Article Title: Interesting from Spain. Letter to a Philadelphia merchant from Cadiz, July 20. Spain will not relinquish West Florida as part of the Louisiana Purchase; U.S. intrusion into this colony will lead to war. 
Author: 
Published in: Boston Gazette
Place of Publication: Boston, MA
Publication Date: 9/13/1804


 
 
BOSTON, 
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1804. 
Interesting from Spain. 
An intelligent merchant of Philadelphia has received the following important Letter from a character of the first respectability in Spain, dated 
"Cadiz, July 20, 1804 
" In my last of the 19th inst. I advise you of the failure of my crops, since which our harvest has turned out even more unfavourably than was first apprehended, and I know not from whence we can receive supplies adequate to our wants unless from your side of the Atlantic. The threatening appearances of hostilities between this country and yours, have lately arisen to so alarming a height, that your Ambassador Mr. Pinckney, has actually demanded his passports, and I presume before this time he has left Madrid. If War takes place, we shall be reluctantly forced into the measure in defense of our dearest and best rights, and as it must be interesting to you to be informed of the principal cause of dispute, I enclose you and extract of a letter I have just received from a Spanish gentlemen at Madrid, who possesses the best opportunities of information. It will explain to you the unfounded pretensions of your administration in regard to the extent of Louisiana, which in order to enforce a submission to their unwarrantable claims to West Florida, may involve our countries in a contest, which would be deeply distressing to us, and could never be approved of our become popular in the United States, because unsupported by even a plausible pretest or the shadow of equity. 
"Madrid, July 12, 1804." 
" Although 'tis understood that the refusal of this Government to ratify the Convention with the United States was produced by the inadmissible demands of the latter respecting the extent of Louisiana, yet the most alarming grounds of misunderstanding between our Court and Mr. Pinckney, are in reality the pretensions set up by the American government to West Florida, which is all the tract of country lying east of the Missisippi, and extending as far as the river Perdido, excepting however therefrom the Island of New-Orleans, which attaches to Louisiana. 
This territory, Spain will never relinquish unless for a fair equivalent, but, she does not dispute the title of the United States to Louisiana properly, so called, although France has never complied with those conditions by the execution of which she was to have acquired a right to that Province. In regard to East and West Florida, they were originally ceded by France to England by the treaty of peace of 1763, who at the same time ceded to Spain the Island of New Orleans and territory west of the Missisippi, which we have held ever since without any alterations of boundaries whatever. 
In 1780, we conquered from Great Britain all the country east of the Missisippi, then divided into East and West Florida, which conquests were confirmed to us by the definitive treaty of peace of 1783. It is here to be observed that West Florida, has ever since retained that name, formed no part of Louisiana, as originally ceded by France to Spain, but having been conquered by the latter it remained a separate government as when under the dominion of England, and Independent of Louisiana, possessing a Governor appointed by the Crown, who was in a certain degree as well as the Governor of Louisiana dependent on the government of Havana. 
It is evident that the treaty of Cession of Louisiana first by Spain to France, and secondly by France to the United States never did or could be remotest degree contemplate or include West Florida, inasmuch as the instrument makes no mention of Florida by which name alone that country has being known ever since 1663, a period of 41 years. 
The description of the ceded territory given in the royal order of the Spanish court, addressed to the intendant of Louisiana to deliver up that province to General Victor, is also clear and precise, 'tis therein styled a Retrocession of Louisiana, with the same extent it possessed, when ceded by France to the Crown of Spain. 
As well might the American Government claim East Florida also under her Construction of the terms of the Cession, because previous to the year 1719 France claimed all the country East of the Missisippi under the appelation of Louisiana, and did actually grant an exclusive privilege to the commerce thereof, to the famous Crozat. 
If any thing further can be required to render the treaty still more clear and definite on this head, the intentions and meaning of the originally contracting parties must surely be deemed conclusive and final. The marquis deCasaCalvo, commisisioner on the part of Spain, and Monsieur L'Aussat on the part of France, had respectively orders, the one to deliver, and the other to receive Louisiana, without any reference or allusion whatever to West Florida, and the act of delivery was thus completed conformably to these instructions from the two courts. 
The interpretation given by the United States to the treaty of Cession, is therefore equally extravagant and untenable, and will never be sanctioned or submitted to by the Spanish court, although the annihilation of the monarchy should become a possible consequence of its rejecting so degrading a proposal 
You may judge from the translation of my friend's letter, of the unjust pretensions of your government, an adherence to which, and that too for a barren and unimportant tract of country compare with Louisiana, would forever tarnish the honor of your nation, and stamp it with the character of that grasping ambition from which she alone of all powers of treaty, ahs been heretofore exempt."