in restraining his countrymen from an invasion of Louisiana,
till further instructions could be received from Madrid. The
general sailed in September for Philadelphia."

In 1788, Don Martin Navarro, the intendant, left the province for Spain,
and we cannot deny him the credit of sagacity, in his last communication
to the king.

"Navarro's last communication to the king was a memorial which
he had prepared, by order of the minister, on the danger to be
apprehended by Spain, in her American colonies, from the
emancipation of the late British provinces on the Atlantic. In
this document, he dwells much on the ambition of the United
States, and their thirst for conquest; whose views he states to
be an extension of territory to the shores of the Pacific
ocean; and suggests the dismemberment of the western country,
by means of pensions and the grant of commercial privileges, as
the most proper means, in the power of Spain, to arrest the
impending danger. To effect this, was not, in his opinion, very
difficult. The attempt was therefore strongly recommended, as
success would greatly augment the power of Spain, and forever
arrest the progress of the United States to the west.

"It would not have been difficult for the King of Spain, at
this period, to have found, in Kentucky, citizens of the United
States ready to come into his views. The people of that
district met, this year, in a second convention, and agreed on
a petition to congress for the redress of their grievances--the
principal of which was, the occlusion of the Mississippi. Under
the apprehension that the interference of congress could not be
obtained, or might be fruitless, several expedients were talked
of, no one of which was generally approved; the people being
divided into no less than five parties, all of which had
different, if not opposite, views.

"The first was for independence of the United States, and the
formation of a new republic, unconnected with them, who was to
enter into a treaty with Spain.

"Another party was willing that the country should become a
part of the province of Louisiana, and submit to the admission
of the laws of Spain.

"A third desired a war with Spain, and the seizure of
New-Orleans.

"A fourth plan was to prevail on congress, by a show of