Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-06-25


say much OH that snhject.-The Noble
earl bad not since then given any .Apla-
nation and il was fit tina, his silence
should not be miscOhsfrned into dispo-
si'iou Oh The part OF Parliament 10 acarii-
esre IN The new aud dangerous iaierprets-
non HAT Was given 10 the law Of nations.
or to the new and barbarous practice
against the laws of nations which had
lately been resoritd TO. and which wus
detrimental toall the principles of Justice.
lie would not attempt to impute any such
disposition TO the Government of The u.
STATES; and he owed II 10 the character of
tue able andsiisiinguisIied Stat. sman " no
held lie fIrst.oihce in that Government.
0 express firm belief that neither lie nor
fine other branches of the American CO.
vernnent. woul,i have engaged i'm or
sanctioned a transaction which was nicou-
sis,eht with the laws Of nations, and with
every principle of justice and humanity.
II was, therefore, i'll the hope that proper
Steps would be taken by ourGovernment
10 Sef at all the information that could be
obtained on this subject, that he now
brought II under The consideration of
MINISTERS. The facts OF this case were
briefly these. Several tribes of Senliuuc
iudianS, residing on the borders OF I:lori-
Ga. HAD made hostile incursions into The
territory of the United States in conse-
qnence OF which the American General
carried on The war against them into Elnr-
iia, amt thus invaded the territory Of the
hing of Spain. on pretence and under an
alleged apprehension that the Indians
were about 10 make themselves masters
OF ttat prOvince.---AStu The propriety
oil General Jackson entering this province
Ill hostile manner, Ire should not nowen-
ter into discussion "n that point, on
which II was the business of IL. Spanish
government To dctermiHe.--BulI II 60
10 me circumstances which followed that
military occupation that he wished 10 t.aIl
the attention of the House. Whenever an
act OF violence and outrage was commit
leo by a|miliiary cummander placed in
such situation, IL should never be cx-
Tended beyo"d the necessity of The case.
u al The time when Copenhagen was TAX.
ell by Inc British troops, Lord Cailcart.
who then commanded them, found lbaf
several persons belonging 10 neutral coun-
tries had been engaged i'm the defence of
me place, aud ordered them 10 be execut-
Ell, OH preience that They had no right 10
TAX up nrms against Great Britain, v ould
MOI ihatacf have been a gross violation Of
The laws OF IIaiions! When the American
u neral Jackson came into the Floridas.
bethere found two British subjects. who
iad.be assisting the Indians: he had
them, brought 10 a court martial. and
ordered them to, be executed. There
was, however, some difference between
bh TIsfeafn dd id tceftaiifys Aus
of the Indians against the United States.
But it was not pretended that Arbuthnot
had borne arms and The only evidence
which went to show any connexion be-
tween him and the Indians was that of
person who said he had seen a letter prov
ing him 10 be an agent Ofthe Indians, and
certain articles, among which WAS small
quantity of lead and pow der. Now, an.
act OF this kind done by an individual be-
longing 10 neutral country, never was
visited by the loss oflife = and what serv.
ed TO render the conduct OF Gen. Jackson
still more atrOcious in this Instance was
that although the court martial which tried
Ambrster had sLrunk from intliciIng on
him the severest punishment, yet jackson
did, in opposition TO the sentence of the
Court, order him as well us Arbuihnot, to
be punished by loss oflife.
Ii was for their Lordships then TO deter.
mine, whether such conduct as this WAS
consistent with The laws of nations. SO
far WAS il from being 50, the very laws Of
the United States declared, that for such
acts DIS those OF which The two persons in
question were accused, no other punish.
ment than that of line and imprisonment
could be inflicted. Here the noble Mar
quls quoted the ACT of the American Le-
sisaiure, which stated that the citizen OF
subject Oiany neutral country who should
be found assisting Foreign Power iu
carrying on war against The United States,
| he should be fined f 900 and sentenced
| 10 twelve month. Imprisonment. Not
| wIihsianding this law, Gen. Jackson pro,
| cPeeed TO carry one sentence OF the court
| martial into execution, and III the Other
| instance TO infici punishment which the
| court had not ordered, merely of bls own
! authority, although before he ordered any
sentence TO be inflicted, he should have
first communicated The business TO The
President Of the United States, To receive
lis orders. Instead OF this, he acted en-
iireIy from his own impulse aud authority.
Such conduct a. Ibis was unparalleled in
the history OF civilized nations, and must
he regarded by every liberal man with
disgust and horror. Here military ofF
Ger attacked neutral territory without
any necessity, caused two Eng lishmen
found there Ia be tried, reserved the mil.
der sentence passed on one, and ordered
them both TO be executed, in direct op-
position 10 the laws of their own country.
Ii was necessary to mark such conduct
as this by public declaration Of abI,Or
renee, III order 10 prevent its being e.
yer acted upon as Il prcCedent-IIat il
might never be held out for dread
inl example OF imitation. q. Notwi,h
standing this conduct, and The cir
cnmsiance Of The American Government
not having noticed it, he had the bes
wishes towards that Government ID,
hoped they would long live in. peace AM