desire. It is one which this measure,
if adopted by France, forces on us as necessarily, as any other cause,
by the laws of nature, brings on its necessary effect. It is not from
a fear of France that we deprecate this measure proposed by her. For
however greater her force is than ours, compared in the abstract, it is
nothing in comparison of ours, when to be exerted on our soil. But it
is from a sincere love of peace, and a firm persuasion, that, bound to
France by the interests and the strong sympathies still existing in the
minds of our citizens, and holding relative positions which insure
their continuance, we are secure of a long course of peace. Whereas, the
change of friends, which will be rendered necessary if France changes
that position, embarks us necessarily as a belligerent power in the
first war of Europe. In that case, France will have held possession of
New Orleans during the interval of a peace, long or short, at the end of
which it will be wrested from her. Will this short-lived possession have
been an equivalent to her for the transfer of such a weight into the
scale of her enemy? Will not the amalgamation of a young, thriving
nation, continue to that enemy the health and force which are at present
so evidently on the decline? And will a few years' possession of New
Orleans add equally to the strength of France? She may say she needs
Louisiana for the supply of her West Indies. She does not need it in
time of peace, and in war she could not depend on them, because
they would be so easily intercepted. I should suppose that all these
considerations might, in some proper form, be brought into view of the
government of France. Though stated by us, it ought not to give offence;
because we do not bring them forward as a menace, but as consequences
not controllable by us, but inevitable from the course of things. We
mention them, not as things which we desire by any means, but as things
we deprecate; and we beseech a friend to look forward and to prevent
them for our common interests.

If France considers Louisiana, however, as indispensable for her views,
she might perhaps be willing to look about for arrangements which might
reconcile it to our interests. If any thing could do this, it would be
the ceding to us the island of New Orleans and the Floridas. This
would certainly, in a great degree, remove the causes of jarring and
irritation between us, and perhaps for such a length of time, as might
produce