4 . , 
in his addresses to congress, 
oug) «ANNUAL 
formerly rejected and despised. A 
treety of peace between the regency 
of fripoli and the United States 
bad rendered the navigation of the 
icditerranean more secure to the 
citizens’ of the latter, than_it had 
been at any period since the decla- 
ration of their independence ; and 
though a misunderstanding had 
arisen with the’ regency of Tunis, it 
served rather as an excuse for not 
withdrawing their squadron from 
the European seas, th: an asa ground 
of seriously AbpreRending tlie Le- 
newal of hostilities with that power. 
Nothing, then, seemed necessary to 
consolidate the pacific system of 
Mr. Jefferson, but an amicable ad. 
justment of the points in dispute be- 
iween the. United States and the 
governments of Spain and England. 
Yor, as to France, great as were 
the outrages of her marauding 
squadrons on the ships and com- 
merce of America, Mr. Jefferson 
never ventured to allude to them 
though 
he expatiated largely om every, spe- 
cies of injury sustained from Kn 
gland, and inveighed bitterly avainst 
the new princi ibtes of maritime law,. 
which he accused her of having in- 
terpolated in the law of nations. 
The differences between Spain 
and the United States of America 
arose partly out of the illegal cap- 
tures of American vessels by Spa- 
nish-cruizers daring the late war, 
and partly out of the uncertainty 
of the limits of Louisiana. ‘lhe 
Spanish minister for foreign affairs 
had signed a convention at Madrid 
in 1802, which admitted that the 
Americans were entitled to compen- 
sation for injuries done to their com- 
merce by the subjects of Spain, and 
settled that commissione;s should be 
mutually named to investigate their 
: 3 
REGISTER, 
1806. 
claims. But before this convention 
was sent back from Washington 
with the approbation of congress, 
the sale of Louisiana and other events 
had taken place, which determined 
the Spanish government to refuse to 
ratify it, without the insertion of 
additional articles to which the 
Americans would not aceede. The 
sale of Louisiana to the Unite 
States, contrary to the solemn: pro- 
mise of the French gov ernment, ne- 
ver to alicnate that province thant 
the knowledge and" ‘consent of 
Spain, had offended and alarme 
the court of Madrid, and drawn 
from it some ineffectual remon- 
strances, which however, with ifs usual 
weakness and timidity, it addressed 
not to Paris but to Washington, 
While indisposed by this transac. 
tion towards the Americans, and 
jealous of their views on its colo- 
nies, it learned with Surprise that 
congress had laid claim to a consi- 
derable part of Florida, as_ included 
in the cession of Louisiana, and had 
passed an act empowering the pre- 
sident, of the United States to erect 
fortifications, construct ports, and 
build ‘ custom-houses in districts, 
which in the apprehension of the 
Spaniards, were clearly parts of the 
Spanish territory, It was at this 
moment that the convention of 1802 
was brought back to Madrid for 
ratification ; and in such circum- 
stances itisnotto be wendered at, 
that the Spanish government refused 
to confirm this agreement, until all 
matters in discussion between the 
two nations were finally adjusted ; 
nor does it appear to us, that in 
this refusal it acted either unwisely 
or unfairty. There could beno ob- 
ligation on the Spaniards to make 
compensation for past injuries to 
the Americans, while the Ame- 
: ricans 
