by cutting off from the adjacent countries of Florida and Louisiana, and
enclosing between two of its channels, a long and narrow slip of land,
called the Island of New Orleans. The idea of ceding this could not be
hazarded to Spain, in the first step: it would be too disagreeable at
first view; because this island, with its town, constitutes, at present,
their principal settlement in that part of their dominions, containing
about ten thousand white inhabitants of every age and sex. Reason and
events, however, may, by little and little, familiarize them to it. That
we have a right to some spot as an entrepot for our commerce, may be at
once affirmed. The expediency, too, may be expressed, of so locating it
as to cut off the source of future quarrels and wars. A disinterested
eye looking on a map, will remark how conveniently this tongue of land
is formed for the purpose; the Iberville and Amite channel offering a
good boundary and convenient outlet, on the one side, for Florida, and
the main channel an equally good boundary and outlet, on the other side,
for Louisiana; while the slip of land between is almost entirely morass
or sandbank; the whole of it lower than the water of the river, in
its highest floods, and only its western margin (which is the highest
ground) secured by banks and inhabited. I suppose this idea too much
even for the Count de Montmorin at first, and that, therefore, you will
find it prudent to urge, and get him to recommend to the Spanish court,
only in general terms, 'a port near the mouth of the river, with a
circumjacent territory sufficient for its support, well defined, and
extra-territorial to Spain,' leaving the idea to future growth.

I enclose you the copy of a paper distributed by the Spanish commandant
on the west side of the Mississippi, which may justify us to M. de
Montmorin, for pushing this matter to an immediate conclusion. It cannot
be expected we shall give Spain time, to be used by her for dismembering
us.