Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-06-10

country the safety of its citizens, the rrpose Of
our frontier, required that he should do 20. He
acted on the supposed will of the nation; and. so
far from being censured he has been rewarded with
the support OF the government and the applause Of
his country. In not one of the cases cited, IL 10
believed, had the officers any instructions whatever
that authorized the act.
In the case OF General jackson, it is expressIs
stated by Mr.. Adams, in his correspondence with
MT rorsy'h, that the occupation of these places in
r lorioa' py Generai jackson, "was by any
order received by him from the Government to that
effect, nor with any view Of wrestling the province
from the possession Of Spain, nor in any shirt os
hostility to the Spanish Government; that il arose
from incidents which arose in the prosecution %
| the war against the Indians: from the imminent
danger IN which the fort OF ST. Marks was of being
seizedby the Indians themselves and from the nan
itestatons of hostility to the United States by th.
Commandant OF St Marks, and the Governor Of
Pensacola, the proofs of which were made known
to General Jackson and impelled him. from the ne
| cess'ty OF sef-defence, 20 the step Of which the
Spanish Government complains -
sLaN now proceed to point out the resemblance
between General Jackson'5 case and mine: ana
doubt not but it will be agreed that the magnitude
OF the scale OF his operation, and The comparative
insiSnhcance OF NINE do not change the principle.
Tor, should this be the case, am tenfoh criminal
IN the numerous fishing huts have DESTROYED on the
coasts oil Cuba. For, to saw that an, justified ir
not 20 threaten the destruction of a town for tho
same offence; while General Jackson for the came
reason, Is justified In possessing himself of 4 pro-
vince, is prepostcrous. have shown before. that
the same reason that justifes acting in the one
case, would justify acting in the other Tha, the
obstruction OF the numerous fishing establishments
and the breaking them up, almost entirely on tho
coast OF Cuba, when suspected OF giving shelter To
| The common enemy, has never been considered a
violation OF territory, have proofs, in tie ac-
acknowledgement of the Captain General, very short
me before leaving the West Indies, 10 account
for tire transactions at Foxardo: he eyp,esses him,
self as follows:
regret very sensbly, that YOU are about tn
retire from the command of the United States for
ces IN these seas; not only from the able manner I'm
which you have discharged the important duties
which have been confided TO you, but from the iusf
considerations with which you have always res
pected the territorial rights of the Island of Cuba
Permit me, sir, to offer my Acknowledgement. and
TO avail myself OF this occasion to confirm the assu
RANGES OF my high consideration and esteem
| have before shown, that the authorities ana
people OF FoXardo, should, in justice, not only be
considered as the lilies OF the pirates, but as our
! open enemies, did decision on their conduct RESI-
only on the imprisonment of Lieut.. Platt after his
object and Character were both made known; but
there are proofs in the letter of Mr. Burgeest that
on two former occasions, in the case OF Messrs ,
Ellis, Gibson, & Co. and that of Messrs BURGESS.
and Chlhorn, the goods wsre traced TO Foxardo
recovered, and the perpetrators detected Foxardo
could, therefore, be considered only as a piraticol
rendezvous, and should have been perfectly iusti-
fable In treating such by its total destruction
But not wishing 10 proceed 10 such extrenitjes is
aonement for the past, and security for The future
could ee obtained by mder means; and as The en-
terPrise was undertaken, as my whole conduct
shows, IN no hostility 10 the Spanish Government
nor with desire 10 punish the Innocent IS no nun,
necessarily hv he
town, tried amcable, before resored TO lorcible
means to obtain the satisfaction which the violence
and insult offered to my country, in the person Of
one OF its officers loudly demanded. "By all the
laws oil neutrality and war as well as OF prudence
| and humanity" l was warranted in tlasiisinr
and intimidsting the authorities and people of Fox
| ardo; was warranted in taking measures to pre-.
vent injury to me, and those under my command
seeing that injury intended, by spikinp their
guns; and which, as appears by Lieut. Barton's
| testimony, was not done, even ordered to be
done, until the batteries were manned, and he guns
trained on our vessels, (all bearing the American
fag) with evident design of hostility. | was war
ranted, in fact, in anticipating my enemy.
| There Will need CONTINUES Mr.. Adams) no
Citations from printed treatses international law
to prove the correctness OF this principle Ii il
engraven on adamant on the common sense of man
kind no writer upon the laws OF nations ever pre-
tended TO contradict it-none of any reputation or
authority omitted 10 insert it,
The manly vindcation OF General Jackson in
the following quotation, and from tie same pen,
would alone, in the absence Of all Instructions and
all other guides and lights on the suhiect have sas
fled me OF the propriey Of my conduct:
| "He General Jackson) took possession there
fore Of Pensacola, and of the Fort Barrancas, az
he had done of ST. Marks, ina spirit of hostility
! TO Spain, but as necessary measure of self-dc-
fence, giving notice that they should be restored
whenever Spain should place commanders and
force there, able and willing fulfil the eDsape.
ments of Spain towards the United States OF res-
training. by force, the Florida Indians from hos,il
tiles against their citizens The President of the
United States, to give signal manifestation Of his
confidence in the disposition Of the Kirg Of Spain
TO perform with good faith, this Indispensable en-
| gagement and TO demonstrate to the world. that
neither the desire Of Conquest, nor hostility 70
Spain, had any interest in the councils of tie Unit
ed States, las directed The unconditional restora-
tien to any Spanish officer, duly .ulhorizod TO re-
ceiye them, Of Pensacola and Barrancss, and that Of
81. Marks any Spanish force ADEQUATE for is Do
fence against the attack Of the savagcs But tbe
President VIII neither infict punishment nor % IS a
censire upon General Jackson for that conduct
/ the motives for which were founded in tho u,r,st
! patriotism, OF the necessity for which 10 LID the
most immediate and efectual means Of forming q
Judgment, and The vindicaion Of Which is written
in every page Of the law Of nations as well as in
the first law Of nature self defence. lie thinksit,
on the contrary, due 10 the justice which the United
States have q right TO claim from Spain, and YOU
arc accordingly instructed TO demand Of the Span.
ish Government, that inquiry eball be Instituted into
sacola, and OF Don Francisco G. Lueugo, Comman.
dant al ST. Marks, and suitable Punishment infic,-
ed upon them, for having in defiance and violation
| OF the engagements Of Spain with the TINTED