Article Title: The Floridas. From the National Register. Prediction that Spain will soon cede the
Floridas to the United States.
Author:
Published in: Connecticut Courant
Place of Publication: Hartford, CT
Publication Date: 10/7/1817




From the National Register of Sept. 27, printed at the city of Washington, by Joel K. Mead.
The Floridas. Information derived form a very respectable source and on which were are satisfied to
rely, induces us to believe that the Floridas, in less than six months will be under the government of
the United StatesWe will at least hazard a conjecture, that a treaty between Spain and the United
States will be submitted to the senate, in the early part of the next session of Congress for their
consideration, ceding that province to this government. If this should be the case, and the price fixed
upon be five millions, we think the nation will be satisfied, particularly if that sum be carried to the
credit side of the account against Spain for spoliations on our commerce.
When the expedition against the Floridas by M'Gregor and his men was undertaken, it was generally
considered as immediately connected with the revolution in South America, and as such it was hailed
with the applause of most of our citizens : there were, however, some who doubted the motives of the
commander and his supporters being other than a desire to enrich themselves by lawless plunder.
Late events have rendered the correctness of this opinion almost certainThese American citizens of
honorable sentiments who had embarked in the enterprise with a desire to contribute their mite in the
cause of freedom left him in disgust as soon as the real motives of the expedition was discovered ;
which appears to have been nothing more or less that a plan of the Scotch merchants in New-York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston and Savannah, to secure a place for the deposit and sale of the
booty of their lawless privateering. There is not doubt but a great portion of the citizens of Florida
would hail the emancipation of that colony as an auspicious event, but such is the impression made
upon them by these falsely styled patriots, that they are universally opposed to him, and are armed
against him. He seeing his situation a perilous one has made a timely retreat, to save this head from
their vengeance.