as you? Were not Texas and Florida both incorporated into the
Union in 1845?"

"Undoubtedly," replied the _Times_; "but we have belonged to the
Americans ever since 1820."

"Yes!" returned the _Tribune_; "after having been Spaniards or
English for two hundred years, you were sold to the United
States for five million dollars!"

"Well! and why need we blush for that? Was not Louisiana bought
from Napoleon in 1803 at the price of sixteen million dollars?"

"Scandalous!" roared the Texas deputies. "A wretched little
strip of country like Florida to dare to compare itself to
Texas, who, in place of selling herself, asserted her own
independence, drove out the Mexicans in March 2, 1846, and
declared herself a federal republic after the victory gained by
Samuel Houston, on the banks of the San Jacinto, over the troops
of Santa Anna!-- a country, in fine, which voluntarily annexed
itself to the United States of America!"

"Yes; because it was afraid of the Mexicans!" replied Florida.

"Afraid!" From this moment the state of things became intolerable.
A sanguinary encounter seemed daily imminent between the two
parties in the streets of Baltimore. It became necessary to keep
an eye upon the deputies.

President Barbicane knew not which way to look. Notes, documents,