Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-05-16
OUR RELATIONS WITH SPAIN
WAsuINGroN, May 10.

WASHINGTON, May III.
The following Message was yesterday
Transmitted to both Houses Of Congress by
the President of the United States:
To the Senate and House Of Representa-
tipes of the United states.
/ communicate TO Congress cores
pondence which has taken place between
the Secretary Of State and the Envoy
Extraordinary aud Minister Plenipoten-
tiary of his Catholic Majesty, since the
message Of the 9th March last, respect
ing the treaty which was concluded be-
tween the United States and Spain, 90 tb e
22d February, 1919
After the failure OF his Catholic Males
ty for SO long a time to ratify the treaty,
ii was expected that this Minister would
have brought with him the ratification, or
that he would have been authorised TO give
au order for the delivery Of the territory
coded by it to the United States. II APP
pears. however, that the treaty is still I'M.
ratified and that the Minister has 10 au-
thority 10 surrender the territory. The
object Of his mission has been TO max e
complaints and to demand explanations
respecting an imputed system OF hostility
on the part OF citizens Of the United
States against the subjects and dominion
of Spain, and an unfriendly policy ia their
government, and to obtain new stipula.
lions against these alleged injuries, as the
condition Oh which the treaty should be
ratified.
Unexpected as such complaint and
such demand were under existing Cir
cumstauces, it was though, proper, with
out compromising the government as to
the course TO be pursued, to meet them
promptly, and to give the explanations
that were desired; on every subject, with
the utmost candor. The result has pro-
we'd what was sufficiently well known
before, that the charge Of systematic
hostility being adopted and pursued by
citizens of the United States, against the
dominions and subjects Of Spain, is utter
Iy without foundation, and that their go.
vernment, in all its branches, has MAIN
tanned, with the utmost rigor, that neutral
ity, in the civil war between Spain and
her colonies, which they were the first to
declare. No force has been collected,
nor incursions made, from within the Uni
ted States against the dominions Of Spain,
nor have any naval equipments been per
mitied, 10 favour Of either party, against
the other. Their citizens have been warn
led Of the obligations Incident to the neu-
trial condition of their country, the public
officers have been instructed to see that
the laws were fully excepted, and severe
examples have been made Of some who
Violated them.
In regard to the stipulation proposed,
as the condition Of the ratification Of the
treaty, that the United States shall aban.
don the right to recognise the revoIutiona-
ry colonies in South America, or to form
other relations with them, when in their
Judgment il may be just and expedient SO
10 DO, It is manifestly SO repugnant to the
honor, and even to the independence Of the
United States, that it has been impossi-
ole to discuss it. In making this proposal,
II is perceived that bis Catholic Majesty
mas entirely misconceived the principles
on which this government has acted, 10
being party to negotiation so long pro.
tracted, for claims SO well founded and
reasonable, as he likewise has the sacri.
ices which the United States have made,
comparatively, with Spain, in the treaty