Washington 16th July 1817

My dear sir.

From advice recd. from various places, & through various channels, there is strong reason to believe that Sir Gregor McGregor has taken military possession of Amelia Island, and probably of other parts of East Florida.
From information derived from Mr Middleton it appears that McGregor is full of money. He carried to Charleston bills to a large amount upon Scotch houses of the name of James to whose credit there was deposited $350,000 in the different banks of the city by the British vessel of war the Cherub; immediately from Kingston, Jamaica.
The captain [Fisher] upon landing immediately went to the public house where McGregor lodged, introduced himself to him, said he came to pay his respects to him no less from the esteem he had for his character than from his best wishes for the success of the cause in which he was engaged.
This Scotchman is a revolutionist in the strictest sense of [words struck through] the word–is married to the niece of Bolivar–emancipated his negroes–or rather hers–says that he admits the blacks who have distinguished themselves, to his table, when grand by Mrs McGregor–
He insulted the people of Charleston on this subject so grossly [word crossed out] that all intercourse with him was abandoned. To Mr Middleton he assigned as a reason for emancipating the blacks in Caraccas, that they needed soldiers more than laborers – but eventually admitted that when their independence was established that they should need laborers more than soldiers. He contended that any title which the U.S. should acquire to the Floridas would be defective – that the Spanish colonies having declared themselves independent, all the Spanish possessions in America must be considered as forming an integral empire, & that no other state could acquire a title to any part but by convention with the revolutionists. When warned by Mr. Middleton that the US. might wrest the Floridas out of his hands, especially if he emancipated the slaves, he replied that if we did England would take Cuba – that if Spain suffered the U.S. to seize upon Florida in satisfaction of demands against her, that England also had demands against Spain which would be adjusted in the same mode.
It appears that a very considerable force has been collected along our maritime frontier, & that a large number of vessels were expected to assemble at St. Marys on Fernandina about the time that the capture of Amelia Island is represented to have taken place.
His followers say that St. Augustine will be obtained by money, the pay of the troops by which it is garrisoned being several years in arrear. From St. Augustine he intends to cross the Peninsula & seize upon Pensacola which will be considered as completing the conquest of the Floridas.
Apprehensions that the information of the capture of Amelia Island is correct, I have upon consultation with Mr Rush, addressed the enclosed letters to the War & Navy Departments for the purpose of furnishing the outlines of the instruction which would be proper to be given to the land and naval force to be employed on that station.
You sir doubtless recollect the law which was passed during the session of 1810 1811 authorizing the President to receive the Floridas from the local authorities or to occupy it with a military force if any attempt should be made by any foreign state to seize them.
Independent of the information recd from Mr Middleton who saw much of M Gregor in Charleston, I have been informed by the collector of St Marys & by Col o Jno. H McIntosh, that the seizure of Amelia Island was momently expected, & that the facilities for introducing African slaves would be greatly facilitated by that occupancy unless the rage of emancipation should predominate over avarice. In either event the peace & tranquility of that part of the State will be interrupted. The unsettled & critical state of several of the European states nations; the predisposition which is known to exist in England to a belligerent state, as the best practicable method of allaying the domestic fermentation which now endangers the state, renders the decision [words struck through] of the question presented under the law referred to, by the existing circumstances, extremely delicate and important. It is not my intention to offer any opinion upon the general question. It is perhaps premature at this moment, as it is possible that the contingency may not have happened. I would however respectfully suggest the propriety of acting under that law, if the contingency should happen, so far as to consider [words struck through] the whole river of St Marys as in our possession, so as to exclude the entrance of slave, & armed vessels from it. Considering the abhorrence in which the slave trade is held, or affected to be held, by the principal European states, the occupancy of the waters of the St Mary’s for the purpose of executing our laws against, it, or even the seizure of slave vessels when hovering on our coast, will not draw upon us the resentment or the arms of those states.
The exclusive possession of the river St. Mary’s, at least during the military occupancy of the Province by the Patriots, will enable us to prevent the smuggling of negroes into the country or the smuggling of our own out of it, and can-not possibly give cause of complaint to the Spanish govt.
Without this exclusive possession it will be difficult to prevent the introduction of slaves into this country if that policy should be adopted by the revolutionists or to resist effectually their attempts at emancipation & insurrection if it is their wish to effect it.
The seizure of slave vessels hovering upon our coast may I think be justified upon the principles of a due execution of our own laws, tho’ not upon the principle of controlling the trade of another nation. A difficulty however occurs, in the disposition of the cargo. Quere, would not their transportation to St. Domingo be the best disposition which could be made of them? If some such disposition cannot be made of them, the seizure would be as mischievous, as smuggling – Your views upon this as well as upon the other points submitted will be necessary for the govt of our conduct in the present delicate position of affairs.
With sentiments of the highest respect
I am your most obedient & very humble servant
James Monroe President of the US.		
Wm H Crawford.