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Subject Area: Political Theory

GALLATIN TO J. Q. ADAMS. - Albert Gallatin, The Writings of Albert Gallatin, vol. 2 [1879]

Edition used:

The Writings of Albert Gallatin, ed. Henry Adams (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1879). 3 vols.

Part of: The Writings of Albert Gallatin, 3 vols.

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GALLATIN TO J. Q. ADAMS.

No. 158.

Paris, August 7, 1820.

Sir,—

I had the honor to receive your despatch No. 19, enclosing a copy of General Vives’s letter of 11th May last to you, in which he denies having told me or Baron Pasquier that he could, in case of an arrangement, consent that the United States should take immediate possession of Florida without waiting for the ratification of the treaty.

The same information having reached me through the medium of the American newspapers several days prior to the receipt of your despatch, I had an immediate communication with Mr. Pasquier, and gave him a copy of my letter to you of the 15th of February. After having read it, he told me that I had been mistaken on one point, as his information on the subject in question was derived not from General Vives, but from the Duke of Fernan-Nunez, then Spanish ambassador at this Court; a circumstance which, had I at the time been aware of it, would have corroborated instead of lessening my impression of the intentions of the Spanish government.

Whatever fell from Mr. Vives was in answer to the doubts I expressed respecting the success of his mission if he was not the bearer of the King’s ratification of the treaty. The conversation took place after dinner, in a room crowded with company, and was held in the French language, which General Vives speaks intelligibly, but not as correctly as a native of France. I may have misunderstood him; it is impossible that I should have misrepresented what I understood him to say; I repeated it before I left the room to Mr. Pasquier, and my letter to you was written two days after, and forwarded by my direction in the same vessel which carried General Vives to America.

There is no other fact within my knowledge bearing on the subject, unless it be a letter of the 11th of May last from Mr. Forsyth to me. I had previously communicated to him, as coming from General Vives, that he was authorized to consent that the United States should take immediate possession of Florida. Mr. Forsyth in his letter says that the government of Spain expected and would not complain of the occupation of the territory.

It having been thought proper to publish my letter of the 15th of February last, I leave it entirely with the President what course it will be proper to pursue with respect to this. I only request that, in case it should be either communicated to General Vives or published, the name of the Duke of Fernan-Nuñez may not be used unless absolutely necessary. I am not afraid of being suspected to have made a voluntary misrepresentation in any respect; and I would be very sorry that if that gentleman, whom the revolution of Spain has placed in a delicate situation, has committed any mistake or indiscretion, he should be injured by anything coming from me.

I have the honor, &c.