Spanish is highly interesting to us, as the language spoken by so great a portion of the inhabitants of our Continents, with whom we shall possibly have great intercourse ere long; and is that also in which is written the greater part of the early history of America
Considering that this report was written in the year of 1818, I am surprised that Spanish was a largely spoken language since then. I know that we liked to trade with the Spanish, speaking countries, but this time period seems too early to suggest people the importance in learning Spanish.