Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-03-19
CONGRESS-.
HOUSE OF REPR Els I2NT .ATTFES.
DERAIE ON THE SEMINOLE WAR.
Nh. St,,ofLp,' .HueecL coucJ,,ded
.....-..s.'.ss..
lFrom tie Nationat Intelligence

ihT t>HOtHtT SPEECH c0ncfHdeH.
The execution of Ambrist.r and Ar
bufhnot Is said 10 be Unconstitutional; :
but ingenious gentlemen have no, con-
descended 10 point outtl,e provision which
is invaded, unless, as his colleague, (Mr.
Coision,) had commended, the constitution
had repealed the law of nations, making
tins transaction casus omissns, and
carrying back the right Of punishment 10
the old. ground of natural law, where
authority sufficient would he found for
the measure. On the contrary, this PEG
pie when thy assumed a stand amongst
the po0 ers Of the earth, became entitled
10 the beneti, of all the law of natiops.-
The constitution ouly distributes The ex-
ercise OF these rights amongst variety OF
departments, defining what portion of
sovereignty shall he exercised BY he one
and the other-all the sovereign power
that attaches to an independent govern
men', In its foreign relations. and inter
ronrse existing in, and 10 be performed
by. one Of these departments, or by the
evaporation of all This government
claims all The rights Of war aud peace
permitted To he exercised bv the law ot
.nations. This law, and the practice and
usage OF all governments, vest the right
OF Furnishing Inccndiaries, like these, IN
the commanders Of armies. Your con
stliuiion does not inierlict the exercise
Of this power in this ordinary mode nor
lie II confined, bv that instrument, to amy
particular department, nor has il been
The subject of legislation. The honora-
bic speaker had given reference to
law; but, having examined, he found "A
short statute authorizing retaliation upon
the citizens Of The French republic, with
which this country never was M war.
&C, o, A.
is defined, and lis punishment provided
for, by intersaiionsliaw The spirit ofyour
institutions cannot pass into foreign ter
riiory, and give your civil tribunals cri-
mina' Jurisdiction. In Vat,tl, p So. you
find this propositions: He who is in
lured by foreign subjects, does himself
Justice, by his own power, when he meets
with the offenders in his own country, or
In tree place and, 10 avoid all rnisun-
Outstanding, il is agreed that every pri
vate person, committing hos'iliiies, with
ont commission from their sovereign,
should meet with the same treatment.
And again, in Martens, p. $50, but
those who, not being authorized by com
mission from their sovereign, take upon
| them To attack the enemy, are treated by
HIM as banditti." Ii will moi be contend
| ed that the prince regent commissioned
committed hostilities. Ambrisfer com
handed, and Arbuthnot supplied arms
and ammunition. He said, the hStory OF
| our revolution furnished MANY ilustra
| irons OF this doctrine, demonstrating thai
| this power had always been exercised by
the commanders of armies. IL was unne
| ceSsary TO particulariZe each case they
| had been remarked upon by those who
preceded him.
Mr.. s. said. that, although this was
ample vindcation, he placed the j,siifi-
cation of these executions upon different
ground. He did not consider these men
British subjects. The doctrine of perpe-
tual allegiance, once subject always a
subject, was not 10 be found in his poll
tical creed. The right of expatriation was
admitted by this government-the tide OF
emigration flowed into this country ueon
that principle: and lis preservation is
the shield of a.large portion of Your po-
pulatiOn, who have sought refuge here
from tyranny and persecution. TIE evil
dence OF The exercise of this right is, re.
sidence or acceptance of office. When
an effort was made in this House, by an
able and jealous friend to the rights OF
man, TO prescribe mode for the exercise
OF this right, il was rejected, for the
simple reason that tile right then stood
upon the suresi basis. These men had
become members Of the Indian tribe
they had incorporated themselves will
the savages. Ambrister commanded {
detachment. and marched at the head o
an army, composed Of Negroes and In
dians, 10 meet the American troops. Ar
buthnot was admitted into the council O
the nation, as chief he was the minis
ter of foreign relations of The Seminol,
tribes and their dependencies, ST. Mark,
and Pensacola. Appointed and com.
missioned 10 his high office, by specia
power OF Attorney, he correspondent
officially, with British governors ant
Spanish commandments he communicat
ed with the British minister near the A
merIcan government, until the interesting
correspondence was interrupted by tn
weight of postage. Sir, lie said, il woult
have been an interesting spectacle 10 hav
seen the arrival, in this circle Of etiquette
of this representative of Hills Halo
BOwiegs, Nero, and The Spanish com
c mandanis; lie would have been liiiI
( smoked with monarchy, and great CON
molion would have resulted from til
: difficulty OF fixing his rank in the scale G
: fashion. These men having incorporar
, ed themselves with the Indians, haviu
d voluntarily stepped down from civiIizc
society and christian warfare, made con
4 | mon cause with the savdges, and cOnfr
c buted To their Understandable massacre
ihey were subject To the same treatmer
, that The usages OF the country, and Nh
!. laws OF war, permitted TO be inflicted al
on The savage. Hills Halo was hung
his memory rs MOI embalmed, nor IL
: fame perpetuated, by single plainii,
strain. Yet Hills Halo was king and