The Portland gazette., 1819-03-30

Florida Indians, and whose peaeeabe conduct
she was bound 10 guarrsnee to the United
States--That she furnished those Indians al
war with the United Staiez. WITH arms, am.
munition, and supplies necessary to carry on
the war. Here the committee would observe,
that they are neither the advocates nor the
apologists of Spain: there can be no doubt,
but she had, by the violation Of her engage
ments, given the United States sufficient
cause of war but they defend the constitu-
tion by saying that Gen. Jackson had no pow
er to declare nor make the war that neither
he, nor even the President of The United
States, had any discretion or power 10 Judge
what was, or was not, cause of war this, The
constitution had wisely lodged in Congress.
The treaty with Spain stilf existed it was
made by the conssifdtioss. diise supreme law
Of the land, and had Spain violated, on her
part, every article OF that treaty, still the ex-
.ecunye Of the United Staies, who is bound to
see laws faithfully executed,a must, in good
lath towards Spain, have observed on our
part that treaty and the obligation OF pre-
serving The peace Of the nation, would have
renamed until the treaty should have been.
revoked or annulledby Congress. Furnishing
the Indians with arms, ammnnitons, and
supplies were so many violations Of treaty
stipuIations, and might have been considered
good cause of war by Congress; but of this,
gen. jackson was not the judge. His duty
ssss pesnied ~. i " sfFflfFsdue ausaussisl
the Seminole indians, -2al3m we were at
war for this purpose he sas ordered to pur-
sue them into the territorial limits OF Spain, and
over part of which territory those Indians
had, at least, qualified right Of possession and
property. Under these orders no act Of ag-
grossion on the Spanish authorities could have
been designed, nor can any such acts be JUS
tilted. Spain, before she could become or be
made party to this war, must have merged
her neutral character in that Of the enemy
and clearly identified herself with theSeminole
Indians, and by acts of open and undisgused
hostility to gen. Jackson, have opposed him
by physical, not moral force.
But the weakness Of the Spanish authority
is urged in justification of this outrage upon
our constitution, and is tie weakness Of an
independent power, to disparage their neutral
rights or to furnish pretences for a powerful
neighbour to weaken them further by hostile
aggressions And is it thus We are to be fur
nsbed by an American officer with justihca-
ton for the dismemberment Of Poland, the
capture Of the Danish feet by Great Brittany
the subjusslion OF Europe by Bonaparte and
shall the United States be called upon to imi-
tate the example, or silently acqulcsce and
thereby subscribe to doctrines, and approve
measures, that are in direct opposition 10 the
repeated and inyariable declarations Of the
government, given to this nation L the world,
through the official medium OF Presidential
messages, and the correspondence Of all her
public ministers, and sanctioned by all her
public laws. on the subject OF neutral rights
viii it not be said that We have changed our
national policy Shall we not be addressed in
the following language, by the nations OF Eu-
rope?
The time was, when the United States were
also weak, she bad no navy, she mad no army.
In those days she was a strong advocate for
neutral rights, anxious that free ships should
make free goods that the neutral flag of the
republic should protect all sailing under it,ev-
er protesting against and complaining of the
violation of ber neutral rights by the beliger-
ents Of Europe. But these times have passed
away, the nation has tried her strength in bat
tie, and found herself quite equal to the srug
gle she has had time 10 strengthen her army
aod increase her navy her former weakness
forgotten her former pIecepts abandoned, and
feeling power, and forgetting right, she walks
over a PROSTATE constitution, to conquer and
subdue miserable and feeble, though neutral
colony, whose very weakness, (pleaded in ex-
euse for The oppression) should have rather
constituted an appeal TO generous people
for protection"
In this unfavorabIe light the committee have
too much reason TO fear, will the civilized
world view this transaction, ana if sanctioned
by the nation, they regret 10 say there will be
too much reason given, thus to consider IT.
But there are still other reasons disclosed
and facts developed, that discover The motives
of The commanding officer, more fully than
those above stated. More than two months
after this campaign had ended, y the Seminole
war was terminated, another expedition IS
plaHned and the land and naval forces OF the
United States, ordered to execute it, which IS
10 reduce the fortress of St. Augustine, the
Capital of East Florida. The reasons offered
for this measure are stated in his orders to Gen.
Gaines, dated Nashville, 7th August 1918, and
as follows:
/" have noted with attention, Maj. Twigg's
letter, marked No. s. | contemplated that
the agents of Spain, or the officers at fort St,
Augustine, would excite the Indians TO hostll-