Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-02-02
[VOL. Xy.--NO. e5.

lie nrst shot from yOur fort musi d..
down upon you the vengeance of an irri-
ta'eu soldiery. am well advised of your
strength aud cannot bat remark on the
Z inconsistency al presuming Yourself ca
paDie OF resisting AN army which has con-
agreeably TO your own acknon Iedg,nnni
10 be controlled by You"
Mr.. Chairman, after This statement ne
iacts by The commanding General. per.
mt me 10 enquire whether any member
OF 'this committee can believe that this
extreme necessity existed, which womb
authorize General, in a neutral coun,rv
temporarily 10 seize a place, and mn, ),
garrison therein for defending himself
against the enemy, or preventing him. il,
ms designs Of seizing his place. What.
sir! After Tie Indian tribes had been cor,
Guered, viii, whom was the Generafwag-
Indian tribes, because these .,rihes h,
had subdned and conquered. Whera
then, was the necessity, the urgent ana
extreme necessity, WHICH would h.v.
Justified an absolute sovereign. on who's,
Iia' depended war and peace, in thus for
cibiy possessing himself of these pIaces
ana posts, IN neutral country
we are told by the honorable gentle.
man from Mass achusof,s, (Mr. Holnesy
tha' SPAN had not maintained her nentr.i
relations that she had violated her fre.-
ty. And pray, sir, who constituted Cen
jackson The judge TO decide wbetInr
Spaln BAD so violated her treaty a0d her
neutral relations with The Uaitcd States
as 10 furnish 10 this government iustifis.
aoie causes oi war against her? MOI the
resident !, OF HE United States because
ne has no power, no authority. in dec;Jo
aIF
United States had TOO mapy melapchni,,
evidences OF The abuses Of This no,..r
wren conflded TO single Executive MA,
gistrafe, ever To trust their tranou;II;ty
repese and happiness, 10 individual discrce
lion and prudence By their cons,i,,f,;on
they carefully and Cautiously comfdai
tins great, Ibis important power. nfdeclar.
ing war, TO Their represeniatives-to Tho
congress OF The UniieS States. Ha. Gem
eral Jackson himself justified the occ,,na.
non OF Pensacola and The Bsrancas under
mat extreme necessity, which, according
10 he law OF nations, dispenses with The
riSh's OF properly, and justifies the fem
porary SECURE of posi- in neutral conn
try No, sir ;the General bad far d;fssr-
ent views when he entered Pensacola and
captured the BarancHs. The Terms OFF,
piluIation prove il his letter aIread,r
referred Ia, OF the I'd Of June, 10 the Sec.
reiary OF War, proves it, PERM, mo =
gam to refer to that letter, IN order 10 a.
certain the views and The Objects Of ,j,e
General. He certainly understood Lis
own motives. his principles of policy. at
least as wcllas those'w no have aItemp,ed'
10 defend his conduct. In TIE letter az
June the 2d, the General remarks. s'.The-
Seminole war may now be considered at y
close, tranquility again restored 10 The
I'll.
ana as long as Gordon of military posts
is maintained along the Gulf of Mexico
America has nothing 10 apprchend from
either foreign or Indian hosiili,ies. Car
lam Gadsden IS instructed TO prepare a
report on Tile necessary deiences of The
country, 40 tar as the military reconnoi.-
sances will permit, ACCOMPANIED with
plans of the existing works what addi-
tiops or improvements are NECESSARY and
What new works should, i'm his onision
be erected, 10 give permanent sec,iri,v tn
iiiis important territorial addition 10 orr
republic. appeal 10 The candor of GEN
tlen'el To say, with what view Pensacola
ana barancas were foreibly occupied.
was 10 prevent Tie enemy, {ibe Semi.
mole Indians, the Red Sticks and the Ne.
gro brigamds) his design of seizjnc those
places; or of enabling Tie General TO de-
Tend himself against the enemy 2 The
Indian tribes were conquered. The Gem
crai himself exuiilDgly speaks of Ills con-
ques'-oi The important territorial adti-
ion 10 our republic; and points out 10 the
Secretary OF War the future policy of tie
government offhe IT, S treats as ylsi,parv
Tie dea OF terrifying an 1aginar, line on
the 3iSt degree oflaliiude, in a wilderness.
and proposes TO inaiuiaiii a Gordon III
MILITARY posts along HE Gulf of Mexico.
was this war, sir! Was il war against
SPAN j; was-it must he consideTeei az
war. II was the application of military
force Tor the purpose OF making coDauesfs
oi towns and military posts Of fhc Spanish
government IN Florida. Has the govern
neni ot the United States the constitu-
iional authority 10 wage v ar with The view
10 conquest. ] must be permitted fo
doubt. presume il will moi he pretend
ed that either General Jackson or the
President of The United States has the
constitutional right TO wage war, for ib.
purpose OF making territorial additions
20 our republic. The President Of the
United States has furnished the most CON
elusive evidence of the opinion which he
entertains OH The subject Of his poversto
place the United States in a belliyereut
attitude with foreign nations. WE find
~ all the orders from the War Depart.
ment, tie most cautious circumspcciiou
The most apparent reluctance TO authorize
Tie march of The American forces into
Florida; the most positive injunctions 10
respect The Spanish auihOrIlIes. This .
use OF the military forces Of Tie United
states, Tor the purpose of conqupsl--tf
making important Territorial additions 10
our republlc--must be viewed as an act
OF war against Spain, and, in That view,
auf L. 4 a