细节
PICKERING, TIMOTHY. Autograph letter signed ("T. Pickering") to James McHenry in Baltimore, Washington, 17 December 1810. 2 pages, 4to, integral address leaf (detached, small seal hole), with free frank and panel in Pickering's hand, tipped onto a copy in Pickering's hand, of a letter to him from G. Duval of the Treasury Dept., 5 December 1810.
PICKERING ON THE WEST FLORIDA CONTROVERSY
In September 1810 American settlers of West Florida, with the secret support of the Madison administration, declared their independence from Spanish rule and petitioned for admission to the American Union. (After 20 years under British rule, the territory had reverted to Spain by the terms of the Treaty of Paris in 1783). On October 27, Madison declared West Florida to be under US jurisdiction, on the very shaky grounds that Spain had ceded West Florida to France in 1800 along with Louisiana, and was thus a part of Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Pickering comments on this claim:
"I send herewith the requested copy of the documents which accompanied the President's message. His taking possession of West Florida may seem to be a bold step:--It was certainly a rash one; because unwarrantable on any ground which can be assumed. I am satisfied that we have no title: and if we had, Spain was in possession; we had acquiesced in her keeping possession, and made it a subject of negotiation, and even to negotiation an end was put, five years ago, by a word from France. This furnishes irrefragable proof that the order to dispossess the Spaniards now, is by the permission, if not by the advice, or even direction of France: and hence a strong presumption arises, that the revolutionary proceedings in Florida have been secretly instigated by our own administration."
Provenance: Harry J. Sonneborn (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 11 June 1974, lot 101); Joseph M. Roebling (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 28 April 1981, lot 137).
PICKERING ON THE WEST FLORIDA CONTROVERSY
In September 1810 American settlers of West Florida, with the secret support of the Madison administration, declared their independence from Spanish rule and petitioned for admission to the American Union. (After 20 years under British rule, the territory had reverted to Spain by the terms of the Treaty of Paris in 1783). On October 27, Madison declared West Florida to be under US jurisdiction, on the very shaky grounds that Spain had ceded West Florida to France in 1800 along with Louisiana, and was thus a part of Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Pickering comments on this claim:
"I send herewith the requested copy of the documents which accompanied the President's message. His taking possession of West Florida may seem to be a bold step:--It was certainly a rash one; because unwarrantable on any ground which can be assumed. I am satisfied that we have no title: and if we had, Spain was in possession; we had acquiesced in her keeping possession, and made it a subject of negotiation, and even to negotiation an end was put, five years ago, by a word from France. This furnishes irrefragable proof that the order to dispossess the Spaniards now, is by the permission, if not by the advice, or even direction of France: and hence a strong presumption arises, that the revolutionary proceedings in Florida have been secretly instigated by our own administration."
Provenance: Harry J. Sonneborn (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 11 June 1974, lot 101); Joseph M. Roebling (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 28 April 1981, lot 137).