Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-12
RICHMOND. JANIiAkY Id
FOR THE ENQUIRSR.
10 THE HON. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
SECRETARY OF STATE

to vast mass of evidence, Of which
have not been able with .he mtnios, pains
and diligence TO collect the whole, il in
deed the whole be yet published. If /
were TO form judgment from the evil
dence have seen, should certainly re-
gard your representation Of the late
transactions in Florida, as the rhetorical
eNaggeralion Of eloquence and zeal, rather
THAN The fair deduction of reason aud JUS
iice. Yet, for the honor of my country,
sincerely wish it may be correct. Nei-
ther do mean TO deny any part of it,
10 centrovert your conclusions, without
a iuli view and thorough examination of
the evidence from which they are drawn,
were at once indecent and futile am
mus embarrassed by the want of Informal
iion as we'll as Of ability and am as SEN
slDle, as you would have me, of the inc
qualify labor under in The discussion.
But proceed in it with confidence; en-
dued with a strength moi my own, derived
from my end, which is justice, and my
weapons, truth ant, reason.
Let all the facts you assert, be granted:
that Spain, either through weakness or
bad faith, failed TO fulfil the stipula,ions
OF her treaty with the United States, i'm
negiecting TO employ an ad quate force
To restrain the Indians, residing within
that her officers in Florida, admitted "a
foreign lncendiary into that province,
with full knowledge of his wicked designs
that the completely" of the comman-
dant at ST. Marks and the Governor of
PENSACOLA, with that incendiary, with the
Seminoles, the ouilawed Red and
The Negroes, is really demonstrated :"
that those officers took AN active part i'm
melting this barbarian war against us
encouraged the devastation of our from
fer, by afording market for the spoil;
supplied our savage foe with the means
al war, and gave him shelter and protec-
non In their fortresses. Let il be sup
posed. that the power Of declaring war,
anu that yet higher attribute of sovereign
~, The power of making war without any
previous declaration Of If. are Iawfully
vested IN Major General Andrew Jackson,
commander of the Division of The South.
All askyou 10 grant on your part land
nope II Will be ihOught reasonable pcs
f"fatnn) IS, that he, like the sovereign of
every Other civilized people, is bound To
observe the established laws OF nature
and nations.
Did all the wrongs combined, OF which
we complain, furnish justifiable cause of
war against Spain or her dependencies,
without previous representation of them
to her government, without formal de-
mand ofredress for The past and security
Tor the future, and refusal or unreason-
able delay, on her part, 10 comply with
such demand? To determine this aues-
ton, sir, let us appeal to approved auiho-
1iy, IN the first place, and then to exam
pies, with which, happily, our own history
abounds.
Vatiel says-"A sovereign ought TO
shew in all his quarrels, sincere desire
OF rendering justice and preserving
peace. He is obliged, before he takes up
arms. and after daring taken them up also,
to offer equitable conditions; and then
alone his arms become just against an
obstinate enemy, who rcfNses TO listen to
justice or to equity."~ Hist own adj
vantage, and that of human society,
ebige him to attempt, Gefore he takes up
arms, all the pncifc methods of obtaining
either PREPARATION Of the injury or a Just
Satisfaction; al least, if he has not good
reason TO dispense with it. This mo-
Iteration, this circumspectiom is so
much the more proper and commonly
eren indispensable, as the action we take
Tor AN injury, does not always proceed
from design to offend us, and is some
TIMES rather mistake than an act Of
malice; Frequently, ii eren happens, tiat
,c'thout their sovereign hauing any share
'n At and on these occasions, il is nat
ural 10 presume, that he would not re-
fuse US just satisfaction. When some
inferior persons violated, not long ago,
lie territory OF Savoy, in carrying from
thence noted Chief of The smugglers,
. the King of Sardinia caused his com
paints 10 be carried TO the court of
France; and Louis Ky. did not think
II beneath him, 10 seud an ambassador
extraordinary TO Turin, TO give salts
faction for thai violence. + " Ii would
be loo contrary TO the peace, the repose
and the safety OF nations, TO their mu-
tual commerce, and 10 The duties which
bind them 10 each other, for any one
suddenly TO apply to force, wifhout kno,c-
ing whether the other is disposed to do him
justice or to refuse TT "I'hose tOho run.
" to arms 'eithout necessity, are The scourees
of the human race, barbarians, enemies
TO society, and rebels 10 the law of ma
lure, or rather TO the common father OF
maDklnd.'l ! leave it to you TO make
the application.
Know, SIR, there are exceptions to
these general principles cases, in which
there Is good reason 10 dispense with the
observance Of them. " Ii any one would
ravsge from u naiion AN essential right,
or right withouf which il could moi
hope to subsisi If All ambitious neigh
Dor threatens the liberty of a republic;
" if he resolve 60 subdue il, and bring il
into subsection that republic will take
I" council only from It's courage. II will
not even attempt 10 wait the method Of
conferences on so Odious a pretension
" 1t will bring into this quarrel all IFS eff
: forts, its last resources, and all the best
blood ii is capable of shedding. Ii is
80 riakiIln rnr, fI,i,,r 1r,I 70 lintn,, 81. a..