Brooks: Diplomacy and the Borderlads


 British influence was strong in West Florida, as in East. It was
exercised generally through the great trading firm of Panton, Les-
lie and Company, known after the death of Panton in 1802 as
John Forbes and Company. With posts at Pensacola, Mobile, and
St. Mark's, this institution was of great importance both in Indian
affairs and in commerce.
 Concessions to this firm, as well as foreign immigration for the
purpose of forming a substantial community for self-defense, and
trade with France and her colonies, all had been allowed by Spain
in her effort to make the province strong enough to stand by itself.
The attempt succeeded much too well for Spain, owing largely to
the influx of "Anglo-American" frontiersmen. The scattered popu-
lation was largely foreign, and, despite the adaptation of her co-
lonial system to local conditions, Spain's hold grew increasingly
shaky.
 Commercially, the United States found that its designs were
 furthered by the dependence of West Florida on Louisiana for
 supplies and markets. Spanish restrictions, which imposed duties
 and allowed trade only in Spanish ships, had become largely im-
 possible to enforce by 1808." The breakdown of the system was com-
 pleted by Folch. Seeing the needs of his people, and not having
 the legal righteousness of his archenemy Morales, he let down the
 restrictive bars in a series of executive acts. His orders brought
 legal worries to Spanish officialdom, and probably only the war
 in Spain prevented his punishment. But as an aid to inevitable
 economic penetration by the United States, his actions were so
 effective that the process was nearly complete by 1812. This pene-
 tration included navigation of the important Mobile and Apalachi-
 cola rivers from the western United States, as well as navigation
 of the Gulf itself.
 Folch, despairing of holding the province under existing coidi-
 tions, in 1810 offered to deliver it to the United States. But by the
 time former Governor Mathews and Colonel John McKee, an In-
 dian agent sent with him by the secretary of state, arrived to re-
 ceive the gift, Folch had recanted. The offer of Folch caused his
 recall later to Spain to answer for it, but not before most of the
 province had been permanently lost to effective Spanish control by
 economic penetration."
 Folch's offer was caused by lack of support from a home govern-