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��much facility they might extend themselves into the possessions of Spain, and their interest dictated to them that they should lose no opportunity that presented itself, nor neglect to excite occasions for this purpose.
Another errour was committed in the same treaty, namely, the stipulation that the flag should protect the property, in whatever war either power might be engaged with a third, while the Ameri- cans, three or four months afterwards stipulated the contrary with Great Britain; the result of which was, that the American flag protected English pro- perty from capture by us, while ours was captured under the same flag, for so had the American cabi- net stipulated with the court of England . Although my predecessor the Marquis de Casa Irujo, upon giving information to our government of -the conclu- sion of this treaty with Great Britain, represented the necessity of placing both upon an equal footing in this point, in order to prevent the injuries that might arise to us by this stipulation, in the event of a war with England, no provision whatever was made; and this has been the origin of our dissen- tions, and of the numerous claims of the Americans, as well for vessels captured by our cruizers in vio- lation of the said article of the treaty, as for those captured and brought into our ports by the French.
The first of these two demands, was com
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