The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-16

iSon wrote to Charles Pinckney. the new
minister to Spain: 1.-The spoliations COM
mitted on our trade, for which Spain iSs
held responsible, are known to be al
ready of very great amount and it is to
be apprehended that they may not have
yet ceased.* Hitherto redress has
been sought, sometimes in tribunals of
justice, sometimes by applications to the
government and sometimes to both these
modes. Experience has sufficiently shown
that neither the one nor the other, Tor
both, can be relied on for obtaining full
justice for our injured citizens. Some
other effort, therefore, is due to the suf-
ferers, and, let me add, to the dignity of
the United States, which must always
feel the insults offered to the rights of
individual citizens
But on July 13, thirty-four days later.
the president forgets about what is due
the sufferers and ''the dignity of the
United States while assuring Gov Clai-
borne of his 'affectionate dispositions to-
wards SPAIN" Truly sad case Of unre-
Quilted affection.
During the whole of the year 1901 and
until March, 1902 the government at
Washington remained ignorant of the
terms Of the treaty Of San Ildefonso.
signed Oct. l, 1890, by the Prince of Peace
and Lucien Bonaparte, the younger broth
er OF Napoleon. This significant treaty
u o4LSISI1Su 10 all that vast and
vaguely defined territory known as Ioui-
siana which France had turned over To
Spain In 1852. Bonaparte's initial policy
and earliest ambition was to restore To
France all her lost former possessions.
But it is the privilege of great men to be
inconsistent and also unsuccessful 1t is
a matter of indisputable historic fact
that he restored nothing that remained
restored and never added a foot of terri
tory permanently to France; on the con-
trary, he lost Belgium and the left bank
or the Rhine. A titled son of the Duke
of Parma, brother of the queen of
Charles ". of Spain, must be provided
Tor. To give consequences and dignity to
the brother of royalty and to honor one
OF SPANS illustrious families, a great
partly developed empire was offered by
Spain to France for the uncertain SOW
ereignty of the petty kingdom Of Tus-
cany. Its priceless art treasures and his
toric memories probably did not weigh
much on either side of the scale The
earlier secret treaty took effect March q.
1901. Napoleon prepared to displace Mar
shall Victor, with five battalions of in
fantry and the required complement Of
cavalry and artillery, but the dashing
Victor and his forces and three brigadier
generals never sailed.
Not until April IS, 1902, does President
Jefferson wake UP to the large signiti-
canoe of the Louisiana question. In a
letter Of that date to Robert r. Living
ston our minister extraordinary to
France, he gives strong expression to
some elastic views, but elastic in the
wrong direction: 1.-The cession of Louis
lana and the Floridas by Spain to France
works most sorely on the United States
The day that France takes pos
session of New Orleans fixes the SEN
tence which is to restrain her forever
within her low water mark 1t seals the
union of two nations who in conjunction
can maintain exclusive possession of the
ocean. From that moment we must mar
~ ourselves to the British fleet and ma
ton. We must turn all our attentions
10 maritime force, for which our re-
sources place us on very high grounds:
and having formed and cemented togeth-
er power which may render reinforce
ment of her settlements here impossi-
Die to France, make the first cannon
which shall be fired in Europe the signal
Tor tearing up any settlement she may
nave made, and for holding the two con-
t1nents of America in sequestration for
the common purposes of the United Brit
ish and American nations
by Oct. 10, in a letter to Mr. Living
ston, Mr.. Jefferson distinctly becomes
an ardent friend of peace with France:
we see all the disadvantageous conse-
Quences of taking a side, and shall be
forced into it only by a more disagree
able alternative, in which event we must
countervai the disadvantages by meas
ures Which will give us splendor and
power, but not as much happiness as
our present system. We wish, therefore,
to remain well with France But we see
that no consequences, however ruinouS
to them, can secure US with certainty