3043. FLORIDA, Reprisal and.—[further continued] .
Should the conference
[with Canning] announced in Mr. Pinckney's
letter of June 5th, settle friendship between
England and us, and Bonaparte continue at war
with Spain, a moment may occur favorable,
without compromitting us with either France
or England, for seizing our own from the Rio
Bravo to Perdido, as of right, and the residue
of Florida, as a reprisal for spoliations. I
have thought it proper to suggest this possibility
to General Dearborn and Mr. Smith, and to recommend
an eye to it in their rendezvousing and
stationing the new southern recruits and gunboats,
so that we may strike in a moment when
Congress says so.—
To James Madison. Washington ed. v, 339.
Ford ed., ix, 204.
(M.
Aug. 1808)
