Western Sun, Volume 4, Number 12, Vincennes, Knox County, 21 December 1811 — Page 1

THE

WESTERN SUN

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VOL. IV.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER. 21,1811.

NO. 12.

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OCCUPATION OF FLORIDA. M. Foster to Mr. Monroe. Washington, July 2, 1811. SIR, The attention of his Majesty's government has of late been called to the measures pursued by thre United States for the military oci up: tious ot Writ Florida. The language hrhi ' v the Pelidcnt at the cpening of the ieifiuti ot Con&;r. fs, the, hoftile demon ft rn es m-ic'e by the Amencan forces under t-pi-i.' G imes, the actual fummoning r; t the 'Di- t Mobile, and the V. 1 1 Iikifrf4 t r ti- .,n'irrt!vriijn At tht A

incrican legid itutr, for tl;e itUrrior admin. iilration of the piavince, are fo nir.y direct and pi.fitive proofs tlK4t tle goverujncit of Arjeriri is prfpircd to fuij.-c the provinre of Florida to the authority ofthe U States. " - , The "Spanilh Minider in London, addrefled a note m the month of M:inh Lit, ta his Majtfly's Sc retiiy of St-iti- for foreign fiffnirs, cxurclfinij in fndicit nt de-

tail, tbc frelirgs ot th gcr.in nt or

Snin rclpeclir.r tins u. p..-Noked ggrcl

iion on the. inteTttv ot tint rmwi-iri liy

Mr. Morirr, i 1 u m :r t' ir. .imitti.nt

December J5, nhrdy rrmindeJ the American coci;.in i t ot thr n-ti Li te alliance fubiidtng brtwnn his M j cfly and Spain, ar.d fir h.s drtlftrd ticn iuch explara.io!i cn it.e f t! b j -cl as niiht convince his Mtiefv of ti e pitifit UjJp -

lltlOIlS OI me uiM.rti o.J.f S Y1"" j

Mr. Smith ttatrii a I.!. iep!y, tlt it is

evident that no h"IhV or niitr:enaly pur pofe was entertan.rd by awi'ih towjtt Spain and tint thr Air.'i.un Mi"iftT a: his M-jrUy's court t d u-tn er t ! d m make whoever -plui lion r.i.-'.r ,,.r;u)rr with the fiJM.lc am couthr y lni: w'idi had been mvHt uUy m Uiilcit-J on the p.rt

Since ti e d-f-t iiis corrt "; rvl -vcr Mr. I Kmkney has offrr, d no xpn v u.o iut 1

ever of the motives v. h'.r h n ! vc act v the conduct of th- U..iUl S at-s ; tranfiaion. A mil h " h--n intrm:.! into Conrrfs for ' !ihi.in-it. ' ernmcnt and protcUon the ciu'iy ci

Mobile, and the fortrefs of that name had been fummoncd without effect. His Royal Highnefs the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of h.s Mai city, 13 lhll willing to hope that the American government has not been urged to this Hep by ambitious motives, or by. a defire of foreign conquelt, and territorial- aggrandizement. It would be fatisfactory howev. er to be cmbUd to afcertain that no con

J lideration connected with the prefent ftate

oi opaui ;nas, uiaucea imenca to ueipoi that monarchy of a valuaufe foreign col on . ' -

The government of the United States contends that the tight to the jolTcilion of a certain put of Weft Florida will not be. lefs open to oifcuffion in the occupation of America, than under the government of Spain. But the government of the U. States under thi? pretext, which . mutf -'attend to the ungenerous -and unprovoked feizure ot a fcreign crdony, vhilc the parent ftate is.

engaged in a no-c conttii tor indtpenu euce. agtfinO a rncft unjult'fiahle and violent ir-v jfinii of .th rights both cf the Islonarch and Ptcule rf Sp.dn.

