The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 195 



struggle, he was ready to serve under alien banners, 

 either those of some nation at the moment hostile to 

 Spain, or else those of some insurgent Spanish leader. 

 But he was also perfectly willing to obtain by diplo 

 macy what was denied by force of arms ; and if the 

 United States could not or would not gain his ends 

 for him in this manner, then he wished to make use 

 of his own power. He was eager to enter in and 

 take the land, even at the cost of becoming for the 

 time being a more or less nominal vassal of Spain ; 

 and he was ready to promise, in return for this privi 

 lege of settlement, to form a barrier State against 

 the further encroachment of his fellows. When 

 fettered by the checks imposed by the Central Gov 

 ernment, he not only threatened to revolt and estab 

 lish an independent government of his own, but even 

 now and then darkly hinted that he would put this 

 government under the protection of the very Span 

 ish power at whose cost he always firmly intended 

 to take his own strides toward greatness. As a 

 matter of fact, whether he first established himself 

 in the Spanish possessions as an outright enemy, or 

 as a nominal friend and subject, the result was sure 

 to be the same in the end. The only difference was 

 that it took place sooner in one event than in the 

 other. In both cases alike the province thus ac 

 quired was certain finally to be wrested from Spain. 

 The Spaniards speedily recognized in the Ameri 

 cans the real menace to their power in Florida, 

 Louisiana, and Mexico. They did not, however, 

 despair of keeping them at bay. The victories won 



