First Claslies wit/, tl,e United States
261
,11o,mti.ng war fever and complications. But while Salcedo was attempting to maintain peace, American public opinion and the Govern- ment itself believed that a Spanish attack was imminent. ·when the Turner incident was reported to Washington, the President sent a special message to Congress on March 19 "relative to Spanish innO\·ations on the Sabine River," declaring that he had just learned that the Spaniards were advancing "to occupy new posts and make new settlements." He then informed Congress that the officers of the United States Army were ordered "to confine themselves within the country on this side of the Sabine River, which by delivery of its principal post, Natchitoches, was understood to have been delivered up by Spain." 88 The President's message was interpreted by the newspapers as a veiled warning of serious peril. The excitable Westerners violently protested and strongly urged immediate attack on Spain and the liberation of Mexico. By the fourth of July ( 1806) "there was not a thousand persons in the United States who did not think war with Spain inevitable, impending, begun!" says a well-known historian. 19 Naturally the general denunciation of Spain reached Spanish officials. Salcedo wrote Cordero as early as April 9 that, ever since France sold Louisiana to the United States, nothing had been left undone "to extend the limits into the Spanish possessions ... and to secure the twenty- two leagues of land lying between the Arroyo Hondo and the Sabine. the former of which marks the boundary of Louisiana, as the Americans well know." 90 Agents in Louisiana early in the year had warned Spanish officials of an expedition being organized in Kentucky to free Mexico. When Salcedo heard of it, he wrote to Cordero: "It is a very grave matter ... that some 10,000 men, subjects of the United States, are being prepared in Kentucky with the object of overpowering the unin- habited provinces of this kingdom and our Indian allies, with no respect for the boundaries of Louisiana. You will, therefore, take extraordinary precautions toward putting the country in a good state of defence by bringing up all the auxiliaries." Cordero immediately relayed the news to Viana at Nacogdoches, adding that the real purpose of the expedition was to take possession of Texas. He recommended that every effort be 88 Message .... relative to Spanish innovations on the Sabine River ... , March 19, I 806. State Pa'/)ers and Publick Doc11ments, II, r 52. 19 McCaleb, The Aaron Burr Conspiracy, 110. 90 Salcedo to Cordero, April 9, 1806. BJrar Arcliives.
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