Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-03-19


wishes would have original, great ehsci
- determining the grade Of those WHO
were invited: That there some who WERE
designated by Colonel Hayne that he
might al any moment break them (ihe
effects of this dependence IL is unnrces-
sary 10 trace y and thai Lee never paid the
War Department so much as the c0mpii-
ment OF letting II know who were his 9th
GERS, until the payroll was handed in 3
Ii Gen. Jackson thinks all This right, and
II the Secretary of War agrees with him,
why be il sol
Capture Of the Spanish posts General
Jackson tries TO clear his skirts from
" disobedience of ORDERS" on the plea
that Gen. Gaines's orders were not ms.
Is this evasion worthy Of reply The
orders OF commander arc always hand
ed over To his successor, and binding up
on the latter, unless couniernlanded
This is the law and such is always The
practice. In the idea that he was not iu-
structed TO respect The Spanish forts, he
stands alone. All his assertions are IN
HAT contradiction 10 the President him
self, and 10 the Secretary Of Slate in vari-
GUS documents on this subject. See, for
instance, his too celebrated letter 10 Mr..
Erving.
But, (says the author of the Strictures)
" the case contemplated by these orders
never occurred. The Indians we're not
found under the guns of Spanish fort
but were sheltered within it,! II is
scarcely TO preserve ones gravity
at hearing such ridiculous argument, =
Mr.. LOwndcs i'm his Speech has complete
" exposed it. He shows us, that The
President had ordered that upon no epi
dence OF association or connection between
the indians and Spaniards should the
General undertake TO attack the fort of "A
nation with whom we are al peace" Bul
behold the Logic of a military officer. V ilo
takes upon himself to make war jeopar
tlizng the peace of the country, aud en-
barrassing the Executive i'm degree
which II is impossible TO describe.
The author contends thar if the facts
known TO Jackson had been known at
the war office, an order would have been
Issued for The seizure OF ST. Marks.
Yes, forsooih, Just as certainly as the or
ders were issued BY the Secretary TO take
St. Augustine THE General thought
the .faotS sufficient to warrant his taking
that fortress.-Not so the Secretary,
who had to use all possible diligence in
countermanding him. And lei Geaeral
Jackson rest assured, that as certainly as
MIR. Calhoun stopped him at ST. Angus
tine, he would have arrested his mad
career at ST. Marks and Pensacola had
his intentions been duly notified to the
department.
The author justihes the occupancy of
Pensacola, because II was necFssaiu.
And why if il saved the life of a sinele
frontier settler, ii was right us il then
rIfrlt In tI.rI boz I1I A.
take upon himself TO Judge in such a
case; and in order possibly to save the
life OF one citizen, TO rush into a war, by
which net one life, but thousands and
tens OF thousands might have been sacrifi
ced! Ii we are rot now at war with Spain,
il is because she was afrai TO light us.
But instead of Spain, suppose it were @
Britain and We are told expressly, thai
we might Oh the same grounds attack her
forts in the North. Does Gen. Jackson
then dare 10 Judge of peace and war. and
run the risk of bloody war, because
possibly he might save The life of one
frontier settler by attacking her forts q
But Gordon along the southern from
tier would have been laughed at by the
Indians J! Why not then form Gordon
around Pensacola, until lie had heard
from his government, and with the resi-
OF lis troops goip pursuit Of the Indians
He had troops enough for all these pur.
poses, for he is made 10 boast Of his prm
dence in carrying an overwhelming force
into the field. How then does he recon.
clie this necessity which he pleads, with
thai great superiority Ofwhich he pre-
tends 10 boast?
In tine, ailer all that we have seen ana
heard on this great subject, we al las
come To the same conclusion with which
We set out \; that Andrew jackson has
dIsobeyed his orders, and trampled OF
The constitution of his country: Tha
Tor these acts, he ought to be brought tc
ne bar OF military court ; that in Il lane
OF laws, no man Is great enough 10 be a
bove the law. A free people ought espe
ciaiiy toyIew the military power, with {
jealousy that never sleeps for il is the
! sword which has ciOven down so man,
| republics. We regard A. Jackson as bav
ing usurped the power of our representa-
| lives and II these acts be passed over
with Impunity, we may YET learn TO ru,
their consequences in the encroachment:
OF some equally high handed, but NOR,
ambitious Whereveryou plac,
any power at all, watch ii with care
Wherever you place the sword, watch i
with redoubled caution, 1t is naturail,
aspiring and dicfatorial and tie only wa,
to- restrain 1t, is 10 keep tile military IL
strict subordination to the civil power.
Weknow OF no transactions oflhese time:
so alarming, unless perhaps we except the
| opinion OF the Supreme Court Of the u. s
IN The case Of lie National Bank. Ii i,
not their declaring the Bank constitution
al, (erroneous as II appears TO be,) il is
moi their denying the right Of Tie state.
10 tax it: but it is the ground on which
| the constiiutloDaliiy of the Bank is main
famed, that is calculated 10 slarile anC