Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-04-06
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPR ES ENI'4TTHE ,S
DEBATE ON THE SEMINOLE WAR.

tCONTINUEO.
Mr.. TYLER, from Virginia, said, that
! he owed AN apology 10 the committee for
rising al so late "a period Of i,ie del,ate 10
address il. lie proposed 10 present d very
| bret sketch of the views he had taken on
this Interesting subject. Al The onset,
close IN, Mr.. Chairman, with The position
laid down by the gentleman w 10 has Just
| addressed you, (Mr. Nelson) and sa, that.
however great may have beeiitlie services
| OF Gen. Jackson, l cannot consent to
weigh those services against The constitu-
ton OF the land. Oiherge,,llcuien will, no
| doubt, yield me The correctness of this
position. Your liberties cannot be pre-
| served by the fame Of any man. The tri-
umph OF the nero may swell The pride of
| yonr country--elevate you i'll the estima-
lion OF foreign natlons-give TO you
character for clivalry and valor but re-
collect, bsseech You, that the sheet an
| clior of our safely is TO be found i'm the
constitution OF our country. Say that you
| ornament these walls with the trophies of
| vlctory-thai the flags of conquered ma
tlons wave over your Tread, what avaiIs
these symbols of your glory if our con-
| stitution be destroyed To This pillar
then will cling. Measures. not men, and
| beg gentlemen to recollect it, has ever
been our favorite motto. Shall we abam-
don II now Why do gentlemen paint 10
the services Of the hero in former wars?
| For his conduct there he has received a
nations plaudits; and won our gratitude.
| We come TO other acts. Ii our motto be
| just, we must look alone 10 the act, not TO
/ the actor. Ills only then that we shall
judge correctly. A republic, sir, subs,i-
tute the Roman Manlius, and disapprove
| the conduct of her dearest son, if that son
has erred. From what quarter do YOU
expect your liberties TO be successfully
invaded Not from the man whom YOU
| despise: against him you are always pre-
| pared TO act--his example will not be
| dangerous. But, sir, you have more 10
fear from "a nations favoriie; from him
whose path has been path ofglsry who
has won your gratitude and confidence
against his errors you have to guard, least
they should grow into presidents and be-
come in the end the law of ,he-,and. 1t
is ilie precedent growing out Of the pro-
ceedlngs IN this case that wish TO guard
against. Ii is this consideration, and This
only, which will induce ME TO disapprove
the conduct Of Gen. Jackson.
| Our sympathies have been appealed 10
| In his behalf. There exists no cause for
the appeal. Are we abont, by this vote,
10 wiIher the laurels which bloom OH his
brow-to deprive him of character, of
standing No, sir, we arraign not his
natives. On all hands it is conceded 10
his supporters that his motives were cor
rect. Did We insist fliai he had intended.
" violated the constitution and the law,
then should we make charge, which, If
supported, would properly degrade him
In the estimation ofali good men, But We
make no such charge-we disapprove on
! ly his acts. Is This vote of censure of
the odious character which it has beeD
represented TO be !? Censure implies bad
motives aud bad acts. Say, is YOU please.
that have shot my arrow over the house
and wounded my brother. He complains
| OF my act, not my Intentions, because he
is aware they we're innocent; but, al
though he neither upbraids nor censures
me, the wound still testers in his site. Is
| there not then awide distinction between
a vote of censure i'll the obvious accepfa-
! ton oil The term, 81 d vote of diSapproval {?
Is there any thing more common than for
an officer ordering court martial TO dis
approve the sentence of the court. and di-
rect IT to reconsider It's opinion-and yet,
was ever such disapproyal esteemed a
ceDsure on the court? An Inferior court
! gives an erroneous opinion; an appeal is
taken to superior tribunal the opinion
OF the inferior court is reverscd-was such
reversal ever construed TO imply a cen.
sore OIL the judge You differ from
me ~ opinion. You disapprove my
premises aud the deductions there
from. Sir. was II ever heard Of before,
that this difference OF opinion required
us to regard each other as such objects of
censure, as 10 interrupt our harmony or
mutual respect and confidence We do
nothing here but combat The opinions
md afTC IS y L
men UiH hare az so, of the Executive
Shall we be denied the liberty of boldly
and manfullv expressing this difference
OF sentiment Sir, protest against this
slavery OF the mind. The body may be
enchanted aud bowed TO EARTH but that
ethereal essence resists your power and
SCOTS all eRoris TO enlhral it.
What are the points of difference a
rising out of his case Gentlemen JUS
iify the capture of ST. Marks on the plea
of necessity we contend that no such
necessity existed aud, believing so, we
disapproVe the capture. We agree, in our
premises, that the general would only
have been Authorized 10 seize neutral
post, III order either 10 save lis army, or
TO guard the post against Tie imminent
hazard Of falling into the hands OF his
enemy. We cali upon gentlemen for the
proof OF the existence OF such necessity,
or Of such danger. The letter OF ibe
Governor OF Pensacola, informing Gen.
Jackson that The garrison of ST. Marks
was too weak to defend Itself against an
hostile attack, aud that the enemy had
made demonstrations OF an intention to
seize il, will not justify him in having
taken possession at the lime he did. Be
fore lie approached, the danger had re-
tired no .9Tce was before il, nor within
| "A great distance If IL. NOR had he any