Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-04-19
MILITARY COMMAND IN FLORIDA
he horse Of Represc. t,,,;,,os ' .

Message from tie President of Tie e. States to
he horse af Representatives,
communicate herewith 10 the House re-
port from the Secretary of War, containing the
inior;nai'sn requested by their resolution Of the
9Th u!imo.
ltmay be proper further TO add, that the
secretaries OF bOlh the territories have ocra-
senally required and received the aid of tba
military force offhe United States stationed
within them, respectively, to carry into effect
the acts of their authority
Inc government at East and West Florida
was, under the Spanish dominion, almos, ex
clusIrely military the governors OF both
were military officers, and united in their
persons the chief authority, both civil and
military.
The principle upon which the act of Con-
Sress oil the last session, providing for thu.
temporary government Of the newly coded
provinces, was carried into execution. has
been communicated to Congress in nv mes
sage at The opening of the session 1t was (,
leave the authorities of The country as they
were found existing at the time Of the cession.
To he exercised, un,il the meeting of Congress
when 1t WAS known that the introduction of a
system more congenial to own institutions,
would be one of The earliest and most import
ant subjects of their deliberations. From
this, among other obvious considerations
mi iiary officers we've appointed to take pos
SESSION oil both provinces. But, as the militia
Fy command ut General Jackson was To CEASE
Oh The lst of June, General Gaines the officer
next IL command, then here, who was frsr
desIl mated 10 take possession of East Eiorida.
r'cei' ed rom me- verbal direction to give
Such effect any rcquisitiOn from the Go
vernon Tor military aid, to enforce his authori-
y as lhe circumstances might require. 1t
was not i0reseeD that the command in both
The provinces would, before further legislation
ny Congress on Hat subject, devolve upon
Tue secretaries of the territories; but, had it
been torc5een, the same direction would have
been given as applicable to them.
No authority his hem given to either of
the secretnrie' to issue commands TO that Dor
ilon OF the army which is 10 Florida and.
Whenever the aid of the military has been re-
CURED by them, it has been by written re-
questions TO the officers commanding TN.
troops, who have yielded compliance there
to, doubtless under the directions received
from General Gaines, as understood by him
10 be authorized.
Shortly before the meeting of Congress. n
letter was received at the War Department
rom Colonel Brooke, the officer command
M at Pensacola, requesting instructions
now lar he was to consider these reausitions
as authoritative but the assurance that new
organization OF the government was immed-
=" Uc "HthoIlhtu ny Congress, was
motive for superseding any specific decision
upon the inquiry. JAMES MONROE.
Washington, 9Th Aprl, 1929.
WAR DEPARTMENT.,
March 23d, 1929.
SIR: The Secretary of War, TO whom was
referred the resolution Of the House of Repre-
scntatlves, requesting the President of the u
nlted States to inform the House " whether.
tHat portion Of the United States army, now
~ Florida, IS commanded by the officers the
SAID army, or by the secretary ofthe terrific
fy, and II by the latter by what authority is
ne invested with such command, :" has the no.
nor to transmit a report Of the Adutant &C.
neral, which furnishes all the information in
TINS Department in relation to the subject. 4
nave fhe honor TO he your most obedent SER
want T. &. CATUOIJN
The President Of the United States.
ADJUTANT GENERALS OgFrcr.
Washington, ed March, 1922.
SIR: IN reply to your communication Of
the 2lst instant, transmitting resolution OF
the House of Representatives Of the 5th,
have To report that, from the returns in the
Adjutant Generals Office, it appears that the
troops now in Florida, those at Pensacola and
st. MaTkG, were under the command of Co
lionel j. *. Fenwick, and those mt ST. Angus
tine and Amelia Island, under the command
of Lieutenant Colonel Eustis.
1t does not appear from any returns or re.
ports IN this Office, that the secretaries Of Flo
rida have exercised any command over the
hoops within that territory. have the hO~
nor to be, with perfect respect, your obedient
servant. JAMES GAD5DEN,
Colonel and Adinlant General
The Secretary Of War