Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-07-14

resting 80 lie honor and peace oi This ua
hon, ought not 10 be passe,! over, because
they are The acts Of Cen Jechson, or tc.
catise they relate in SBch "A nation rs Spain.
Notwithstanding his high character, or
nee lew one, our government ought in
weigh the whole matter carefully, and act
accordingly.
TO THE EDITOR o. TIE ENQUIRER.
SIR-fho capture of Pensacola. and The fort
OF B"raLcaS by general jackson a., dispos-
session OF the SpaIi>h authorities th,rc and
the establishment OF "a territorial government
Win military commander at lis head and Of
custom honse under lie laws OF The United
states are acts at such an eAtraot binary cha.
racttr, that ihey have isioii>htd The pcopte
his Is ii direct attack or Spain Ii an act
or PLAIN aud paipab!e WAX. II must a,d
will be viewed by SPAN and the other bowers
oil Europe a. proof that THIS republic is gov.
erned by grasFinZ, and dominant spirtt of
ambiton, which lit its anxiety to enlarge chr
territory ovefieohs and iespises the claims
ahd Tue possessions OF other ua tions. III will
De viewed as an act of PERFIDY. II W,
only few months since that eur secretary OF
state declared 10 the minister of Siain, that
we were attached 90 peace and that haviir,
Tor thirteen years borne v ith patience the i'm
SUITS ana wrongs heaped It's Nv Spain. we
Nohld sun bear thc Vexatinu4 UtiaXs of that
nation, uuti' sense Of jrstice sii0ulJ return
TO her, rather than resort 10 war TIM decla
ration Was hardly proclaimed to the world, lie
Iote our mii'ihry cn0lniaHGVr max cs war, Ey
SEEING on one ot her provinces and n,nl pinm
rs government. Docs mol this conduct iOCk
hAe italian 'lTplciy Can high minded
Americans reconcile Il 10 themselves? Here
,Vi'tc III our Contest with other nations il l.as
becn our boast HAT w Ind iuSiire on Our =. lie
ana thiIcc Ii lie armed, who hath his quarrel
just BUt we cannot ROW make hi, boast
our major general las placed us entirely in
tie wrong.
las h general orders. genera! .'scI son de
cares that the United States are uo1 actnaietl
by hostile disposition towards Spain nov By
desire 10 extend onr territorial Possessions
This declaration will DE contrastcd with The
iact OF our taking possession OF AN adjoining
territory by tOICe CT arms, in time Of profound
peace, aud will not be Believed. He places il
on the ground of self defence. After beating
the SCminoleS IL onr own country, and IN Fori.
da. with tie power OF beating them again and
at all times, Can il he pretended that self pre-
serNation required that we should overthrow
the Spanish government ia Fc rida and seize
upon Their TERRITORY
Ii is clear that rain has great reason TO
complain of the condnct Of general Jack son
but nmy humble opinion tse j.. oplc OF the
United States have much greater reason 10
complain of thar conduct
The congress of the United States aloEc have
power to decl.re war. The people aud the
states would not trust this great aud awful
power TO any other tribunal than their own
immediate repres entativrs. In The present
instance this power has been tax en- from them
Did TIE president authorize general Jackson
to take possession of Pensacola and the gov
errmeut of West Florida L ne did, lie has
certainly usurped the legislative functions.
and Tor his conduct he must answer TO the REQ.
pie. This case has beciiik ened 60 the capture
OF Amelia Island Bnt they are not parallel
cases. That act was justified oil the ground
OF the law of 1911 which authorized IT, but
he'e there Is 40 such authority. II The plea of
self defence is a sufficient eAcnse in the pre.
SENT instance, that plea ought 10 have been
Jndgeh OF, not by general JuCkSCD, nor by the
president, hut by congress alone. That's tie
only tribunal which had right to Say that il
Is necessary to take pnsseSsiOS OF FiOr.ja. tO
guard us agaiuS; the raYageS of the SeminOlCs
\ cannot believe that the president has an
thori1ed tiIis conduct OF the general. cannot
believe that col. Monroe wCuid do an act by
which he may forfeit all claim 10 the love and
veIera'lOn OF biS cOnHtrXnieH | cannot believe
that under tie cover OF the republican aagis he
would undermine the authority ct I'll . uCnple's
say that he has given . more fatal blow 10 cut
republican government than any president We
have ever bad, or than Conld possibly have been
expected tI"'' inaD Who was elevated 20 hi.
high Office. because Of lis rSdeyiaiira and
HE seaport of republican principlrs
WuSt then believe. untii the contrary be
shewn, that general Jackson has acted without
orders. II so, IN what situation are we pIac
ed lie peace, and welfare Of this CouDty,
subject to the control u, aud ieOpardizeG by
aset wiIied military commanders The sci,
vices great as they were, O. the hero OF New
OrIeans, arc bni pooF compensation f0I ia,
loss Of our liberty !.
What, ubder prescott circumstances. must he
done, 10 wipe ont this stain upon orr national
character? / see no other alternative than
restitution and reparatiOn The re deliver,
o. the province to Spain: (nnless by prompt
Il mo. .sNa q 4. ~