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��therefore my whole endeavour from the first was di- rected to persuade the two governments^ that it would be expedient and proper to establish the ne- gotiation at Madrid. This proposition not having been admitted^ 1 hinted that it would be better to appoint a plenipotentiary adjunct with me, as the Americans had done in 1805, when they sent Mr. Monroe, that he might in conjunc ion with Mr. Pinkney, negotiate with Don Pedro Cevallos, mat- ters of so much moment; but this was not acceded to, his majesty honouring me with the most flattering expressions, and with the most ample powers, thafc I might alone, and without consulting any other person, negotiate for the ssttlement of the differ- ences, in the best manner that my zeal and love for the monarchy should dictate.
All my hopes, then, upon these two points being disappointed, finding myself compelled to struggle alone against the American cabinet, the Congress and the Senate, and against the opinion of the people, ex- asperated at finding that payment for the losses they claimed was delayed, 1 thought it of the utmost ne- cessity to endeavour to calm this effervescence, through the medium of three memoirs, which I pub- lished in English, under the signature of Verus^ in the years 1810, 12, and 17; and I begun my cor- respondence with the Secretary of State, by discuss- ing slowly, but with solid and convincing reasons, the rights of the Spanish monarchy to the lands in
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