Page:Memoir upon the negotiations between Spain and the United States of America which led to the treaty of 1819.djvu/32

22 endeavoured to make it appear an act of justice to assail these provinces and fortresses, and to take possession of them by main force, representing at the same time, the conduct of the general who committed these outrages as legal, will scarcely find a parallel in history.

I should here speak of every thing that relates to the negotiation with the government of the United States, for the amicable arrangement and accommodation of the differences between them and Spain, did it not form a part of my correspondence with the Department of State, which will be found in the sequel of this Memoir, together with the papers which I published in the years 1810, 12, and 17, under the signature of Verus, for the purpose of enlightening public opinion, and restraining, as far as possible, the views of that cabinet. I refer the reader, therefore, to these documents, and to the brief exposition which I shall give, when I come to speak of the policy of the United States; and shall now pass on, to give some idea of the country and government of that Republic.

It is well known, that the territory of the United States of America already occupied an extent of 1300 English or American miles from East to West, and 1000 from the Lakes of Canada to the confines of the Floridas and Louisiana, before the acquisition of the latter province; and that by this was added to it an almost equal extent of