Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-10-21

With a recklessness which astonishes the reflect
| ing and consderate, did General JACKSON, during
the whole Of the Seminole campaign, assume to
himsel If powers unknown, and unrecognized by the
Constitution and for this assumption, he attempts
to excuse and justify HIMSELF by avowiug, that the
| exigences Of the memspt required thai he should
do so, and that, at the same time. he studied the
| interests and economy Of the nation. He had ex-
plicit orders from the War Department, and il was
his duty to obey, anil not disobey them and quite
as well would it have been for him, if he had re-
served 10 himself the power of acting, leaving TO
the Government tho right of Judging of the expe-
diency of measures, and the power of commanding.
lf he had been INDUCED in his mad career, as he
wished to be, il is uncertain what fearful conse-
quences would have grown out ofsuch precedent;
for other officers (and there were, at that time and
there are now, attached 10 the army of the United
States, cheftains, who as able and ambitious
as General JACKsoN) whenever it pleased them
or whenever they were disposed TO to crafty all
the folles of mad ambition, could. with safety,
at any moment have assembled, on their own re-
sponsibility, formidable army, TO sally upon the
dominions of an amicabe people.
But all this has been discussed by better and aber
pens; and as We are anxious TO dispose of the sub
ject, we shall retire, whilst we slightly notice the
operations of the Florida Expedition. BY the or
ders given TO Gen. GAINES, from the War Depart.
ment and those orders were certainly obligatory on
Gen JACKSON, as he succeeded that officer IN the
ommand Of the southern forces, he was expressly
;c,l,o y
fuge in the Spanish provinces, vet in violation Of
this order, we find General JACKSON advancing in
to Florida with force consisting Of eighteen hun
dred men, composed ofregulars, and volunteers; and
afterwards, on the 18th of April, joined by General
M1NTosH, with fifteen hundred Indians, opposed to
which the whole forces of the fugitive Seminole In
dians, and runaway negroes, could not exceed
nine hundred men, and at no time did half that
number present themselves to oppose his march.
The army, commanded by this gallant soldier,
then commenced its operations, by taking possess
ion of the Mickasuky towns were immediate
y destroyed ard their helpless inhabitants scatter
ed through the forests. Certinuing its march, the
army next assaed the feeble, and almost defence
less post Of st. Marks which, as the exulting COM
manding officer said, surrendered without firing
gun-[noble exploit ! the Spanish commandant
having, first by protest, and then by humble entrea-
quest the only aim of the General, and not con-
tent with subduing, with force comparatively
overwhelming, he subjected the subdued to the
most grievous indignities. At this place. was found
ALEXANDER AMBRIsTER, who was taken, as al
legged by General JACKSON, for the purpose of OBJ
tanning from him evidence to establish his guilt.'n
At the same place were also found two Indian
Chiefs, reputed among their tribe to be endowed
with the gift of prophecy, who were taken and ex-
ecuted, even without trial, and merely because
they practsed their cabalstic arts upon those they
governed. When the fort Of st. Marks had been
subdued, it was made an American post, and the
flag of the United States waved upon its ramparts.
Hating at this place, Court Martial was held
ROBERT c. ARBUTHNoT was tried, found guilty,
and sentenced to be hung; which sentence was car
ried into execution. ALEXANDER AMBRrsTER
was also arraigned, found guilty, and sentenced to
whipping, but the sentence was annulled by Gen.
JACKSON, and the miserable AMBRIsTER was or
Qereu 10 De eAeCuteu WHiCu oiucT was
carried into effect That these men, who fell VIC
Tins 20 military despotism, merited the punishment
they received, was never admitted by the govern
ment of the United States, and that Gen. JACKSON,
by putting them to death, assailed at once all the
principles aud doctrines national law, the un-
divided opinion of the American people; and every
man conversant with the facts Of their case, will
,Inhesitatingly avow, that the commanding General
of unauthorized forces, by executing them, was
guilty of deliberate and wanton murder.
ARBuTHNoT and AMBRIsTER were engaged in
| the business of vending merchandise, munitions
of war, and whatever else the market demanded,
among the Seminole Indians. They were natives Of
Great Britain driven by the spirit Of adventure to
| a western wilderness; they carried ialr and
honorable trade, with tribe ofIndans residing in
| a spauish Province, and they had an undoubted
right TO do so and ifthey furnished the Seminoles
with munitions Of war, to repel their invaders, they
did that for which they were acco untabe to no ma
ton on earth-they did that, which they had an
undoubted right to do, whilst they resided among
the tribe in the mere capacity Of merchants. But
they fell into the power Of man, who was not dis
posed 10 listen TO the law Of nations, to conform
himself TO the common dictates Of humanity
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