Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-03-12


duty.
Ii Is needless 10 consume time i'm an cN-
position ofreasons for thinking such trial
OF any mans motives and conduct unlaiI
aud unconstitutional. II is enough IL
remark, ,iat justice consists not merely
III awarding punishment Tor crime, bul
III Siving 10 individuals accused OF mis-
con,'s Ct, IA full and impartial hearing
and an opportunity OF ad,ancln. all at
cessibic testimony Tor the calculation oI
their acts, and the uprlslI:ncss and in.
nocency OF their Intentions. THIS JUS
tee has been denied To Gen. Jackson
his public acts and private character
have both been made the subjects ui
Systematic IN, tstiga,iUn anti without Il
hearing he has been promo unced guilty
OF The awful crime ot striking at the
liberties oi his country, by an InlraciiOu
at It's constitution and has received, in
IA sentence Of censure, the crueliesi pu-
uiShment that can pierce the bosom of 1,
soldier
And what is the motive TO which AL the
generals acts ia Florida have been aitri.
,buied His operations, say the commit
tee, were comdul ted A" on reasons of his
own, uuconmecied with his military time
tons and these reasons" were mer-
cenary views and Specuiailons, which the
occupancy OF The Spanish territory would
facilitate and mature ! 1t is to be hoped
that q n. Jackson viii never degrade
himself by answering d charge as foul as
II Is rIdirui0us-a charge totally unsup-
ported by any OF The documents aud "a
bundantly retut,d both by them and by
his character. No man in public life, who
marches steady and erect along ilie path
OF duty, can fail To awaken enmity among
those who envy his reputation, without
ability TO emulate his virtues. But, surely,
The deadlIest foe OF Gen. jackson cannot,
fora moment, credItsuch a charge as this.
L dare venture 10 assert, that not a single
member OF The select committee, mai,g
hani as app, ars TO be the hostility of
them 10 tho general, believes that he
led an army to The field, and ieopar,llsed
the lives OF valuable citiZeus, In order TO
speculate with security in Spanish lands !;
or that he rlsked the ruiE both OF health
and reputation, and Frustrated the con-
siitu'lon, 10 secure the paltry advantage
OF buying lew acres III Florida We
read of men whose dangerous political
anil ton prompted 10 the commission of
awful crimes towards their country but
the monsirous act OF overiurning free
constitution and making unauthorized
war, with the despicable view OF irit1ing
pccuniary emolumeni, Is yet, and may II
long be, unheard OF aud unrec0rded. Ii
that committee do not believe the charge
they have advanced, what can be their
views, and how will they explain their
motives to their country Ii would be
both ndecorons and useless TO indulge
IN the language of resentment and recri-
miHaiion but it would be injustice TO
the country to withhold the expression
of deep conviction, that this most I'M
just and Illegal trial originated in disho-
n ST motives from feelings of personal
hostility III one of The members, and, in
others, of a disposition 10 crafty iunta.
l! Is right TO state, that two members of
the committee were opposed 10 the report.
One OF those, who was not personally
acquainted with The general, and who sal
i'll the convention which framed The con-
s'ituiion, was too well acquainted with the
principles of thar sacred instrument, to
sanction any proceeding calculated TO do
itvltai INJURY and the other had too long
known Gen. Jackson Ia entertain any
doubt of his purity. When lie course
OF these gentlemen is couirasied with
that of The majority III The committee,
the people will have no difficulty in con
ceiving the impure motives by which that
majority were governed.
The principles which guided the COM
mander III chici, in the movements OF the
Seminole camiaign, have been so ably
developed and supported by men of III
iegrlty and taleuts, that il is deemed I'm
necessary now 10 revica them. The or
ders which governed HIM are before the
world. The selection and use of the
means for their complete execution are
well known. lfhe left any thing undOHe
which was necessary to give peace and
security TO the southern frontier -, or II he
unnecessarily superadded to The sufficient
means of etfeCting this object any az,
injurious TO the country and desiructiN e
OF Tie constitution, the grounds for a fair
judgment are with lie nation and lis IA
ward, either of blame or appreciation, will
doubtless be luSt. This article shall be
confined 10 The calculation of some OBJ
scuriIes and lie correction Of several
missiaiemenis OF facts IN the narrative OF
the report. The argumeDiaive part shall
only be touched incidentally.
II is stated III the first page Of The re-
port, that, III The spring or summer Of
1917, the regular troops were withdrawn
from the posts on The Georgia frontier,
and concentrated at Fort Montgomery
on the Alabama river, considerable dis
lance west of the Georgia line" This
Is calculated TO create an impression, that
Gen. Jackson issued the order for evacu-
ating the posts south OF Georgia, and
thereby jeopardizrd that frontier, by open.
ing The way for savage incnrsiou. But,
in lie commission of he mhlary error,
he was no way instrumental. The order
for tie movement Of the troops to the
Alabama was issued from the War De-
partmeut, by Mr.. Crawford, contrary to
iIe Geurral's opinion, who considered
the movement both dangerous and impo-
lIic.
IN page 3, lis stated, that Gen. Gaines
ordered Major Twiggs 10 surround
and Like an indian AIllane- called Ennnl