Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-10-06

"ouiu that every nini-teral agent ave, and
erecufiue one too, should look to the conslitu-
uoh' not merely with respect AID regard, but with
reverence and ave, yet when Invasion threaten
ed angriy, aud the lives of our citizens are
at peril, should no, hesitate TO condemn him.
VINO would pause an instant between want o.
respect Tor the laws and heavy fne' or The safety
OF those whom he dele AIDED. Like the Mariner, in
pressing 10 his destined port, through aid of some
well known light, would, that in pleasant wea-
'ber, lie should mark every bearing and with rigid
caution observe every thing OF course, of distance
and ot point; We, should arise, and threaten
20 dash his vesse! amidst the ocks, and breakers
puuiag the helm down TO whatever haven pro
mised safety and deliverance from the danger
would he should seek to gain it, regardless of the
oden Tract which pilots AID sell established rules
had directed. t. determine by smooth sea, what
ihins' may be Necessary Ia a pesilous storm is
| mos, absurd. As sell might man in moment of
cool refiec;ion, decide ~ hat he would 90, when
directed 10y violence OF Passion, which his ild.-
meat was incompe cnt 10 control The calculating
statesman In his closet, now that all is ended can
nothing know of the uneasiness the di-qlie,uje and
trouble -ihe danger which every where hung upou
the Invasion of O.ieans; and sill les can any &C
curate estimate be made OF them, by tina; man.
whose mind may be Infected by bitter preildice
| OF the difficulties tina; surrounded the command
Ing general; and the promptness with which he
met the emergencies OF that eventful period much
heretofore has been advanced, although it, diffusion
has been too limited, TO prevent even at this day
perverted and Garbed accounts from obtaining cur.
rency and circulation. BY some they have b..n
misconceived through wan, of all the at,endan,
facts while others have been influenced from mo-
i've snd design from disposition to deceive. Mr.
itoocr;s l. oil tic latter description and In sayipr
50 feel that | ain hszaTdiug nothing, at least n.
regards the probable proof. lie came into the
Senate, member, M~rrh 1913, directly after the
war mad closed, and when every newspaper, TEEN
ell with Off al Information to events which had
! just passed I; is by no means then reasona,I,
Inference that he could remain in ignorance of
those leading i@c- IN the history 0. hi, couutr,,
such an inference would TIC TO him, as unreasopa
b!e, as IT would lie isrespe ,,ul TO his iuter.nce
| Was he ignorant OF them lie should have "a .
Trained from writing Did he .ssess IN Intimate
knowledge Sil worse, then has he practceA
| perversoi. He must, he did know ali the cir
cumsiances, then Is lie highly culpabe for ,cribinp
that course TO want OF - respect for the Inns
which was imposed By necessity ~ strong az ey.r
operated u. ION the feelings and Judgment Of an,
man.
! That the constitution was preserved entire. and
unmoiss'ed, none has ever maintained With this
submissions lei the circumstances and the danger
winch h;lns arouad that cyen,fu neriod Of our
histo'ybs looked to, and then be the decision rro
counre' II propriety did not rather sanction. Than
oppose tie course pur-ued. The danger over. and
the enemy gone, jackson was on an attachment is
sued Dy the Judge, arraigned before the court ami
line oil $1,000 imposed, because Of the declaration
OF martial law. 10 that decision he Welded with
our inufniur, and paid the fine assessed AGAINST
him, without comp-in'. To determine ,,rdcr
what circumstances OF pressing nece,sitv the ci,i
authorities had been suspended, can be better uo
ders'ood by reference tn what ranspired at the time
Let the answer Submitted by Genera! Jackson 70
Tue court, in oppo>iiion To the attachments and in
defence OF tie course Ike had tasen be referred TO-
ana whiie II pUur'raJs in lively and accurate CO.
Tors, his own and the situation OF the country. i,
shows also, that the posture of affairs there wa.
critical, diihcI!t and dangerous. The language he
employed as having induced hn TO the declaration,
is this:
" disciplined and powerful army was on our
coast, commanded by officers of tried yalOr and
consummaie slSill their eet had already DESTROYED
The i-ehie defence on which alone we could relv to
prevent thsr landing on shores. Their poin,
OF attack was uncertain a hundred inlets ere to
be guarded. by force noi sufficient in number for
one. We had no lines OF dsiemce Treason lur5
ell amongst u, and only waited the moment Of
expected defeat, TO show Itself openly. Our men
were few, and OF those few not all were armed
Oar prospect, of aid and supply were distant and
UNCERTAIN our utter ruin, If failed at hand and
heFisoic: every Thing depended the prompt
and energetic use of the meals we pos.essed- ON
csliiag he whole force of the community into ac-
iIcn IL was contest for the exis eace Of the state
and every nerve as TO b. strained in It's defence
no DELAY no hesitation mo engLnirg about rights
" GH9cGS LOST; and every thing dear TO man, his
property, lie, tie honour oil his family his country
IT. consIitu ion and laws, were swept away by The
avowed primo pies, the open practice of the enemy
with whom we had 10 ceutend. Fortlilcations
we're 10 he erected, supplies procured arms sou-ht
oT, acquisitions made, the emissaTies Of the ENEMY
watched, lurking treason overaved INSTRUMENTATION
punished, and The contagion OF comardly example
40 be stopped"
g In tins Crisis, and under fair PERSIA sion That
none OF those objects could be effected by the ex
ercise OF the Ordinary pos ers ConhdeJ Under
solemn conviction that the country committed TO
his care, could be by that measure only from
utter ruin, under a religious belief That be was
performing The most important and sacred duty, lie
proclaimed martial law. He thought at such q
moment constitutional forms must be surrendered
Tor the permanent preservation Of constitutional
rights and that there could be no question ,ybetl-
er 1t were hest to depart for a moment from the
eiJoymenis OF our dearest privileges or have them
wrested from us forever. lie well knew if The
civil magistrate permitted 10 exercise their
usual iuncuons, noae of the measures necessary to
avert the awful fac that threatened US could be ex-
pec'el'' sc. SC. &c
FROM TINS picture drawn every actor Of that
period well Knows, with fidelity AMI accuracy let
the Intelligent MUD de ermine it the ancient max
IN, int laws must he departed from in war even
had circumstances presented, TO warrant more
strongly the exercise and application Of the rule.
! al TINS period OF the enquiry then, for reasons
already submitted, we have the civil authority ~
perseded, and IN It's place, the laws OF war cstab.
lIsled. Any person VIII, before had not heard of
this aii1Ir. might now naturally begin 10 enquire
what, and how many, ~ ere the ac s. nj o,,rr..,,.