Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-09-03

be found necessary, unless they 'iio"i> |
themselves under Spanish fort In the last
even, YOU will Immediately notify this Depart
ment." Mr.. Hopkinson, who made general,
but qualified and very candid defence OF Len.
Jackson's proceedings, approves the TWO h!s'
but disapproves the last OF these orders, -as IN
dicatinc want Of sufficient concern Tor inc
RIGHTS of neutral nation. We are not going
to dwell on such delicate distinctions but 70 III
ouire how these orders were construed III flor-
ida
On the Goth Of December Gen. Gaines COM
maud was transferred to Gen, Jackson, with
orders to obtain from the Governor Of Tsnnes-
sec, troops for the occasion. Instead OF apply
ing to the executive power as directed, Zen.
ackson, under the plea of necessity, called Out
BODY of volunteers which he organized mo
an army without further authority than his own
ple asare and he commissioned the others OF
this army.
We shall not stop to enquire into The exlgen-
cy which was supposed TO warrant 'h's pro-
ceeding-we shall concede all hat is asked up
on this point-though we find no satisfactory
evidence of the alledged necessity:
| During these defensive operations the IN
dams were making corresponding arrange
mcns, aud ON he 9th OF January had actually
embodied a force from u 1900 upon the
Fiorila side ofthe Appalachicola
! On the 18th Of March (l8l8) Gen Jackson
| crossed the line, and on the 10th he arrived at
| Fort Gadsden The war SO far as reiatcd to
the Indian, was Immediately terminated, with
hardly any show ofresistance on their part, and
then for some motive never yet explained, Inc
war against the Spanish colony OF Florida was
commenced.
Cen. Jackson pretending that he thought
! some Indians might have sought refuge IN d.
Marks, proceeded to hat fort, and on the.7ti
of April captured it-not meeting with any re-
sstance. He placed few troops there 70 gar
r;son it, and on the goth he wrote that, 1.-THE
destruction Of Bowlesstown, with the posses
sion of St Marks, will end The Indian war Tor
the presen,." On the 28th he wrote that he
would proceed directly to Nashville. My
presence in this country can be no longer nc
cessary," he adds, "thc Indians arc scattered;
cut off; and they no longer have the power 1t
they had the will of again annoylngiour IRON
ter" I'm letter ofthe 5th of May he says the
resistance Of the enemy has been "fee bic; 1t
had been war of movements and partial rem
contres."
Will Gen. Jackson was on his march home
ward, he received 4 very indignant letter from
;heGoyernor ofPensacola, protesting against. his
capture of ST.. Marks and his other violations OF
he rights Of neutrality. In his letter 10 the
War Department written on that occasion, he
said: " hesi,a,ed no longer but Immediately
marched upon Pensacola, took it, and establish
ed in it ci,il and military government pro
Formally aVesF qlaI Paraneas was assFwors
transmitted by Gen jackson to Gen Gaines 10
take possession Of ST. Augustine. Before this
latter Object could be accomplished our govern
ment was advised Of The whole affair: orders
were sent 10 Gen. Gaines directing hin " not
10 carry any of Gen. JacksoR's orders into ex~
ecu,ion:" and the captured'forts were imm~
atrly restored TO the Spanish authorities. Gen.
Jackson and his advocates Sc: up tie pr tenoe
that those forts were taken 10 di'lo'ge the hos
tile Indians, while the fact was, that though ST.
Marks and Pensacola were taken by surprise
there were no Indians in them, and only one
old one in the Barancas. IL is well known that
the Indians have an utter re2ugnance to the
idea Of shutting themselves up within walls
But had they sought refuge in either ofthose
forts, the orders were precise" to notify the
Department" Of War Of The fact. Gen. Jack
| son knew better than 10 suppose seriously that
any Indaps were in.the Spanish forts: and as
for the self defence" the necessity, it is tru-
~ ridiculous 10 mention the idea after he had
stated that "the Indians are scattered; cut of;
and that they no longer have the power, if they
had the viii, Of again annoying our frontier"
From the days Of rarquin down 20 to the pre-.
sent, the plea of necessity was never pu, forth
upon sigh,cr foundation.
Mr.. Baldwin in defending the General CEN
sures his other advocates for laboring TO jusi-
fly him on some minor subjec,s--on grounds
which leave him delrncelcss on his important
operations His ground is, that Jackson is to
be defended, if at all, " on the immutable prin-
clples Of sell defence authorised by the law of
| ~ pirp and A,,I
further assures us that Florida q" was Indian
territory and in their occupation. They had
the sovereignty in fact, Spain only nominaIly"
Ii man can be permitted to coin his facts
he need be a, no loss for arguments Our trra-
ty with Spain for The cession Of Florida shows
who had the legal right to that country; and as
| to The question OF actual occupancy in regard 10
forts held by perfectly legitimate Spanish au-
| thorities, when none Of these sovereign Indians
were even present as efugces-it were childish
10 argue upon it, IF Gen. Jackson's plea of ne