Brooks: Diplomacy and the Borderlands


Washington until the opening of the Congressional session which
the latter so much feared. Concerning Adams' appointment, Onis
had little comment, simply voicing the general opinion of Adams'
high ability, but saying that he knew nothing of him personally.
 In Spain, conversations of interest continued between Erving
and Pizarro. Aside from these, an important crystallization of
policy took place-finally making possible the sending of the in-
structions Onis had so long and impatiently awaited.
 Pizarro wrote Erving on July 16, noting that Onis' messenger
was in Madrid awaiting the preparation of instructions, and ask-
ing if in the interim the United States minister was still authorized
and willing to save time by undertaking negotiations there." This
was a direct reversal of Cevallos' decision that the work should be
done in Washington, and Erving complained that the transfer in
the preceding fall had put him in the embarrassing position of
having powers and not being able to use them. He said that, since
frankly there was suspicion already that Spain was simply trying
to delay the matter, he could not encourage further procrastina-
tion by entering into a discussion of arguments worn out by fre-
quent restatement since 1805." He offered, however, to receive a
proposal for a settlement, which could be either accepted or re-
jected without long consideration. Pizarro hesitated, but finally
sent the project of a treaty with his note of August 17.
 In Pizarro's view the arguments were not soured by long stand-
ing, because of new developments since 1805. These were, specifi-
cally, the addition of claims of Spain (hitherto unvoiced) against
the United States for spoliations, the collection of more proofs of
the Spanish title to Texas, and the seizure of West Florida by the
United States. "So great is the mass of documents and authentic
and indisputable proofs ..." he said, "particularly relative to the
western boundary of Louisiana, that I doubt whether there be a
point which is susceptible of more exact and rigorous demonstra-
tion.'""
 In this note Pizarro restated the claim of Spain to West Florida,
but said that the King would now yield on the point of asking its
restoration before any negotiations could be entertained, a condi-
tion imposed on Onis' earlier dealings.
 The project included the establishment of a claims commission
much like that of the Convention of 1802, but did not involve a