Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-08-25
Tge Constitutional gglhio.
pOLTTICAI.
From The National hteliigenrer.
THE NEXT PRESIDENCY

from the Debates in the House of Representatives.
on the Seminole War, Ia shew The opinions which were
entertained and expressed, in Congress, by men such
as w LILLIAN ioWNpEs, we'll on the general uues-
ton OF the fitness merely military men 10 settle c,es
lions OF national policy and International law as on
the particular character Of Gen. Jacissou's ACTS in .
! Seminole Wa:
During the Debate on this question in The House of
Representatives. ii was also under consideration before
committee Of the Senate, which consisted Of hiessrs
LAeocK, EAroN, FoRsYTn, KING. ard BuRnILL.
'eiore the report of Tie committee was made viz: Oh
The l6tb February, MIR. FoRsYrn, being appoined
Munster TO Spain, resigood his in the Senate and
nr. hprEs was appointed in his place. After The
Deoae ended I'D tho House OF Representatives, BY
rejection oil the report of the committee cepsurpp the
Hcnerdis conduct, report made by a commit
Tee o' the Senate condenning in strong terms the
wi'o'e course and tenor OF tie Generals actions in
torria In this report the committee declare ..tbat
s;hev conceive General Jacisson to have disrepordca
'4he poStce ordfrs IF Tho Ut,, Departments he Con-
"st1t'on, and the Ircy, and hat he has taken uppp
hmsei 'ios only ne ererc,ss Of those o'cers delegated
so Congress rs The solc Legislature authority of the
nation, and To the President aud Senate as IL relates
! 'to the appointment [of military oiEicera1 6u, IF The
orfr cA hal been expressly rescrrci 10 he SIXTIES
IN the appointment Of the officers of the Militian In
another part OF the report the committee, use the fol-
lowing sirong language regard to the conduct OF
General JACKSON: Were this nation subject 4, HE
'7cH q mdit1ydespot, and were there no consiit-
!"nd! burners IL The ipordinae exercise of military
'an'bon more t3nn Mis coud scorcciy hare been er-
Pscfca" The whole report goes upon the ground that
te "Eitl pricpicS of the Constitution haze bean ,;o
'|.i!tH" Such was the report made, after a serious
ceNcfaoN oi more that tro months, by this comm.e
ri the Scnate.
Some days previous 20 the termination of the Dc.
bate in tie House Of Representatives aud of course
sotiie weeks before this report made in the Senate
it will lie recoliected that Genearl JAcksoy at,end
ed by staff consisting of several officers arrived in
ms CITY. Although II Is our purpose wholly abstain
from any reference TO Cen JAcKsoN's private actions
yet, when those actions placed upon record IN con
: public nd
bic insuence upon estimate of The temper and dis
erection of This public officer, we are authorized 10 re
Ter TO them, and in further quotations Of recorded
Iacs they VIII necessarily be alluded TO- as showing
ti:e spirit by which he actuated at that time n
is believed that the General had in Congress sin
gle personal enemy; but Indignant: lie st his
conduct being questioned ut ALL that lie fell into
error OF considering every who disappeared ofhis
conduct 20 he las personal enemy Accordingly We
iind that he spoke of them SUCH and hu tor his
friends wond perhaps have treated them as snc,.
tie freedom which the committee OF the Senate had
taken with his public conduct General Jackson cot Il!
mt brook So tree an examination o: His conduct as
lie highest public officer in Government IS al
ways suhject to, aud must submit 10 with what r;sig-
nation lac can, resented by the General as as!-
E5hat injury and indigDy i.eriing tic krei rs, re-
:oaches he did not conine himself the eSiriC-
ures" which were made, and which lie had right 10
make, or cause TO be made in the public prints, upon
HAT report. Those ''Strictures" were very pointed
ever, and reflected severely upon the motives Of
The com'nittee Of the Senate and particularly unon
4
deep conviction hat tins most uj,Si and illegal hia!"
thus referring 10 tue inquiry by committee, sorgl-
mated al dishonest n'orCS!ron feelings Of pcTSongi
hostility in Of the members, and in others Of
"a disposition To gTat{yd jUnin" n this passage it
will be indeed through the whole course of the
"Strctures," the rlght of the Senate TO inquire "a
p1rie into tIrc matter of Generals raising armies
ard carrying unauthorized military excutsi Is
rercrppioIily denied
| Mr., LAcCcK, who still in w Washington when
these "SIctnrcsh we're promulgated, published re-
ply TO them IN which he satisfactorily most
! IL the points made in Them and showed that tie
course of the committee was CouutenanCcd NY ma
lority of the senate; that body having yoed by ma
lori'y OF q TO TO- against dIscbarging the committee
from the further consideration of tie subject, the
| time when MIR. toEsYTH resigned, and wien il
known that the other members of the committee were
equally divided IN opinion TO the report. The
trnents of MIR. EPrEs, who then added bv vote
To the committee, we'll known 10 tie those by
/ which the report OF the committee was characterized,
and the selection OF bin the umpire show ed very
clearly what the feeling OF the Senate TIE
sahjcci. In MIR. LAc0cK's reply. be considers Gen.
JACKSON TO be responsible for these s'Sirctures" for
:ho following, amongst other ''Tbe personal
inrectiyes INDUCED in in the srietures correspond
Z" entirely With his General Jackson'sI precious OBJ
g ScrrGonS in the public arer1s and 61U rooms OF
% Washington; for il is fact notorious and cannot be
{ denied, that those occasions, he pOCfeTOS
- hi precaiion dud ujOeH in his threats of person
nj Vengeance, cocn ~ cutting Of The cars ofSozne Of he
members Of the select rODiilce and this triie he
g hers Of the House Of Representative who dared
" animadyer upon bis conduct, even doubt bis in
+" fsllblity, nenaced in neriy similar
This statement by Mr. LacocK- remains as FAR we
know u1conradicted to this Iay. These facts alone,
in opinion, indicate such a want Of temper and
discretion, unfit citizen, however successful and
however skIful soldier, for high civil trusts and
dignies. Of Washington, il has been lately told
tact, deemed singular well new, that in
ms tYe he gave way TO passion. But that single
ebuhuon ION the occasion of ST, Clars defeat,l was
repressed bere company, and when given loose 10 in
ms retirement, This Private Secretary alone present,
was one osorrow for the crippled army and Tor his
country, and not of vindctive feeling even towards
Their unfortunate leader-rnuch less towards other
PnbIic iuncionares for things done in the discharge
81 their constitutional duties. Yet, with all his in
hrmites OF temper, his want of self command, and OF
just respect towards the legislative authorities OF his
country, the Iaureied victor Of the Eighth of January
I has been declared, by his parzaps, 10 be scarcely
inferior To WAsHi1sroN! Tlds not olasPhemy 10 be