Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-05-09
SPAIN-EIORIDA.


| SPAIN-FLORIDA.
| Every fresh intelligence that reaches
us from Spain brings new and deeper in
teresi with il. Cadiz is i'm the hands oi
The consiiiutionalisis. Blood has marked
| This revolution. An infamous massacre
| had stained the streets of Cadiz. Freyre
Is Incnlpaied as the ins,igator Of 1.-THE
act had raised fresh storm OF Indignation
| against the King. The revolution was
| spreading over the whole kingdom. . /. .
The King had yielded 10 the spirit OF The
| people. The Cortes were summoned aa,!
| would immediately assemble. Could they
trust Tie man who had once betrayed
| them Should they change the Dynas.
ty! Should they even adopt the consii'
tuition OF a republic , these are questions,
| II ~ said, which the people have begun To-
| agifaie.-Whai an asior ishing change
! Spain, lately buried in fanaiicism and
| SLOT. has suddenly risen like the giant.
and commands the respect Of Tie world.
| She presents al this moment the most au-
gust and interesting spectacle upon the
face Of The globe. May the friends of
! beral principles through America and
thorough En'ope not be disappointed.
Ii is said that " The most friendly scnii.
menis for the u. STATES, are expressed by
the Consiiluiinnalisis; and il is ihot no
difficulty IN the negotiation would b.
caused by this party" The vessel which
| brings this Intelligence bears also MIR.
| Hackley, with dispatches from MIR. For
syth. Rumor anticipates iayorabiy OF
their contents.
We most devoutly trust that they may
be suspicious 10 our wishes. We wish TO
remain on the best Terms with the Cories
Spain; on our own account, on theirs,
on account of liberal principles. We
trust that The President has not recon-
mended, as was reported 10 be his in,en-
ton, an occupation of the Floridas.
HeougtIt not TO occupy them fo'thwih
because The Spanish, Revolution has
produced an important change in tile re-
| lafions OF the Two countries. II has
changed the government OF Spain-it has
| brought into existence new power, with
whom we have never negotiated, who has
never refused us justice, with whom il is
our interest, as we'll as of The whole
world, that we should remain on the best
possible terms-and from whom we have
better reasons TO hope for justice and &C
commOdation, than from the bigOiied
Ferdinand. We shonld first try to obtain
justice from them. We should be friends
with them, if we can.-Wc should MOI
signaliZe our opening relations with this
eletO government by all act of force, which
can only rouse its resentment, while lie
hands are iiedup by the state Of its affairs
al home. Our torbearance would com
maHd the further respect Of the world
while If would give us new claims on th'
justice OfSpain. Ii is not necessary, tina
we should rush into the measure; becaus,
we can take Florida whenever we please
because our rights and honor will no
suffer by short delay. Let us try th
I Cortes firsi-then judge for ourselves.
| 10 the idea of transferring TO the Pre-
sident discretionary po,Uer Of occupyin!
Florida, there are serious objections
The representatives of the people ougb
not, but in some great emergency, Il
transfer 10 his hands any power whic
the constitution has not awarded 10 hin
How are they assured that he wonid eH
ercise the power i'm the same manner ;ba
they would That he wonld not b
prompted to do an act of war by reason
which would not satisfy their own judg
men! Why transfer a discretionary pow
er {. 10 give him time to open new ne
gociation-Gnd if AZ fails, 10 seek Te6Tes
, bv force wet, lei the negotiation e
OMIT may take 4 or 8 months TO com
plete IL. Why thea shonld not Congress
wait tlithey meet,again Better adIour
5 To an earlier day than transfer snch
. power without some palpabie ueceSsii,
n In d word, we hope this affair may, ic
!. the present. blow over-that Tie Corie
may do us justice, aud that the relation
T. | of The Two countries may be settled upo
d permanent and friendly basis.