Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-03
From tie Washington CITY Gazette.
SEMINOLE WAR.

IN SENATE, FEBRUARY "a, 1918.
The hon. Mr.. Lacock, from tie select
committee Of investigation relative to the
Seminole war. and to the advance OF the
United States troops into West Florida,
made report, as the document states, on
the authority of facts. After such an elabo-
rate and able investigationof thesame ques-
ton as was made in the house OF represen'
ta,ives, the reader will perhaps be surprised
to learn that this report presents quite a
novel and interesting view of the subject.
Not being able to crafty our readers with
an entire copy in this paper, we have ex-
tracted, to-day, some Of the most striking
passages of the document. Although this
report must have cost the committee much
labor and research, there does not appear
10 be time, in the few days left Of the pre-
sent session, for any Legislative interposi-
lion. The report observes
SIT is with regret that the committee are
compelled 10 declare, that they conceive
sea. Jackson to have disregarded the posi-
tive orders of the department Of war, the
constitution and laws. That he has taken
upon himself, not only the exercise OF those
powers delegated to congress as the sole
legislative authority Of the nation, and to
The president and senate as it relates to the
appointments but of the power which had
been expressly reserved TO the states in The
appointment of the officers Of the militia.
4 power the more valuable to the states,
because, as they had surrendered to the ge-
neral government the revenues and physi-
ca force of the nation; they could only look
10 the officers of the militia as security a.
gaiust the possible abuse of the delegated
power. The committee find the melan-
choly fact before them. that military off,
GERS, even at this early stage OF This repub-
lie, have, without the shadow Of authority,
raised an army of at least 2 500 men, and
mustered them into the service of the u
nited States. Two hundred and thirty off,
GERS have been appointed and their rank
established, from an Indian brigadier gen.
erai, down TO the lowest subaltern of COM
pany. To wEom were those officers &C
constable for their conduct? Not 10 the
President Of the United States, for it will
be found that it was not considered neces-
sary even to furnish him with list Of their
names; ani not until the payrolls were
made out and payment demanded, were the
persons known TO the department OF war.
And in this place il is proper to observe,
that general Jackson seemed 10 consider
those officers Of bis own creation. comPe-
sent to diseh-rge all the functions OF officers
appointed by the authority of the general
government, for we find FIVE Of them de.
tailed afterwards to sit ON general court
martial, on trial of life and death. Might
not on the same principles, general Jackson
have tried, condemned and executed, an
officer Of the Georgia militia, by the sen.
tence Of q court martial composed Of officers
created by him, and holding their assumed
authority by the tenor ofhis will?
Your committee will dismiss this branch
of the subject by observing that CONSISTENT
" with the character and genius Of our go
venment, no officer, however high or ex.
allied his station, can be justified for an in
fraction of the constitution. II is an offence
against the sovereignty Of the nation; this
sovereignty being vested in the great body
of the people. The constitution is the writ
ten expression Of their will, and above the
control of all the public functionaries COM
bined. And when that instrument has been
violated, the people alone have power to
grant the indemnity for its infraction all
that can be said in favor of the officer who
trauscends bis constitutional powers must
Be taken, not in justification Of the act, but
in mitigation of the enormity of the offence
committed"
The following are the concluding passa-
ges OF the report:
But there are still other reasons disclo-
sed and facts developed, that discover the
motives of the commanding officer, more
fully than those above stated More than
two months after this campaign hadsnded,
and the Seminole war was terminated, an
other expedition is planned, and the land
and naval forces of the United States or
tiesd to execute il, which is TO reduce the
fortress of St. Augustine. the capital Of East
Ei.-;a, The raasnns s,ffarad for this nea.