Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-04-04


Aaverument, Ina ali the grants OF land
lately alleged TO hav been made ny you
government witi,iu a. ose territories, mus
be cancelled, unless your government
SHOULD provide soul" adequate fund, from
which The claims above referred TO of the
United States aud their citizens may be
satisfied
On The 10Th of November, Mr.. Omis
proposes that tie tate gra,tS, made since
the date of this note offering a cession,
should be declared null and void, in con-
sideiatiou Of the grantees not having
complied with the essential conditions ui
the cession, as had been the fact. The
late grants, as was explicitly understood
by both the negotialors, and can ouiy
be 40 understood, referred TO the large
graals Of laad TO Alagon, pnuon Retro,
and Vargas, respecting which uOlice-ha
been given by Mr.. Erviug to Mr. pizarro.
To remove all possible doubt, Mr.. Onis
states 10 have been the inducemeni TO the
grants, the same causes which are stated
~ The royal orders respecting them,
desig" 10 promote population, cultivation
AMI indnstry, causes assigned for 40
other modern donations. 1t being pcr~
iec'lv understood by the parties, ,ha,
these grants were 10 be anInlIed by the
conveuiiGu, al! thai remained was 10
reduce Ihr intention ot tho parties TO
formal article. Mr.. Onis, who had eX-
i'rrssly agreed 10 exclude them, whatever
nigh, bc their dates, IN the first project
al thr treaty delivered OH The 9il, Fcbru-
AIRY. mad drawn The article in such terms,
IS 10 cnpiiim all grants made before
January 81, 1878 Tie article was no.
accepted Ia thai form. In the counter
project nt HE Secretary of Slate, MIR.
.A>ams, on the 18th February, the grants
iriog - ;ir 2fs January, 1918 tie ran.
9iHens ct wh'ch Should haee 6sen performed
~ the erantcrS, and none others were
dpriare;io be confirmed. MIR. Onis was,
al 'bi~ time, confined 10 his house by IN
HrSn"s nan, ans. by his request, the CON
0un!cai1ns between The negulid;ors were
E,a'lc Trough the friendly ulerposiiiun
oi Mr.. tlyde de Melville: Mr.. Onis insist.
Ell npon the article AZ drawn MP by hin,
loi tor The purpose # covering these
grants, but naeIciyt to SaUe tic honor Of tie
hmg As II VAS obvious ihatihe honor
al tie King w0uid moi be affected by de-
c'dr!nS the grants prior 10 January, 1913,
tiunihg tn Tie same ertent, as they would
Law" 0rcn IN Spain, II Il ccssion had mol
tab place, Mt Onis yielded 10 mod.
iicatiun proposed by The Secretary Of
state, 10 that effect, hut at the saule time
OhsrI crh, that these were grants of old
dates, made bona iidc 10 persons In ac-
iudl pUsseSsISu Of the lands, aud who had
improvements and settlements on them
hu, who, by the revolutions in Earopc,
aud lie conVuIsei state OF Spain, had
been prevented from completing all tie
conditions NJ the grants that u would be
equitable To allow them lime rcm the date
oI he treaty To fulfil them. This was
III tnI I'm ii L..
presented by Mr.. Onis, was thus modi-
ii-d, TO exclude, absolutely, al! grants,
made subsequent TO the 24.h Jan. 1915.
ri TO Confirm all grants prior 10 That
period, 10 the same exlent that they
would have been valid, haC! The territory
CeIed reGaIIcd under The dominion Of
his Majesty.
81. 60 ALLOW all whose titles were i'm
peg.rct. @, vino had been prevented, by the
recent circumstances OF The Spanish en-
pirr, ani the revolutions IN Europe, from
fulfilling l!,e conditions Of their grants,
Admitted iiGir So complete them. When,
alter the signature Of the treaty, a rumOr
prevailed that the 9tauis 10 Alagon, Pu-
nOn Roslr0, and Vargas, were valid un
der the treaty, being dated but "a short
time before The 2{ii of January, 1918,
aud that ih:s date was assumed with The
Iniention thai they should b.. confirmed.
Withou, admitting the suspicion of any
unfair dealing iu Tic conduct OF the me-
gocIdIOr of Spain, that no pr-icnce should,
by auy possibility, bc raised after the ra-
iIiicaiion oi the treaty, that these grants
were confirmed, or that either party To
the compact bah understood that they
would be CoHfirmri, | was Instructed to
deliver, on the exchange o! llticatiOns,
the declaration q! the construction IL
was the avowed Intention at bOtli parties,
al The signature, that ilIe 9Th article sh0uld
lear, III relation TO the grants in question.
and the Ouly one the United States
would ever admit In correspondence
Of March 1910, between Mr.. Adams and
MIR. Onis, the Spanish Minister nnequi-
yocdliy admits that such had been his IN.
Outstanding of the article when he signed
ia fact l,i!,. confirmed by the declsra.
trcu Of Mr.. Hyde de Melville.
Such, sir, Is The history OF these grants,
and )he negotiation in relation 10 them.
II would not I've difficult 10 prove that
b. declaration OF thrhmerlcan gOy'l CO.
Ply of which had ihe honor 10 transmit
royOur ExcelleHcy, as it Is IN strict con
lOrnIiiy with ihe intention OF The parties,
- also in unison with The very letter o..
the compact. Without entering into
nmuie discussion Of the difference in the
force aud obligation Of The royal order,
made prior, aud the royal cedud, made
subsequent, 10 the Gath January, 1918, [
may venture 10 assert thai no title was
vested IN tue several grantees until Tie
roy 81 ceduld gwen IN the council of In
dies. EVcU if J should err IN this posi-.
ton, Of the snlldily OF which have tic
most perfect conviction, luesp grants
would moi be valid under the treaty, as
the conditions OF Ihem nave not been COM
piled wiih--nor could The grantees claim
the benefit of The stipulation to give lime
10 lhe OLD cialmanis 10 perleci lheIr ILIlaa