Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-19

~ uo'S iouRut tucSc DdttlCSe OF, " 100
weak TO have done so. ut least TO lave
made common cause with The United
States against these lawless tribes of saya-
ges. The United States have never re-
cogDized The Indians, within her territorial
limits, as nations absolutely independent !;
! hence II has ever been considered the du-
~ OF the Executive, when they have been
guilty of murders and depredations upon
our citizens, either in plundering parties,
or In the more formidable aspect of In
dian armies, TO order against them the
military force Of the country, or call into
service The militia, as The case may require,
to check their barbarities, and TO punish
their crimes.
In accordance witt, this principle, the IKE.
cntive has ever acted since the con,n,enc cement
of the present government. Repeated and
Oioohy depreaatons upon our southern from
tier, IN which peaceful husbandmen, defence
isss women, aud innocent children were made
tie VICTIMS Of savage ferocity, not only render
edit necessary 10 put Interpretation the military
force OF tie nation but the shelteting OF the
Indians beyond the lin,ifsot the United States
gave occasion for the orders TO gen. Jackson,
to putsue them beyond these limits. 1T Spain
regards the Indians in the same Hight il was a
duty no less incumbent upon her by the laws OF
nations, Than by treaty, to have repressed their
I ia"less dePredations; and, in her agents fail
ing to do so, IT, through neglect, they made
themselves parties in the war ; or ii through
weakness. they forfeited the right OF sove n
ty IN that territory where they failed TO main,
tam 1t. Bnt it Spain regards the Indians az
| communities absolutely independent then the
| territory, by right of occupancy, belonged to
| the Indians, and not to Spain and the invasion
was of the eiemy's territory. Had the com.
| mandani OF the Spanish post AT 81. Marks done
| his duty, IA withholding from the enemy sup
plies and ~ denying them refuge within tie
| reach of his own fort, the necessity of inter-
rupting his garrison would not have existed !;
nor Is II presumed that any tienpt would have
been made by Gen. jackson To possess himre
OF that post And it is also presumed that his
orders TO respect the Spanish posts we're predi-
tcated upon tins supposed state OF things. But,
as the object OF the entrance into Florida, was
the reduction of the Indian force--te bring the
Seminole war 10 speedy and successful ter.
mination, which was exhausIiny the blood and
| the treasure of the nation. il was "a dutywlic
he owed to his conRtry 10 effect that Object
4 Any result short OF this would have only in.
creased the evils which il was his duty I'd cor.
| rect aud this could not he effected while
Spanish Notifications were appropriated 10
their defence, and yet regarded as sacred by
/ tilm. 10 have retired with his forces, under
such combination of circumstances which
would have confirmed the erroneous impression
| entertained by the, Indians and by the Spanish
authorities, al the sacred character of these
places OF refuge and of succor 10 our ferocious
| enemy, would have perpetuaied the war, and
| given II the Character of permauency which
| the honor OF the United States required should
be speedily concluded, :.nd with the mos,
exemplary punishment. The commandment II
st. Marks himself Acknowledged that his
command was at the mercy of the Indians and
negroes; he ought therefore, TO have hailed
the approach otgen. Jackson with his American
forces, AS deliverer, and Ia have cb-operatcd
| with him in the common canse, when he was
ASSN ed that tile object a military ocCupa
! uOn, for the express purpose of putting END
TO the Seminole war, and not for cOHquest....
But the facts present this subject yet in much
stronger light to The committee. The Indians
/ received not only shelter. but comforts and
manltions, and all the facilities for carrying on
| the war, which Spanish army could have
received from that post. Did this conduct. on
the part OF the Spanish commandment, result
fron hostile dispOsiton1 Ii so, he became
party in the war. Or was it the effect of inn
becIlity, as his profession OF great friendship
would imply If so, the act of garrsoning ST.
| Marks with an American force, bears no char
acter of hostility TO Spain, but was warranted
by the law of nations-by the treaty with
Spain, and by tie first Law of natnre-self
protection. Had the Governor of W Florida
maintained the neutral character which was
confidently expected, and which il was his
duty TO have done, the Seminole war had here
| ended, and our flag would not have been un-
tnried In that territory. The Indian establish.
| ments at AlickasHky and Suwaney brok Ell up
their villages burnt-ther supplies cut off-St
| maiis occupied by our troops, their power in
last Florida was entirely anuililated.
! In The firm conviction that the war was ended
zen. JdCkspu DaU Ot0efeQ the Georgia militia
TO be disbanded, and was upon the point of
returning himself, with the ennessee and
Kentucky volunteers, when he learned that the
OBJECT ct the campaign was not yet entirely
accomplished.
The vanqushed enemy, crossing Into Weu
| fiorida, where the authorities of Spain prov ed
as inibeciie as in the eastern pro vnce rene ed
| their depredaii0ns, by their icursious into
the adjoining territory OF the II. States and
committing murders upon orr frontier settlers
fan
| the act, but which rendered il an iniperions
Eduty tor him to enter the Spanish territory OF
East Florida, was equally applicable 10 the
act OF his crossing the AppaiacIicola. TO break
GOWN Inc power OF the enemy in West flOri.
da. But the conduct Of the Governor, tab en-
~ coDnectiOn,with the circumstances which
| induced The entrance into Pensacola, render.
! ed its occupancy by General Jack son, il posi-.
bIe, yet more palpablv necessary ilian that
OF st. Marks. Well apprised of Gen Jack
sons object, that he had not entered tile Flori-
| das IN hostility to Spain, but TO do that which
| Spdin was bonnd TO do, both by treaty and by
tile laws of nations to give security to our
own citizens, within our own territory. by des-
| troyIng tic power of the savage foe the Go.
| vernon of Pensacola, in equal violation Of the
laws OF neutrality and Of humanity, succOred
those enemies, supplied them with munitions OF
war, sheltered.and conveyed from the baud OF
justice those of them, who we're returning
from the bloody prey. and when General Jack
sou was executing Tie righteous mandates OF
an injured and indignant nation Tpou them.
the Governor commanded him to depart iroip
the territory, threatening to oppose fore by
force, should lie not comply. Thus circuui.
staDced, what should General jackson have
done: Should he have been induced. by tie
nnprOvoked and gascoDadiug menaces OF a
foreign Governor, 10 retracc his steps? Or
| should he have remained stationary, until he
conld have despaicheda messenger TO The Exc.
cutive, for Instructions how TO act1 This would
have ~ become an American general, whose
| movements were sanctioned by the sacred
laws of nature aud Of nations. aud by the So