The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 17, July 1913 - April, 1914 Page: 178
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
that the Americans should have nothing west of the Red. He
seemed fearful that the presence of the Americans in the Floridas
would facilitate attacks upon their other colonies. Monroe showed
him that our presence in Louisiana already gave us this oppor-
tunity, but tried to reassure him by repeating his statement that
if our government gained Florida by friendly negotiation it would
be inclined to restrain its citizens and others from attacking our
.neighbors. Godoy then spoke of the many years that must elapse
.before the western portion could be settled and in an indefinite
way mentioned the interest of Spain and the United States to keep
,Great Britain and France out of South America. For some reason
Monroe felt encouraged by this interview.25
On that day Cevallos dated a note for the American negotiators,
but did not send it. In the course of this he stated that the repre-
sentatives of each government should first discuss their respective
rights upon the points at issue and then proceed to such negotia-
tions as were convenient to both. This opened the way to an
interminable discussion with no prospect of reaching a definite con-
clusion-precisely what Cevallos desired. Even this concession was
not gained until the Americans, on the 18th, curtly informed him
that they interpreted his silence as a wish to terminate the nego-
tiation. Monroe reinforced his note by an audience that lasted
for four hours, after which Cevallos sent his reply bearing the
date of the 16th. In the course of this Cevallos stated that he con-
sidered the American claim to the Bravo as absolutely devoid of
authority. These two interviews influenced Monroe to suggest the
.-concession that he mentioned on February 26th in his letter to
.Armstrong.26
By the middle of March Monroe lost his patience. They had
'now discussed every subject connected with the negotiation except
the western boundary of Louisiana, and he and Pinckney insisted
that Cevallos should reply upon that. Despite their urgency, the
minister kept them waiting for nearly a month longer. A personal
interview on April 5 failed to elicit any definite date for his reply.
:Cevallos, who claimed to be studying the subject of the western
,boundary of Louisiana, thought that his government would prob-
ably cede its territory east of the Mississippi for an equivalent in the
21"Monroe's Journal," February 16, 1805. Spanish Despatches, VIII.
.'Am. State Papers, For. Rel., II, 644; Spanish Despatches, VIII.178
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 17, July 1913 - April, 1914, periodical, 1914; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101061/m1/182/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.