While I wait therefore, for an cxplinr.tson from you, fir, ns-to the motives which Ird to this unjufl apufilon by the Cid Stites on the territories of fits MjmSs ;d!y, 1 ,7nfl c Mifider i: as my duty t lift no time is fufnllir g the orders of his Hoyv 1 llip'iiurfs the IVince Rrgent. by which I am comuianded, in the event of its p.paring, on my arrival in this city, that the United States, hVii preferve by menaces and aitive drtnonlir -lion to cUim the military ocrupition of Well Florid, notwithRand ing the retr.ouitrances cf his majeify's charge de'aiTaiis. and the manifrft injufticc, of the a6, to prrf;-nt to you the folemn proud of his royl hihotfs, in the name and

IT

Ins majeHy ana the Spanifh nation J have the honor to he, Sec. AUG. J. FOSTER. To the honor ble J;imes Monroe, lac. Sec. Sec. Mr. Monroe to Mr. Foster. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, July 8, 1811. Sir, I !nve Ind the honor to receive the note which you hive prefented, by the ord. er of his royal hihnrfs the prince recent; to pro;ril, in hr.ulf of thr r.-grncy of Saaiu

aaiidi the potT. flfnn latrly tk"-n by the

ot certain

Uoitrd States

Florida.

. ... li - ' r

,ii rh th" r,...r,,in. rjnnnf ar rut thr i toe reitor-tiion OI n

! ht of (rrt Ii iuin (ui-iiii ii rrl itir.' tn tint

l!:t tn explain m i tiienciy nunncr the ct-n-(id, -rations wh.fh induced the U. Statrs to tike itrp rij ui which you have been orJrrrd to proU ct. It "i5 t.i or ii frrred from your view of the fnhjrct. tli: t Jtr U r 1 1 1 ill government has r'!i t-iui.ht to hchrve ;he J. tttrs

r ir. d - n v,M-nt r.t national f'.r.bai fnnjei

i ft:: "Mi r:nin i n'oviiice (i wmim i

worthy r conduct are unfortunately too fre qucnt in the hiltory ct nations, but thr U btates have not followed th in. -1 he pre li dent. had perfuaded hinifclt that the untqui vocal proofs which the United State, have given in all their tranGctions with foreign powers, and partieuiaily with Spain, an up right ant liberal policy would have (hielU rd them from luch unmerited a iufpuion. He is fatisfied that nothing is wanting but a correct knowledge of fads compfetcly to dillipate it. 1 might bring to your view a long catalogue of injuries which the U. States havt received from Spain fince the conclufionot their revolutionary var, any one of-whicn Iwould mofl probably have been coniiderca caufe of war, and relented asfuch, by other powers. I will mention two of thefe only ; the fpoliatior.s that were committed on their commerie to a gieut amount in the lait wai and the fupprellion of their depoliie at N. Oi leans jult before the tommencenient of te prelVnc war, in violation cf a folcmn treaty ; for which neither of the tnjuiics h.s ai y reparation or attoneme nt been nude. For injuries likeuhofe of tht fii tt'dafs, it is koown to you that Grent Britain. k Frncc made indemnity. TheU. States, however, do not rely on thefe injuries for a juilifi. a ticn of their conduct in this trani action, iilthou&h tlicir claims to reparation fen them are by no means relincpnfiied, audit 'is to be prelumed, will not always be lieglewted. - When 1 inform you that the province of Welt F'iorida to the Perdido ws a part ot Louiiiaiia, while the whole province formerly belonged to France, that although it was af:er wards frparated trom the other part yet that both parts were again re united in ths hands of bpin, and by her rccon veyed to France, in which tlatc the entire province of Louifiana was ceded to the U. States in 18C3, that in accepting the cellion, Zt pay ing for the. territory cedrd, the U. Sutcs undeiftood and believed that they paid for

the country as far as the Perdido, aspirt of

Louiliana ; and that on a lonvitticn of their right, they included in their laws provihons, adapted to the occalion in that extent it cannot fail but be a matter of furpriie to the prince regrnt, that they did not proceed to take poflVifion of the territory in our (lion as toon as the treaty was ratified. There was nothing in the circumft wies of Spin

at that time, that could have forbidden the mcafure. In denying the riht ;f the U. States to this territory, h-r government invited neoc iatinn on that and every other point in conteflation between the two par ties. The United States accepted the in

vitation, in the hope that it would feture

in

parts of W&4 an adjuilmeut ard rrpiration for rvrry . jj"ry w'hith Ind I ren recrived, ai d Ir id

to

hi no nt;!it, nd tin: ti ry vrer- prompe !' if by '.u-ir i' Terr it lotie. Sc a krvvfcnVe,

uni nut i;r!'!.j it. .soii.ng.

h w rvf r, is t:iorc remotr from tl;r iacl, tha'ti it- pr-fn' pfi-Mi on which ycur ernmr nt ppear tj hac acted. Exiiupicicf fj un

rjiCannniaur.iiwiiie1 -'"" j i.nilllWi i. - t . n j

ta interfere in any j tnr two ci'Untrics, tut in that hope they orovincc, he is wiL werr diiVmointed.

