92 University of California Publications in History
Governor Coppinger of East Florida had written a pathetic letter
predicting difficulty in defending that province because he was in
a "lamentable condition, for lack of stores, money, and other aids.""
 On the same day, January 5, Onis wrote asking for a leave or a
recall in view of these dangers and of his inability, through lack
of instructions, to offer further concessions to the United States.
He also cited as a reason for wishing to leave Washington the con-
tinued illness of his younger daughter, to which was now added his
own indisposition due to "the rigors of this climate.'" Citing his
thirty-eight years in the service of the Spanish monarchy, he said
that he felt entitled at least to permission to go to Spain for the
spring.
 His plea was not granted. But that Pizarro was cognizant of the
 dangers which Onfs described is evident in a note from him to the
 war office relaying the description. The vital relation of border
 conflict to diplomacy appears in Pizarro's declaration that, if steps
 were not taken for defense, "the difficult negotiation based on the
 cession of the Floridas will be useless, as we shall not have them
 to cede.""
 In Washington the Spanish representative again talked to
 Adams before receiving a reply to his notes. On January 10, 1818,
 the secretary told Onis that the delay was due to the length of the
 letters. With what Onis described as impatience, Adams remarked
 that the whole affair could have been settled in the time it had
 taken to translate the notes." Onis refused to accede to Adams'
 request that he make a definite treaty proposal unless it be on the
 basis of the uti possidetis of 1809, the date of Onis' arrival. He in
 turn asked suggestions from Adams.
 On January 14, however, before any further projects were
 launched, the more definite instructions which Onis was awaiting
 reached him. They had been sent in November, before Pizarro
 knew of the menacing determinations of the United States govern-
 ment regarding Amelia, Galveston, and the insurgent colonies. He
 did know, though, that further concessions must be made, a fact
 indicated in the Exposicin of the preceding June and the instruc-
 tions sent to Onis in August.
 Spain's appeals to the Powers had resulted in nothing more than
 England's promise to make a qualified suggestion of mediation.
 No opposition to the cession of the Floridas was expressed; nor did