CHAPTER VI


 FINAL WRANGLES AND AGREEMENT,
 1818-1819
 FasIs or A COLLISION
,"j LD 1817, JUST PAST, but already consigned to the heap of
 ) eternity, was not very productive of great events in any
 Part of the world, so far as we are informed of its concerns.
 Sufering Europe, borne down with the crafts and crimes of
 princes and priests, has vainly endeavored to raise herself up, and
 assume an erect attitude-but her people, exhausted in the fruit-
 less exertion, despondingly look for new homes... Nor in Amer-
 ica, where things change so suddenly, has any matter of material
 importance occurred: the great republic of the north steadily, and
 prosperously, pursues her course to population, wealth, and power;
 and the new republics of the south are yet contending with their
 enemies with various success, but generally in favor of the cause
 of freedom.... Spain will, perhaps, make a last desperate effort to .
 recover her colonies, and questions of interest may separate those
 the 'holy alliance' has unnaturally joined. And how we our-
 selves are to be affected by these things, no man knoweth-but we
 must expect collision, though we may avoid war.... Our southern
 border has been disturbed by an Indian war, which, probably, had
 its origin in the vile intrigues of pretended British agents located
 in the Floridas, and against which we can never be secured until
 we obtain possession of the country. The territory is of no value to
 Spain, but to us it is very important; and have it we must, if the
 state of things is not immediately changed.... The possession of
 the Floridas, by treaty or force, will probably be among the inter-
 esting events of the new year."1
 In such manner did the well-known and respected Niles' Weekly
 Register greet the year 1818. The discussion of European diplo-
 macy in the preceding chapter, revealing Spain's desperate but
 futile effort to rally the Powers to her aid, tends to bear out Niles'
 impression of conditions on that continent. Hispanic America
 is seen as a favorite toast of the freedom lovers of this country.
 One "great event" had certainly transpired there, when Jos6 de
 For notes to chap. vi, see pp. 166-169.
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