2nd: Of the continuation of Sr. de Miro in his present command, on account of the personal knowledge that both of us have formed, thus acquiring reciprocally a personal confidence that is essential to the negotiation, which would not be the case afterwards with his successor. 3rd: I am absolutely convinced that the appointment of D. Martin Navarro to be Minister to the American Government would be most advantageous for the promotion of the project. This gentleman, being near Congress, with the knowledge he possesses of this affair, would be able to take advantage of any occasion to further our aims, and through this means we would be able to establish direct communication from Congress to the western countries and from Louisiana to the Court. Forgive the above remarks, prompted by the conviction of their usefulness, and by my zeal in the cause to which I have pledged myself. To you, Gentlemen, I have confided an affair of so important a nature that were it divulged it would destroy my fame and fortune forever; but I feel the greatest confidence in the discretion and silence of your Honors, and if in any event the project should be rejected by the Court, I must rely on the candor and high honor of a worthy Minister to bury all I have communicated in eternal forgetfulness. Dn. Esteban Miro, Governor of Louisiana, and D. Martin Navarro, Intendant of the same. WILKINSON'S EXPATRIATION DECLARATION Declaration: Interest regulates the passions of Nations, as also those of individuals, and he who attributes a different motive to human affairs deceives himself or seeks to deceive others: although I sustain this great truth, I will not, however, deny that every man owes something to the land of his birth and in which he was educated. This something, no matter in what form it manifests itself, is founded on self-pride; for example, [an] Irishman in Spain, a Spaniard in France, a Frenchman in England, or an Englishman wherever he may find himself, will glory in reciting the virtues and fame of his respective nation, and will be pained and angered at any manifestation of its misfortune or dishonor, but to affirm that an intelligent being, who is able to act freely, must like a plant take root to the place which by chance witnessed his birth, would be to dispose of the wisdom of Providence and condemn the universal practice of the human race. When a distinguished person intends to expatriate himself, he should proceed with caution and circumspection, weigh carefully the obligations that subsist between himself and his country, see whether he is bound by some link of public confidence positive or implied; he should consider that this course will wound the self-pride of those he is about to abandon, and as a consequence will expose all his life and actions to the severest scrutiny, and his reputation and character to the blows and jibes of gossip and calumny: profoundly impressed by these important truths, leaving apart all passion and prejudice, I appeal to the intelligence which God's bounty has given men, and have matured my decision in accordance with the dictates of reason, honor and conscience. Possessed of these principles and adopting this opinion, I hope that it may never be said of me, with justice, that in changing my allegiance from the United States of America to H. C. M., I have broken any of the laws of nature or of nations, nor of honor and conscience. Born and educated in America, I embraced its cause in the last revolution, and remained throughout faithful to its interest, until its triumph over its enemies: This occurrence has now rendered my services useless, discharged me of my pledge, dissolved my obligations, even those of nature, and left me at liberty, after having fought for her happiness, to seek my own; circumstances and the policies of the United States having made it impossible for me to obtain this desired end under its Government, I am resolved to seek it in Spain, where I trust that my conduct shall be directed by such principles of loyalty and justice in my relations with my fellowcitizens as to assure the tranquility of my conscience and that my name be handed intact to posterity. Thus, not only the respect for my own reputation, which I love infinitely more than life, but also that which I profess for you Gentlemen, to whom I have the honor of, addressing myself, have induced me to suppose that in any event of my future career I may depend on you as depositaries of my honor, to give testimony that my principles and the motives which prompted my conduct are the good of the country in which I live and the interest and aggrandizement of the Spanish Monarchy: in faith of which I sign herewith on the 22nd day of August, in the year of our Lord 1787. James Wilkinson. Certificate: New Orleans, February 15, 1908. The foregoing are true copies of the originals that remain in the care of Dn. Miguel de Pontalba, Senlis, France, to which I refer and with which they have been compared: in faith of which I sign herewith and on the day and month supra. J. W. Cruzat. |