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

".
and adducing arguments Of our right to the vs..
OF the Mississippi for 3 years through that try
ing period, before the councils OF our country
had acquired that energy and promptness
which after the adoption of the Federal con
stitution they SO happily displayed. Both
parties adherin~ KY tinstely 10 their supposed
rights, an 9n ihe tn Oct. 1888 Mr.. Jay ad
dressed letter to Alr Gardoqui in which he
referred 'he pending negotiations 10 the
Federal G9verEueut which was to assemble
inMarch . Tie dissolution of one gov
ernment," says, and the establishment of
another, fo.,.. period little adapted to nego-
tiations, especially 10 popular government"
This letter suspended farther correspondence
on this subject until after The Federal govern
ment had gone INTO operation. Mr. Jay was
then appointed Chief Justice of the y. S. and
was succeeded IN his Office OF secretary of state
bv Mr. Jefferson In 1880, the situation of
affairs in Europe, the prospect of war be
tween Spain and England, suggested TO Presi
dent Washington the idea OF renewing the ne
gotallon at moment 80 favourable 10 the in
terests Of this country. He accordingly sent
Col. David Humphreys confidential messen
michGes who had been left Charge des affairs
al Madrid by Mr.. Jay, when he returned
from that court to Gil the office of Secretary Of
foreign afars,to prepare him to take advantage
OF any occurrence suspicious to OUT demands
Untavourabe events however, viz. the ami
cable adjustment OF the differences between
Spain and England, disappointed the hopes of
administration at that time. Aoout the close
OF 1871, Messrs. ViGr and JGudenes repre-
sentatives OF the King of Spain, animated TO
our government that their court would be will
ling to renew the suspended conferences at
.Nadrjd. Although the transfer of the scene
OF negotiation was not approved, still it was
thought that the proposition was too important
to be rejected on that account; accordingly
Mr Wm Short who was then charge DIES affairs
al Paris was Joined with Mr., Carmichael be-
fore mentioned, and they were appointed
commissioner, peDipotentiary TO negotiate a
treaty. In the mean time new points of dis
cuSsIon bad arisen, viz: 4" the restitution of
property, escaping into each others territories,
mutual exchanges of iugitwes from justice, and
above all mutual interferences with the In
dams lying between the two territories !"
these together with new combinations among
the powers OF Europe, aud other unexpected
embarrassments, proracted the discussions to
an unusual length All the weapons Of diplo-
macy were welded by our agents, to accom-
plish the object OF their mission, but in vain
for delay, as long as ii continued, was evident
ly as much for the advantage of Spain as if her
preensions were actually allowed, she being
IN possession Of the claims 10 obtain which we
were negotiating aud without the concession
of which our commissioners could not conclude
a treaty. This system OF procraslinaion and
delay was obstinstely maintained on the part
of Spain; the correspondence beng carried
on by Don Gardoqai and the Duke Of .4lcudia,
Secretary of State, and of Despachos, the same |
who was afterwards sly led the Prince otPeace !
Their prIncip pal obstacles 10 forming treaty, |
were the free navigation of the Miss. and grant |
ing depot upon that river where the sea and |
river vessels might meet and exchange their |
cargoes, without which The navigation would |
be of little consequence and the southern |
boundary, over which Spain had already en- /
croached from the 81 OF north latitude TO north |
of the Yazoo river, claiming it by virtue Of
conquest from the British IN 1871, when they |
were fighting az the allies OF this country, dur
ing the revolutionary war.
In 1884, while these conferences were still
held at Madrid, the commissioners Of his Cath |
olic Majesty near the u. S. having declared to
the Secretary of State, $ that II particular
accommodation should be made IN conducting
the BUSINESS" referring to the sending an off
Ger of higher diplomatic standing, no further
delay would snsue, President Washington |
thought proper TO send Thomas PInckney Esq. !
then Minister Pienipotentiary near the Court
of ST. James. as Envoy extraordinary to his
Catholic Majesty, specially charged TO bring
the discussions 50 long penGing TO conclusion
Mr. p. arrived at Madrid the 28th OK June,
1895, and after an animated and firm CORES
pondence with the Prince of Peace, the treaty
was signed by both parties on the 9Th OF Oct.
of that year, WHICH is now in our statute books,
and which yielded to us the free navigation
of the Mississippi, granted US depot at New
Orleans, confirmed our southern boundary at
the SO ofN. latitude, and placed US in COM
merclal point, on the ground OF the most ia
youred nation. Mr.. PInckney, speaking OF
the obstacles he met with, In letter to Mr..
Jefferson, says, Z" You will observe by my
note of the Gath Oct. that found the diff
culles of such an accommodation as could
accede to, were so insupeTable, that had to
ask for my passports to return. This may
illustrate The difficulties had to encounter and
the preiudices to be removed, which II re-
quires some knowledge of the national char
acter, fully TO conceive" Thus after ne
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