have the same effect as if it had been rat
i6ed in due time This order was execur
ed the authorized communication vas
made to the government of opain and by
Its answer. which has just been received,
we are officially made acquainted. for the
the first time, with the causes which have
prev ented the ratihcaio of the treaty by
his Catholic Majesty 1t is alledged by
the Minister of SPAN, that this govern.
ment had attempted TO alter one of the
principal articles CT the treaty, by declar
atom which the Minister of the United
states had been orderered to present,
hen be should deliver the ratification by
MS government III exchange for that. OF
opaIa and of which he gave notice ex-
pianatory OF the sense in which that ar
licle was understood. II is further alleg
ed, that this government had recently tol.
Grated. OF protected, an expedition from
the United States, against the PROVINCE
Of lexas. These two inquired acts are
stated as the reason which have induced
ms Catholic Majesty TO withhold his rati-
nCation from the treaty, to obtain explain
ations respecting which it is repeated that
all envoy would De forthwith despatched
to the United States. How far these al
legations will justify the conduct of the
government OF Spain, will appear on a
view of the following facts, aud The evi
dence which supports them.
ltwill BE- seen. by the documents trans
mitted herewith, that the declaration
mentioned relates 10 a clause In the eighth
article, concerning cerain grants of land,
recently made by his Catholic Majesty, in
Florida, which it was understood had
conveyed all the lands, which till then
had been ungrantei. II was the intention
or the Par,ies TO annul these latter grants.
d that clause was drawn for that ex
press purpose, and for none other. The
date OF these grants was unknown, but il
Was understood TO be posterior to that in
serted in the article indeed it must be
obvious to all, that THAT provision in the
treaty had not the effect of annuiIine these
grants, 1t WOULD be altogether nuga,ory
lmmed'a ely after the treaty was conclud-
ed and ratified by this government, an
intination was received that these grants
were OF anterior date to that fixed on by
treaty, and that they would not, of course,
be affected BY it The mere poGibility
OF ssch case. SO Inconsistent with the
intention Of the par les, and the n Gaming
OF The article, induced this government to
demand an explanation on the subject,
which was immediately granted. and
which corresponds with this state ment.
Win respect to the other act alleged,
that this government hadaolerated or pro
tected ali expedition against Texas, it is
terly without foundation Every dis
ccuntenarce has invariably been given to
every such attempt within the limits of
The Unied States, as is fully evinced by
the acts OF the government, and the pro
cetd'ngs OF The courts There being
cause, however, 10 apprehend, in the
course of the last summer, that some adj
veEtuT<rS entertained views of the kind
suggesiej the attention of the cons,itut-
Il