Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-02-25
HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
DEBATE ON TIE SEMINOLE WAR.

(CoNTINUED.I
Mr.. CoLSToN said, that he rose al thai
laie period of The debate, trusting tina,
The com mlitee " ould excuse his trespass
ing Tor short time, upon their attention,
whilst he discharged his duty 10 him self,
his constituents, and his touufry, by ex-
pressing his sentiments on this important
question, involving, as u did the con.,i-
iuiicn and laws OF the country. In the
investigation oft, he would not he deter.
red from expressing his opinion freely.
eiiler by the declarations of those high
III authority, that General Jackson's con
duet must be defended, Of by the charac
ter OF the individual who Was The subject
OF this investigation, or by any of those
means which had been used to prevent
lie expression transportation by those
who thought lis conduct censurabl..
lie would not deny thai, in the defence
OF New Orleans, General Jackson had
rendered important military services. and
had thus acquired high reputation with
his countrymen; bnt This rendered IL the
more necessary strictly to scrutinize his
conduct-ior the history of the world
w"ulCLshew, that wherever The Liberties Of
ration had been subveried, il was al
ways done by those the sp!endor of whose
ACTIONS had screened from ccnsurc their
ilrst violations of the laws and constl;u-
ton OF their country. lie should, there
fore, proceed TO the investigation fGen
eral Jacksons conduct in The Seminole
war; and if, in the course Of it, he found
that he bad violated the constitution
Infringed The laws disregarded his or
ders, and adopted, as rule Of nations.
PRINCIPLES at variance with those laws, and
10 al lie received opinions OF this people.
he Should mol hesitaIeto express his most
decided Misrepresentation.
SIR, had an ordinary man said that the
governor oi an independent state had no
right to issue military order to the mill.
liza of That state, under his command
Whilst All officer OF the United States was
in service, we should have smiled a, his
ignorance OF our peculiar form Of govern
ment; but the same doctrine. coming
from General Jackson, becomes danger.
Gus. fiad one individual INDUCED i'm The
same stile OF correspondence with another
individual, wliiclI is used in The letters 10
The governor OF Georgia, we should 1--we
considered il rude: but, coming from a
general IN the service Of the United States.
and that officer General Jackson, i, has
an awful squintng towards tie degrade
ton OF slate autlioriiics--the prosiration
OF state sovereigniies, with the prescrva-
'WH w NblNHt 10 COBUCtieU Tie UeSt In-
ieresis oi tins nation. And, finally. lad
man unknown 10 fame, executed two
individuals, without any law of this nation
10 Justify il, we should have found no ..,f-
ficuliy IN giving To The deed a name: but.
when II is done under claim Of military
authority, II constitutes political offence
ot much higher and more dangerous
nature. Such acts, Le must confess.
reused all his jealousy Of military pow or
and military usurpations.
Mr.. c. said. he would haze occupied
ihe tioor AT an earlier period of the de-
bate, had II been practicable; but tIe
very able views which had been taken OF
The general subject, particularly by HE
honorable SPEAKER, the gentleman FROM
! New York, (Mr. Storrs,) and his friend
WHO had preceded him, whilst il left him
little 10 say, gave him reason 10 rejoice
HAT his wishes had not been gralified. -
lie would mol fatigue the committee by
| going over the ground that had been so
ably occupied. but would principally
coniine himself Go such views rs had
/ from tie hurry Of debate. escaped those
gentlemen who had preceded him. or uol
beeu sufficiently urged by tkem, froma
wan, Of time.