250 
divifions, on- which the expence muft ul- 
timately fall without deriving any benefit 
from it, the fum of fixteen millions of | 
dollars. Can it be wondered at, that fuch 
a meafure of inutility and expence fhould 
have created, as it has, a great deal of 
oppofition on their part? Certainly not. 
The vaft extent of the United States was 
already detrimental to them, becaufe it 
drew off and fcattered the population and 
militated againft its improvement and 
fecurity, which were only to be attained 
by a fieady fettlement. Multitudes daily 
ficcked to the Weft, and increafed the © 
firength of thofe who were dilaffeCed to, 
and evidently difcovered an intention of 
withdrawing themfelves from, the Union. 
It was therefore a matter of ferious con- 
fideration for the Government, whether 
it was not more political even to have 
given up the Weftern territory, which 
was unmanageable, then to have added 
to it at vaft expence of the Eaftern, over 
which they had a perfeét command. As 
Wafhington in his Farewell Addrefs juftly 
obferves, ‘It is the unity of Govern- 
ment which is the main pillar in the edi- 
fice of the real independence of the United 
States; the fupport of their tranquillity 
at home, and their peace abroad ; of their 
fafety, of t eir profperity, of that very 
liberty which they fo highty prize.” Was 
it not then madnefs to add to the magni- 
tude of that edifice, whole magnitude 
before threatened its falling to pieces? 
Eouifiana has not only added to the mag- 
nitude, but defroyed the compactnels of 
the United States, without which Union 
cannot fubfift. Each ftite muft be fo 
fituated relatively to the others, as to 
draw a mutual! benefit from the union of 
the whole. Louifiana is totally diftingt 
from, and muft rather prove a cleg than 
an advantage to, the United States. If 
the Goverment was of cpinion that the 
free navigation of the Mifiifippi was in. 
difpenfably neceflary to their intereft, it 
would have been infinitely better for 
them 2nd Spain to have treated for the 
purchafe of the Floridas, which would 
have given them that advantage, and 
have perfected the arrondiffement of the 
United States, without affording any 
caule of jeaioufy to Spain. The Miffit- 
fippi would then bave been an effectual 
and unequivocal boundary to both: but 
there is now no boundary between them 
but an imaginary one, and the confe. 
guence muft be 2 continual heart-burning 
and a feries of expoftulation. The Weiftern 
‘Territory, which might have been extremely 
O.: the Ceffion of Louifiana. 
[April 1, 
valuable to the United States, will again 
become a defert as its inhabitants, at- 
tracted by the riches of Mexico, will crofs 
over into Louifiana to partake of tnem 
either in a dire& or indireét manner. If 
they were intractable in the Weltern Ter- 
ritoryy they will of courfe become much 
more fo ata greater diftance; and being 
fecured fromthe other parts of the United 
States by the Miffiffippi, a ftrong barrier 
and eafy to be defended, it may be guefled 
that they will be no longer cbedient to 
them than may fuit their inclination. 
The United States feem to have done 
their utmoit to render them independent 3 
for, befides the effeétual barrier of the 
Miffifiippi, they have procured for them 
the city of New Orleans, fituate on the 
Gulf of Mexico ;_fo that inftead of being, 
as heretofore, dependent on the Eaftern 
States for the confumption and exporta- 
tion of the chief part of their produce, 
they have an immediate communication 
with foreign parts, particularly the Weft 
Indies. From the vicinage of fuch a 
reftlefs, enterprizing, and ungovernable 
horde* as that which is going to people 
Louifiana, any attempt on the part of 
Spain to fupprefs illicit commerce will be 
fucceeded by open violence; and it does 
not require the leaft penetration to fee 
that even the Government of the United 
States, if ever fo well inclined to keep on 
terms with Spain, will be unable to ftop 
the torrent which will burft into Mexico, 
through Louifiana. If then (as I venture 
to predict) the confequence of the ccflion 
of Louifiana to the United States will be 
the total lofs to Spain of its South American 
dominions,+ it will naturally be afked how 
France could have given birth to fo im- 
politic a meafure, feeing that it would be 
in her power, whenever fhe might think 
fit, to extract thofe treafures from Spain 
* The inhabitants of the weftern territory 
are no better than a horde of tartars: If a 
family leave their hut to ga about their daily 
labor, at their return they find it, perhaps, © 
taken pofleffion of by new comers, who will 
difpute it with them-; no ¢emure being ac- 
knowledged among them but that of occu- 
pancy 3 no right but that of fuperior force. 
+ it has been already predifted at a time 
when circumftances did not render it nearly 
fo probable as at prefent: the following is a 
literal tranflation from the fecond volume of 
Briflot’s View of America: *©1 have menti- 
oned precious metals. The Americans are 
in the neighbourhood of the countries which. 
produce them. Thefe countries are the. 
abodes of indolencey which ‘difpenfes . i 
wit 
