Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-28
CONGRESS.
.....-- ..-.......
I RcPoried for the Naeioaat Intelligence,

IN TIE HOUSE or. REPRESENTATIVES
MONDAY, JANUARY 3.
DEBATE ON THE-SEMINOLEW WAR.
In committee OF the whole on the state
OF the Union, the following resolution, re-
ported by the committee on. military at
FAIRS, was under consideration, viz.
heS'lred, That the Hoase of Representatives
OF The Unit ell States disapproves the proceed
ihSs IN the trial and execution of Alexander
AroHthnot and Robert G.. Ambrister.
Mr.. COBB, of Georgia, commenced the
debate. by observing, That although he
concurred III opinion with the military
committee, as expressed in their report
under considerations, yet he thought they
mad not gone tar enough. There were
other matters, arising out of the late Sc
minole war, whicl, he thought OF infinite
~ Sreaierimporiance, and, III comparison
with which, indeed, the trials oil, ArbutlI-
net and Ambrister were objects of bat
secondary consideration. AS highly,
therefore, as be disapproved the proceed
ings in the trial of these men, yet as, by
the report, the matters to which lie had
allusion were not presented for conside-
ration, he held in his hand ceytain reso-
lutions which it was his intention 10 pro-
pose, by way ofamendment TO the report
of the military committee. Mr.. Cobb
here read the amendment which he SUBJ
scqueniiy moved.] From these resolu-
tons, The committee of the whole would
observe thatit was his intention to open
The whole .feM OF debate, and 10 present
for discussion. not only the trials af these
men, but the capture # tie Spanish posts
OF ST. Marks, Pensacola, and Barancas,
~ which, he believed there had been a
most hagranl breach of the constitution
of the United States. But as, notwith-
standing the amendment he was about to
propose, the resolution of the military
committee would stand first in order, he
WOufd proceed to make a few remarks as
10 the subject matter of taat resolution.
He thought lie could promise That the
committee should not be long detained
by the observations which he might have
the henor to make either upon this reso-
luton or these which he would lay upon
the table, as, at that early period of the
discussion, il was not necessary TO pre-
sent TO the. committee any thing more
than what lie considered the leading
points. reserving TO himself the right of
speaking, as to particulars, at some flu
ture period, il lie should find il necessa-
ry-
In attending 10 the trials by court mar
tiai OF those two Englishmen, the first OBJ
themselves, were the charges exhibited
against them. Reasoning upon tie Sup
position that they were true, he was per-
fectIy AT loss 10 koow ,chat iaw, martial,
municipal, or national, was Violated
Against what law had they offended? He
was not certain that he perfectly under
stood what was national law in this couii-
try. Were he TO view IL in the light that
IT had been explained and enforced by
some, he must be compelled to consider
II as paramount authority indeed; so high
III lis nature as that II could he made 10
suspend tie constitution itself He had not
yet obtained his consent TO give il this
omnipotemt effect, and lie hoped he never
should. lie had thought, and yet beiev-
ed, until he could have some proofs 70
the contrary, that il was contained in that
body of laws established by the Congress
| OF The United States for the government
of The army, commonly called the Rules
| and Articles of War" 1t he was correct
in This opinion, (and he presumed 10 gen.
tleman would cOniroveri IL y he had search
ed in vain, land he had used no little in
dustry 10 discovery for that clause against
which Arbatlnot and Ambrister had of.
Tended, in the commission of the acts
charged against them, and for which they
clause subjeciiDg TO death those who
should be convicted of being spies"
But, although these men, or one OF them,
was charged with this. yet he was acquit-
It'd Of that clause, aud for that reason it
would be unnecessary so take further no
iIcc oft. The offence Tor which they
were convicted and suffered death, was
that Of " exciting aud stirring up the
Greek Indians to war against the United
States aud her citizens, they being sub
jecls of Great Britain. with wlIoH the u.
States are at peace )" Of aiding, abct-
ting, aud comforting the enemy, aud sup
plying fliem with tie means of war :"
" aud leading and commanding Tie Low
er Greeks III carrying on war against the
URied States" Admit the truth Of the
facts contained in these charges, are they
declared penal ~ any part of the Rules
aud Articles of War; Or are they there
10 declared TO be proper subject matters
fer trial before Il court martial - they
we're not, IL followed as d Consequence,
that the commanding general had tsans.
cended his powers in crdcsing Tire cot5i,