186 Uniersity of California Publications in Htory

and his Cabinet busied themselves with preparing an appropriate
message to Congress.
 In some quarters there was agitation in favor of immediate ag-
gressive action. The western constituencies which had produced
the "War Hawks" of 1812 were not to be expected to sit placidly
by while European court intrigue thwarted their expansionist
dreams. During the summer the President made a tour of the
western and southern states, and at Nashville heard the following
toasts drunk:
The Seminole eampaign-a cheek to Spanish perfidy, British intrigue, and
Indian barbarity; most approved where beat understood. The Floridas; Indis-
pensable to our property; esential to our security."

 The belligerent tone of popular opinion in this country was
evident to Mateo de la Serna, who had become charge at Washing-
ton on the departure of Onis in May. He wrote of the "mockery,
scorn and contempt" with which Spain was regarded in this coun-
try, and of the general sentiment that the government should at
once execute the treaty as if ratified, even going to the point of
capturing Texas." The Spanish consul at St. Louis wrote alarm-
ingly that the exploring expedition of Major Stephen H. Long into
the upper Missouri country was part of the government's plan to
seize the Provincias Internas; and, although the consul at Natchi-
toches realized that the abortive effort of Dr. James Long to liber-
ate Texas was without official sanction, he saw that it represented
a restless and ambitious frontier sentiment." At such a critical
juncture these menacing circumstances in the West might well
have put the diplomatic controversy beyond the possibility of a
peaceable settlement. The warnings reached Madrid while the
monarchy was still awaiting a favorable turn of affairs. In view
of the threatening situation, Onis, who had returned to Spain, was
asked to prepare a detailed statement of the United States' naval
forces which might be called out in the event of war, and he acted
accordingly."
 THE INEVITABLE RATIICATON
The dire threats which were popularly made relative to Spanish
North America could not be unreservedly backed by the govern-
ment at Washington, however. In a depression year, with the
wolves of the election of 1824 already showing their teeth, with a