sing annoyance and injury to our Union in many of its most
essential interests. By this cession, then, Spain ceded a territory
in reality of no value to her and obtained concessions of the highest
importance by the settlement of long-standing differences with the
United States affecting their respective claims and limits, and likewise
relieved herself from the obligation of a treaty relating to it which
she had failed to fulfill, and also from the responsibility incident to
the most flagrant and pernicious abuses of her rights where she could
not support her authority.

It being known that the treaty was formed under these circumstances, not
a doubt was entertained that His Catholic Majesty would have ratified
it without delay. I regret to have to state that this reasonable
expectation has been disappointed; that the treaty was not ratified
within the time stipulated and has not since been ratified. As it is
important that the nature and character of this unexpected occurrence
should be distinctly understood, I think it my duty to communicate to
you all the facts and circumstances in my possession relating to it.

Anxious to prevent all future disagreement with Spain by giving the
most prompt effect to the treaty which had been thus concluded, and
particularly by the establishment of a government in Florida which
should preserve order there, the minister of the United States who
had been recently appointed to His Catholic Majesty, and to whom the
ratification by his Government had been committed to be exchanged for
that of Spain, was instructed to transmit the latter to the Department
of State as soon as obtained, by a public ship subjected to his order
for the purpose. Unexpected delay occurring in the ratification by
Spain, he requested to be informed of the cause. It was stated in
reply that the great importance of the subject, and a desire to obtain
explanations on certain points which were not specified, had produced
the delay, and that an envoy would be dispatched to the United States to
obtain such explanations of this Government. The minister of the United
States offered to give full explanation on any point on which it might
be desired, which proposal was declined. Having communicated this
result to the Department of State in August last, he was instructed,
notwithstanding the disappointment and surprise which it produced, to
inform the Government of Spain that if the treaty should be ratified and
transmitted