date

1822 April 2 Rid Yourselves
1822 April 2

Rid Yourselves

Lett. Relinquishment mode

III. Sale to Foreigners

My friends in what way the people in question make acquisitions is now sufficiently

known by experience: admitting the inhabitants of the acquired territory to the

benefit of only existing sort of government that deserves the name to a /the/

participation in measure of felicity never conceived till it was exemplified - and on

perfectly equal terms Whether on these which are at all times their only terms there

be a portion of territory any where which they would accept, if your rulers would

give it to them and the inhabitants pray of them to accept it is more than I can

pretend /take upon me/ to say: still less whether there be any which they would pay

for by a disbursement. No territory I conclude would they accept on any terms that

was not contiguous to some part of theirs. On this occasion, Louisiana and the

Floridas present themselves of course to view. The Floridas they took for a bad debt.

Louisiana alone they paid a price for and /but/ that price was a large one. but in

these days money was more plenty with them than at present. The purpose for which I

mention these examples, because in the event of their being disposed to receive the

inhabitants or any terms, the occasion /advantage //opportunity// / as presented to

those same inhabitants in so cheering and so unexampled one are: antecedently to

consent, they have but to repair to the several spots in any number and see with

their own eyes, the sort of treatment received by these kinsmen at the hands of their

new acquired brethren.
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  • Title: [1822 April 15 Rid Yourselves]
    Description: 1822 April 15

    Rid Yourselves

    Lett. 18. Relinquism. mode

    ' 5. Case V. Subjection uncontested

    Buyers foreigners

    No over extension of U.S. dominion

    Columbian view must suffice for obliging them to separate.

    As to what regards their interest, only from what has been their

    practise in so far as the reason /grounds/ of it are intelligible to me can I judge.

    To a transaction of this sort considered in a general point of view they have no

    repugnance: witness Louisiana and the Floridas. Nor yet, in a transaction of this

    sort is there any repugnance or any want of utility even to give [ ...?] witness again Louisiana.

    Not that on return I own advantage in any shape from any thing in that quarter equal

    to that which in their view they have obtained in these other quarters. But in their

    view of the matter some of advantage it is to them to have settlements in the

    Pacific: for such they have formed already: witness the Columbian river. Whatsoever

    have been the inducements for the formation for that settlement the same inducement

    will suffice for the extension of their dominion of their beneficient and inexpensive

    dominion as far as upon that coast it can continue now /so preponderant/ be made to

    go. In this case the purchase may well be the only expence: for upon the terms in

    which they exercise dominion the dominion pays its own expence. The inhabitants who

    have been in use to pay the expence of functionaries sent by your rulers at the

    distance of a [...?] voyage will assuredly have no objection to an expence to an

    amount fixt by themselves for the paying of a set of rulers placed and displaceable

    by themselves: and as to defence against foreign aggression, the bare name of the

    Anglo-American United States will suffice for it. By sea they are nearer to their

    territories than any other power that would have to send by sea the means of

    aggression and defence.
  • Title: [1821 Aug. 14 Rid Yourselves]
    Description: 1821 Aug. 14

    Rid Yourselves

    Lett Mode

    Analogous case - sale and purchase of good-will of a public house.

    As to the purchasers, there is but one nation in the situation /case/

    of which I see any prospect of the existence /can descry any the least probability/

    of that /an adequate/ union of inclination and power which is necessary to the

    production of the effect. This is the Anglo-American United States. In this case the

    instance of the purchase they made /of their purchase/ of France /Louisiana/ of that

    which was the Louisiana of France when under the dominion of Bonaparte is sufficient

    /suffices/ to cover the proposal from the reproach of absurdity and innovation.

    Under existing circumstances while it is /if anything/ that that

    State would be disposed to purchase of you, is if disposed to purchase what they

    would be disposed to give you, it belongs not to me to know.

    Supposing on their part the disposition to acquire, and to pay as

    before a price for the acquisition thus arises the question, what the services can be

    on your part can be, for which it can be worth their while to pay a price.

    In a short description all such services may be included: namely such the effect of

    which may be to produce on the part of the inhabitants of the territory in question a

    disposition to concurr with content and satisfaction in the transaction of which that

    territory is the subject.
  • Title: [1820 Sept. 3 Emancipation Spanish]
    Description: 1820 Sept. 3

    Emancipation Spanish

    Summary

    Transfer to U.S.

    When the extinction is /instrument is/ to be performed by governing

    men against their interests or endeavours, We are for extinguishing anarchy is the

    slang of malefactors in high places.

    Come, have patience with me and I will tell you how if the

    circumstances /demands/ of another country continue as they have been, you /your

    rulers/ may compass /ZS/ points at once, pecuniary easement /relief/ to you, good

    government and content to a portion more or less considerable of your kinsmen in

    America, advantage to a third party, and glory pure and unexampled glory to you and

    to themselves. If there be a well and popularly governed Confederacy of States

    willing to give money for the valuable land in this or that Spanish American Province

    contiguous to its own territory, transfer the province to that confederacy if it can

    be done with the consent of the inhabitants, to that Confederacy.

    Start not at this proposal. In every part of it, it has (you will

    see) for its basis incontestable experience.

    The State /foreign Confederacy/ I have in view, you see already, it

    is that of the Anglo-American United States.

    Every body knows what they gave gave to Napoleon for Louisiana.

    Every body knows what they wish to give to your own King for the

    Floridas. I say to give: for giving up claims to money is in so far as the money

    would otherwise have been obtainable, giving the money.

    In both instances, they found a convenience /an advantage/ which for

    shortness I will call a Geographical convenience. In what

    way it was convertible /expressable/ as supposed in pounds shillings, and pence in

    Dollars and Cents in what way it was brought home to individual feelings we have no

    need to enquire. Trust these people and rulers together /subject many and ruling few/

    - for these, subject many and ruling few are one - trust them as to these matters:

    for they are not men to give money for moonshine.