STAT EsPAPE RS.) 
cede apart of thatisland to France, 
is a breach of that solemn treaty un- 
der which alone the crown of Spain 
holds any part of its American 
possessions. The conclusion of 
such an article, without the know. 
ledgé of an ally so deeply con- 
cerned as Great Britain in that sti- 
pulation, both in right and in- 
terest, was therefore an aét, such 
as would have justified any mea- 
sures to which the court of London 
could have recourse ; yet so earnest 
was the king’s desire to maintain 
peace with Spain, that he repeat. 
edly endeavoured to fix, by an 
amicable discussion with that court, 
the period when the right of Spain 
to the territory so ceded was to 
cease, in order that any operation 
which it might become expedient 
for his troops to undertake there, 
might be directed against the French 
alone. And although no explana- 
tion could ever be obtained from : 
the court of Madrid on this sub- 
ject; his commanders on the spot 
were restrained from acting, and 
did not aét against the Spanish part 
of the island, till the cession aétu- 
ally took place, by which, it be- 
came, as far as the aét of Spain 
could make it, a part of the ter- 
ritories of France. 
- To the accusations which make 
up the greater part of the re- 
mainder of the manifesto, respect- 
ing the detention or capture of 
merchant ships, or the violation of 
territory therein mentioned, it is 
sufficient to reply, that in every 
case of such a nature which has 
been brought to the knowledge of 
the British government, the most 
efiectual measures have been in- 
stantly taken for instituting in- 
quiry into the particulars of the 
transaction, for collecting | the 
Vor. XXXVIII. 
[145 
proofs necessary to ascertain the 
faét on which the charge. is 
founded, and for submitting the 
whole to that regular course of 
proceeding in which justice is to be 
rendered in these cases, according 
to the established practice through- 
out Europe, and to. the express sti« 
pulations of the treaties between 
Great Britain and Spain. 
Amidst the wide and compli- 
cated operations of a naval wary 
extended over every quarter of the 
globe, it is not improbable. that 
some disorders and irregularities 
may have taken place, which the 
utmost vigilance of the govern. 
ment could not immediately dis« 
cover or repress ; and that in the 
exercise of the undoubted right of 
a power at war, tosearch out and 
seize the property of the enemy, 
the rights of neutral nations may, 
in some instances, have been un- 
intentionally exposed to temporary 
molestation. ‘The same _ observa- 
tion was not less applicable to Spain 
in her war with France; and the 
short interval that has elapsed since 
her declaration against Great Bri- 
tain has amply shewn that similar 
complaints will arise from her con- 
duct in the present war. 
The utmost that can’ be de- 
manded in such cases of a power at 
war, is, that it should shew itself 
ready on all occasions to listen to the 
remonstrances and reclamations of 
those whom it may have aggrieved, 
and prompt and expeditions in re- 
dressing their injuries, and in re= 
storing their property: and to the 
readiness. of the British governs 
ment to fulfil these duties, in every 
case where they have been called 
upon todo ‘so, even Spain- herself 
may safely be called to bear wit- 
ness» Nor would it be easy to 
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