Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-07

Indian end fioria settlements but IL Is difficult.
to make any sort OF apology for those Americans,
who have exceeded all foreign agents and journal.
lists in the abuse Of their officers and govern
ment fortunately Tor the reputation Of the coun-
try, General Jackson's conduct has been subjected
to every ordeal calculated to expose criminality or
proclaim innocence-with the reputation of his
country, General Jackson's has escaped unhurt,
and tono champion is he mo,e indebted than 10 your
own candidate, MIR. J. c. Adams-that gentleman
in an official letter TO minister at the court Of
Spain, saii:--
"ln passing unnoiiced this and other tnpcciipes
against officer, Gen. jackson )tphose services
to this nation entitie him to their highest recars
ana 'rhose chote career has been sisnased by the
puTesf intentions, and the m0Sf elevated purposes,
| wish 10 be understood as abstainng from obser.
vaons, which, however, justified by the occasion,
could but add TO the unpleasantncss Of the discus
! sion."
Again-Mr. Adams said s'but tho president will
neither inflict punishment, nor pass censure upon
GENERAL Jackson, for that conduct, the notrcS OF
which were founded in the purcsf potriofism; OF
the necessity for which he had the most immediate
and efectua means Of forming Judgment; and the
ctndicdfion OF which is written in every page OF
the laws OF nations, well in the first law OF
nature, se,f-deieDce."~
To the testimony Of AIR. Adams,we add that Of Mr..
Jefferson
THOMAS JEFFERSON returns his thanks TO
General Jackson for the copy ne has been so good
ings in the Seminole war. If doubts OF those pro-
ceedings have existed in candid minds this able
vindication can scarcely Tail to remove them. In
addition TO what had been laid before the public il
orngs forward some new views. and new facts Of
great weight On the whole, he cannot doubt but
that the gratitude Of his country for former achieve
ments, will be fortified by those proofs of the
saiutary energies of their great 6enodctor. He
saiutes the General with assurances Of his constant
anu aEectionate attachment, and high respect"
Nov. 1920"
II Is not, how ever, upon the testimony Of Mr.
Jefferson, given in his retirement, or on that of
MIR. Adams, as Secretary of State, that we need
rely: we have the solemn decision of the House of
Representatives OF the United States, Of which one
Of you, gentlemen, Mr. John Sergeant,) was at
the time member. In January and February,
1919, all the great questions upon which you seek
to agitate the public mind, were fully discussed
at that time all the information, now had, was full
ly possessed-let then see what the grand coun-
Gil of the nation determined.
After debate, that continued for a month"; JAN
uary, 1919, the following resolutions were thus
decided upon in committee ut the whole house:
L. Resolved, That the House Of Representa-.
ves OF the United States disapproves the proceed
ings in the trial and execution Of Alexander Ar
buthnot and Robert c. Ambrister :"
For this resolution 81
Againsit 80
z. RcSOiUed, That the committee ON military
affairs be instructed to prepare and report bill to
OF war, with any Indian tribe tribes only, the
execution OF any captive, taken by the army Of the
United States without the appreciation of such ex-
ecution by the president"
For this resolution 81
Against 1t SO
8. RESOLVED. That the late seizure of the
Spanish torts OF Pensacola and st. Carlos de Baran-
cas-, in West Florida, by the army of the United
States was contrary to the constitution Of the Uni
, For this resolution 65
Against ii Oh
And when the subject was finally disposed of,
on the 9Th Of February, 1919, the several questi-
ons were thus determined
For disappearing Of the trial and execution Of
Alexander Arbuthnot
Ayes. 62
Noes los, including Mr. John Sergeant
For disappearing Of the trial and execution of r.
c. AmbIister:
Noes lot, including Mr.. sohn Sergeant.
Mr.. Cobb then offered this resolution
Resolred, That this house dsapprove Of the
capture and occupation of Pensacola and the for
tress OF Barrancas by the army Of the United
States and the establishment of civil government
therein. without the authority Of congress-"
For this resolution 20
Aga;nstit 100 including MIR J. Ser.
geant
Thus, after an ardent debate, in which all the
passions and feelings Of the members were appeal
the ofwhich oil the acts Of General Jackson
in his campaigns, were referred to he was tri-
umphanty released from all censure, with the full
concurrence of Mr.. John Sergeant himself acting
under the most solemn obligations
To show that the charges now made, were then
made, it is barely necessary TO refer to the debates
themselves. mfr. Holmes, for instance, said" Ii
will require pretty strong proof to produce convc-
ton, that General Jackson has intentionally done
wrong: at his age, crowned with the honours, and
loaded with the gratitude of his country, what adj
equate motive could induce him to tarnish his glo-
ny by acts of cruelty and revengc!"
No proof was given conviction of error
much less crime, was produced, and General
Jackson came forth, released from censure by an
overwhelming majority!
ut is remarkable, that whilst the partizans Of
Mr. Adams now condemn the acts Of retributive
justice, performed by Gen. Jackson, upon the do
mcstic and foreign savages, who desoIated our from
tiers, they keep entirely out Of sight the memora-
bic fact that MIR. Adams coolly in his closet de-
Tended every one Of them: in Of his letters to
our minister in Spain. MIR. Adams enumerated some
OF the atrocities now wholly concealed by his
friends, and quantity asked. whether such facts
were not sufficient 10 cool the sympathies excited
in behalf Of such monsters as he describes:
"The Spanish Government is not, at this day TO
be informed, that cruel as in its miIdest forms
must be, ii is, and necessarily must be- doubly cru.
ell when waged with sayages; that savages make
no prisoners but TO torture them; that they give no
quarters that they put 10 death, without disc rim-
nation OF age or sex. That these ordinary char
acteristics of Indian warfare have been applicable
in their most Notwithstanding horrors, to that war
lett us by Nichols, his legacy, reins tigaed by
Woodbine, Arbuthnot, and Ambrister, and stimu-
lated by the appreciation, encouragement, ard aid
oil The Spanish commandant at 81. Marks, is proof
required! Entreat the Spanish Minister Of State,
IN Oh IL.