Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-11-02
FROM THE AURoRA.1
POLITICAL views.

Tue present season II well adapted to
bring before the public some facts upsu
whici' "e have repeatedly laid some stress,
and upon which we founded our doubs OF
The henesty Nh. Bagot's diplomacy al the
city OF Washington. The designs of G..
BRIAN on South America are OH hstcri-
cai record, Tor more than 100 years. To
me well informed IN modern history, the
attempts upon Porto Bello, Car,IIagema,
rahana, The eDcrOachmemis upon the
Bay OF Honduras, the attack upon Ma
nilla, and Tie designs on the Phiiippines
and OH the Falkland islands The wrest-
ing OF Trinidad from Spain, and Iseuuibo
tom the Dutch; the war of the Yuardas
cosias; The attempt OH Buenos A yreS I'M
der Generals WMttocke and Beresford !:
Tie support given 10 Miranda, and his
sacrlhce, when, instead of a s,ibseryiency
10 BRUSH Interests, lac noblv dared 10
assert HE Independence of Venezuela.
contrary TO the views Of British policy
winch sought 10 secure lis dependence !:
the commissioners Sent oHt about six
Years ago 10 Venezuela, un,.er Re pre-
text OF mediation, bat wEic,, did no,
deceive the Patriots, and therefore failed .
the efforts OF Lord itronrford at Brazil
to prevent declaration OF independcuce
ana 10 carry Oh a revolution against
SPAN, under the name Of Ferdinand VII.
suoserVlent 10 the policy OF England,
which also failed, for independence Was
declared III despite Of all those, aud the
in'rigues practised by that British, mit,is-
ter, III Buenos Ayres aud Peru they are
all OF The same tDeb of diplomatic strata
gem, pursuing for an age, an object OF
which the value had been previously
calculated, and the purpose Of acquiring
which, has never been Abandoned.
We have frequently stated what we
shall now repeat-illat the American mi
mister al The court of London was i'll
struggled 10 ascertain the disposition of
The British government, under a cohtin-
gency of difference between Spain and
the United States. Ii was urged that
Spain had treated the United States with
injustice, and withheld from American
citizens vast property, wantonly plum
dered, and that II was due 10 The people
by lis governmeI:, that Justice should be
done. Probably the inirigues of the
Spanish ambassador in the United States.
were also referred 10 as aggravations ::
that the United STATES preferred a pacific
settlement, and could not obtain IL
through the utmost efforts of the Ameri-
can minister al Madrid. IL was the wish
OF the United States TO avoid war, but ian
the last extremity that measures short
OF actual war would be reSorted to and
as Great Britain was engaged by treaty
with Spain OF GATE at London i4ih Jan.
1919. TO know whether, by that treaty, il
would involve any question of hostility
towards Great Britain, or by which she, as
the ally of Spain might be considered as
bound TO give aid, III The event of Spain
refusing TO do justice.
The answer of Lord Castlereagh was to
This effect, that with reference 10 the
South american revolt, Great Britain
intended a strict neutrality; that the
treaty concluded with the central juuta in
1909, intended only the defence of the
Spanish peninsula, the restoration of Fer.
dInand VII. and the expulsion of the
French, as was expressed i'm the third
aud fourth articles Of that treaty.
Nevertheless, that although the treatv
was so limited in its objects, the aid
which Great Britain was bound TO afford
Spain III Europe, did not oblige her 10
afford any aid GU, OF Europe Spain was
by the concluding clause of the fourth
art'cte " that treaty precfnded Z" from ced.
ing "a any case TO France any part of the
Spanish monarchy az any part of the
wortd"-but although France ONLY was
spoken of i'll that particular treaty, the
intention OF the clause was 10 preclude
any cessl0H to any other pOUer and re-
ference was made 10 the sale of Louisi.
ana, which was sold and transferred 10 a
| third power. That i'm this point of view
England would moi interfere in any dis
pute concerning the matter of their me-
gociations but that if ANY attempt were
made by any power 20 acquire territory
| III America, by conquest or reprisal. or
any other petexi, England would moi
remain neuier, but would enforce the
treaty with Spain in the same wav as II
| such territory were seized by France.
We shall, with only this preface, now
| present 10 our readers d copy of The irea-
| ~ at large, and submit ii To their iuds-
ment, whether with this treaty, and those
declarations III view, Tie conduct OF The
British minister BagOt, al Washington,
and the British minister Veiiesiey al
Madrid, were not so utterly al variance
and irreconcilable with good faith or GOOD
! intentions or whether u was not a stu
died luggle and scandalous evidence OIL
duplIciiy and false dealing-whetIieI De,
Onis III nesoclatlUg the treaty of cessi0n
OF Florida, did possess powers 10 act IN
tile transfer OF Florida, WHICH had i'm view
this treaty, and the assent OF The control
ling power OF Great BriIain-and further
whether the explanations made by Don
Omis on That OccaslOn were such az ought
io have been accepted without the mos
unequivocal recognition of tie act by liza
British minister present anI whether
hat assurance was first bad.
/ Nor should il pass unnoliced on tbi,
occasion, that MIR. Canning. the virulen
and unprincipled enemy of the Unitet
States, and Of every thing else that j.
virtuous and liberal, is At this time 3
member Of the British cabinet and tina
Apadoca The Spanish negOciator, is al IN,