Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-04-21
GEN. JAcKsON's MEMORIAL,
The Wentoriat of And,ew Jackson. Najor
General IN the 1rmy IF tie United iS,aiss,

an" COMMANDER " the Southern Dirision
TO THE HONORABLE SENATE OF THE
UNITED STATES
On the 18Th December. 1918, your hon.
body resolved, That the message of
the President, and documents relative 10
The Seminole war, be referred TO a select
committee, who shall have AUTHORITY if
necessary. 10 send tor persons and pa
pers ihat said committee inquire relative
10 The advance oithe Uui,ed States troops
INTO West Florda whether lh. officers
III command AT Pensacola and ST. Marks
weFe amensbie 10, and nuder the control
OF, spain and, particularly, What cir
cumStdiees existed 10 authorize or Justify
'he commanding general in taking pos.
session OF those posts"
In conformity with this resolution. "A
select coaimlilce of five persons, of YOUR
hohora bic body, was appointed, who, on
tue 2fth Feb. 1919, made d report.
The COMMITTEE had ample i;ue for
correct examination OF the subject sub
n'it'ed 10 their consideration, and the
means hy which 10 have been July saii.
hed OF tie Innocence of Your respondents;
yet IN their report has he been accused of
crimes against the laws aud constitution
81 bis country. Upon a review of that
clare, thai beth the narrative of facts, and
the arguments deduced from them, are
nnsouud and erroneous. The incnrrec,
impressions with which tie committee
seem TO have labOred, have, in the opinion
oiyonr memorialiSt, given 10 lhIs subiec,
distorted aspect, and thrown around il
deceptive c0iuriug.
win striking deadly blow AT the lib
er'y OF ms country, and with acts of wan
Ton usurpalion, which, for their enormity
would We with The most absolute despols
with the directory of France. during
thelr short career OF madness and folly
has your respondent been charged. These
accusations nave for tier object The rem
upriuS your respondent obnoxious a. his
fellow ciiIZens. Sill, he will not so far
Jorge The duty he owes him eli, and The
respect due The Senate and the American
peopIe,aS TO indulge rccriminarion. Ills not
IRE mean ny which truth can be arrived
AZ, or Tue cause OF justice ana Impartial
" promoted Bui, 10 Vindicalc hlnstl If
rom reprodch, To ward off uumrrIted i'm
pu'diI"us, and 10 stand in opposition rn
report OF a committee of YOUR body, which
CASTS Tie srte1et censurr, i right St
cured To him, because il is the right OF
every citizen.
With all the respect, therefore. which is
due 10 an august branch of the govern
meni, but with thai frankBess and since.
uIy winch conscious innocence demands
q assume, does lac present himself Ii is
GUY "hich iie owes 10 himself fo his
ONCE, TO i!is family; nay, TO his country -,
iOr which BE has encountered priyalions.
anu whose interest has always been dear
aud param0uDt 10 all other considerations
In aoing his lie will not depart from thai,
respect which ~ proper t. be observed ::
nor VII he hesitate TO believe, but that
me Senate, Oh ais Impartial examination
OF the facts, Wi.I cOme 10 conclusions diff
'ete'i' rom what Their committee has ar
rived at.
The manner in which the Inquiry was
cohnuctfd by the committee Is believed
to have been novel: a mass of testimony
tending seriously To affect The reputation
OF an individual, was collected and. al
though II was proposed, yet was an op-
poriunIiy denied him, of appearing be-
fore them, 10 offer any statement or ex
PLANTATION IN his power, IN relation 10
those subjects upon which doubis and
difficulties might arise. He was denrivei
by This refusal, OF the privilege OF coz.
iTOn,inS hIS accusers, and Of interfOpailup
.,
ed tor his conviction Such TESTIMONY
only as The committee chose TO seleci
was heard, and when published TO The
world declared language different from
what The Witnesses Intended,
BY refusing the accused an Oppertunilv
10 confront aud cross examine Witnesses
how easily may be INDUCED in, rancorous
lnvPcilve, and occasions sought 10 vent
malignant and implacsble res. niments !
Your respondent does MOI pretend 10 as
sert that any thing of the kind occurred
during The present investigation, but has
barely adveFied TO II, as forming portion
OF The evil consequences winch might
arse from So Informal a method ofirquIry
q adopt suriI a course Is 10 PROSTATE the
rules OF Judicial proceedings, 10 violate
every maxim OF justice, aud 10 trampIe
down all the sacred guarantees of tie con-
slinii0n. lie has been taught To believe
that, agreeably tO The provision Of our
mdgnd chdrta, every individual was secure
III MS liie, liberty, property aud Tepuia-
! ton; and thai he could not be tried he
tore am constituted authority Of the ua-
ton without being heard IN lis defence :
permitted 10 introduce exculpatOry evi-
! dence 10 CTOss-PXamine and confront
| ms accuSeTs. HIS Is one of the choicest
! fruits OF our republican institutions, and
| Is an essential preservaiive Of liberty il
/ should he guarded with Vesial vigilance.
and Tor no purpose whatever subjected ia
violation by any branch or department oil
| the government. In its maintenance there
is safety, bat danger IN departure.
! The committee, whilst advering to the
origin OF the Seminole war, have omitted
| 70 cnumeTaie the Spanish and Indian Az
gTessions on oar rights, as a justification
OF the measures which were adopted ia
lie prosecution. They have rather EN-.
ployed palliatvcs for the ouirages ofth,
enemy, and given al aggravated aspect ,C