The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 4 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 4 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
GENTLEMEN,--I have received from Messrs. Viar and Jaudenes the
representatives of Spain at this place, a letter, which, whether
considered in itself, or as the sequel of several others, conveys to us
very disagreeable prospects of the temper and views of their court towards
us. If this letter is a faithful expression of that temper, we presume
it to be the effect of egregious misrepresentations by their agents in
America. Revising our own dispositions and proceedings towards that power,
we can find in them nothing but those of peace and friendship for them;
and conscious that this will be apparent from a true statement of facts,
I shall proceed to give you such a one, to be communicated to the court
of Madrid. If they find it very different from that conveyed to them by
others, they may think it prudent to doubt, and to take and to give time
for mutual inquiry and explanation. I shall proceed to give you this
statement, beginning it from an early period.
At the commencement of the late war, the United States laid it down
as a rule of their conduct, to engage the Indian tribes within their
neighborhood to remain strictly neutral. They accordingly strongly
pressed it on them, urging that it was a family quarrel with which they
had nothing to do, and in which we wished them to take no part; and we
strengthened these recommendations by doing them every act of friendship
and good neighborhood, which circumstances left in our power. With some,
these solicitations prevailed; but the greater part of them suffered
themselves to be drawn into the war against us. They waged it in their
usual cruel manner, murdering and scalping men, women and children,
indiscriminately, burning their houses, and desolating the country. They
put us to vast expense, as well by the constant force we were obliged to
keep up in that quarter, as by the expeditions of considerable magnitude
which we were under the necessity of sending into their country from time
to time.
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