8052. SPAIN, Spoliations and boundaries.—
With Spain our negotiations for a
settlement of differences have not had a satisfactory
issue. Spoliations during the former
war, for which she had formally acknowledged
herself responsible, have been refused to be
compensated, but on conditions affecting other
claims in nowise connected with them. Yet the
same practices are renewed in the present war,
and are already of great amount. On the Mobile,
our commerce passing through that river
continues to be obstructed by arbitrary duties
and vexatious searches. Propositions for adjusting
amicably the boundaries of Louisiana
have not been acceded to. While, however,
the right is unsettled, we have avoided changing
the state of things, by taking new posts, or
strengthening ourselves in the disputed territories,
in the hope that the other power would
not, by a contrary conduct, oblige us to meet
their example, and endanger conflicts of authority,
the issue of which may not be entirely controlled.
But in this hope we have now reason
to lessen our confidence. Inroads have been
recently made into the territories of Orleans
and the Mississippi, our citizens have been
seized and their property plundered in the very
parts of the former which had been actually
delivered up by Spain, and this by the regular
officers and soldiers of that government. I
have, therefore, found it necessary at length
to give orders to our troops on that frontier
to be in readiness to protect our citizens, and
to repel by arms any similar aggressions in
future.—
Fifth Annual Message. Washington ed. viii, 48.
Ford ed., viii, 390.
(Dec. 3, 1805)
