1952. CUBA, England, France and.—
Patriots of Spain have no warmer friends
than the administration of the United States,
but it is our duty to say nothing and to do
nothing for or against either. If they succeed,
we shall be well satisfied to see Cuba and Mexico
remain in their present dependence; but
very unwilling to see them in that of either
France or England, politically or commercially.
We consider their interests and ours
as the same, and that the object of both must
be to exclude all European influence from
this hemisphere. * * * These are sentiments
which I would wish you to express to
any proper characters of either of these two
countries, and particularly that we have nothing
more at heart than their friendship.—
To Governor Claiborne. Washington ed. v, 381.
Ford ed., ix, 212.
(W.
Oct. 1808)