Sli ce the ve-ir !8C , the ceriod of t!ir a 9 m 1 3 ft negotiation with .piiii, thr prov'mce of Wf ft Florida h 43 renminrd in a fitr. iii.m altother incompatible wit'i the welfare of thrie (Utes. Ti-e trovernment f Spa'ni In fcarcrlv f:e'eu frit tfie're ; in coi f ijorrf e ot w i(h th- .iTifs of tht p'owinc e had fjllrn into difardrr. Of that circ umftar.cr, Low evrr, the United St!es took :m ai!ir,.a;: It was not until the laf yrur, .hen thr inhabitants, perct ivitig that all jmthot.ty over them had eeafrd, rnfe in a ho;?y with intention tot kr the coti!it?v ir.to their own hands, t!iat the meriran ;Mvri r.en: ifi terpofed. It wis intyairillc f: tl.c Un.;ed

'i A

r

St4tes to behold with iuciffeience a movement in which they weir foUrtpty intereftcd. i he prtfideiit wcu'd have incurred it)r & niure of the nation, if he li-d tullerVd that provinte to.be wrcihd from tttt U. states, undn aprettxt ff wrrihrg it from bpajn. ' In t'ku g fii flion of it in their name, and uudcr tlnr tVnitoty , t r xcept of tht part which was ot cupied by tl c hpnifh troops, who have not been oiftui Led, he de fended the rights and LVcured tht peace of the nation, and even conluUed the honor cf Spain'herfelf. by this event the U Wed States have wiquned no new title to Vy.eft Flouda. They wsuted i one. Jn cju(l ing hereafter all the other points which remain to be adjuO d with Spain, and whih it is picpofed to make the furject of amicable nrgot i ition, as foon as thr govern ment of Spam Hull be fettled, lyr claim to tins territory m.y alfo be brought into virw, d receive all the attention which is Cue to it. Aware that this tnnfaction might be nnf: uner ived and tnifr'prefcntrri, the prefncwt deemed it a proper fut y ct of inllruction tn the inmillerg hf the U.h States at foreign courts. Jo j lacr it in a Hue light bef re them. Such an inftmclion w-j forw;trded to rrsr. Pmknty, their Utr n.ii ifter plenipotr ntirtiy at London, who wr.uld have executed it, had not the at rmmation nf his million prevented it. TI e prt fident r nnot doubt that ihe frank nd candid explnation which I have now given 'by his order, of the toi.fiderations which induced the U. States to take prT hf u of this country, will be perfectly fatisf-tfoty to; his royal highnefs the prinrr regent. With great relp'dl and confideration, I have the honor to Dc, fir, your molt oUu'iy ent (crvant, -J. (Signed) JAS. MONROE. AuguQus J. Foder, Efq. Sec. fcee Scc Washington Hitt, Nov. 2ta Mr. Porter, frt m the committer on1 foreign relations, made tbe following Report,

wiurn was relerrec ton committee ot the whole. , The (ommitee to whom was referred that part ot the Prcfid cut's MefTage whitbf relat s to our Foreign Affaiti, brg leave to Rl POUT IN PART That thy tnve endeavored to give to thr fu!jct fubmitted to them, that full and difpjfiionate coi.lidcritiou wl hh'n due to one fo intimately connected with the intereft, the peace,. the fufeiy and htnor of their country. Your committee wil! not encumber ycur joum-N in.d w.dJr y patience with a detailed hiihtf'y fif all :hr various matters growing out of our foreign relations. The'crld recital of wrongs of injuries and aggf-tHims known ar.d frit hy every ni-m-" her of this r.nicn, could tuve no other cf-f-ct than to deiJert the national IVr fibility ind rrurirr thr public mind fillcus to injuries ui'h hif!i it is already too familiar; Without rrrurring tj,rn to thr n uhiplied wrongs cf partial cr temporary cperarom, of whirh we hae f ju 11 raufe cf tornph;nt agaii ii the two great brlhgeientf, vrur committee will onlv call ycur attcn lion, at t L is time, to the fyftrmatic ag iT'lTicn of thof- powrrs, authe rif'd l v their "dicls aairifl n - 1 1 f 1 conmrrce fyflrnj which 5 rein'rd us principles was founded on pretention that went to the fubver Gen cf cur aitional independence ; an2