The Litchfield County post., 1828-07-31


Jackson and his Florida cOnquests. Those
posts wrested from Spain were uncOnstitu-
tiOnally taken, and Of C purse restored, but the
General was neither punished nor reprimand
ed.
In this situation the subject was laid before
congress by the president, in Dec. 1918. The
subject was first up for discussion 10 the house
of Representatives. None censured but all a
greed that the president was right in surrcnd
ering the posts to Spain-thus acknowledging
the ilIegality of taking them TO be national
outrage. But as the president had not called
Gen. Jackson to an account, they would not
censure him and such was the decision of
small majority of the house. The manner in
which the subject was brought up in the SEN
ate and the report ofthe committee Of that
body has been referred to, and General Jack
sons conduct on that occasion remains to b.
told.
While the examination of Gen. JacksOn's
conduct was in progress, he,with a numerous
suit, arrived in Washington. He soon mani
Tested his displeasure at the freedom which Sc
veroi members of congress had thought pro-
per to animadvert upon his conduct. How
ever. he staid some weeks in the city, during
which time the members of his staff were cal
led and examined by the members of the Sc
nate. He then took tour to the east. and
received every where, the kind attentions and
grateful thanks OF his colntrymen. This tru-
Iy would have humbed and softened the tenn.
per of truly good and great man; but very
different was the effect on General Andrew
Jackson. When at the cornwall board at the
city of Baltimore, on his return,he first saw
the report of the Committee of the Senate,
pointing out and mildly censu'ing his errors.
his rage became ungovernable, and the invec-
tives on the occasion awful!y fiery and pro-
fame.
He lost 10 time until he arrived in the City
of Washington, where his threats and menac-
es were repeated with increased violence g.
Gen. Jackson's threats of vengeance, and of
cutting off the ears of the Members of Con-
gress, became IA topic ofpretty general CONVEX
not a man 10 the capital holding any thing like
a conspicuous station, from the president
down, and few members of congress, who did
not hear and believe these things-nor did
ever hear of its being denied until the present
canvass.
With Others, heard of. and believed such
threats had been made-but did not believe
he had any serious intention of carrying his
threats into execution until day or two after
the adjournment of congress, when heard of
Commodore Decatur having prevented him
from entering tho Senate chamber to attack
Mr.. Eppes. Not having d personal knowledge
of the transaction. cannot speak of the fact,
further than that heard it from several res
pectabIe persons in Washington at the time
and know, with perfect certainty, that the
whole scene was thus related as it should have
happened. That Gen. J. went to the capitol
in carriage-that as he passed from the car
riage and near the door of the Senate, he was
met by commodore Decatur, who knowing of
it, or being then informed. of Gen. Jackson's
intention to fall on Mr.. Eppes, the commod-
ore by entreaties and expOstulations, induced
the General to return to his carriage. This
was told publickly as coming from the COM
modOre personally, and from this authority it
obtained credence as far as it was heard. L
believe it and ever will believe it, nor will | de-
ny that felt some apprehensions for my own
personal safety. could see no good reason
why Gen. Jackson should have selected Mr.
Eppes as his victim, who was afflicted with
disease, rather than the chairman of the COM
mittee. Impressed with this belef,I mention
ed this circumstance to Mr.. Crawford, (then
secretary of the Treasury, name l never
mention but with feelings of the strongest re-
specify Mr.. Crawford told me he had heard
and believed the truth of Jackson's intended
attack on Mr.. Eppes and advised me to be ON
my guard. The same advice received from
other gentlemen; and took it so far as to APP
ply to Walter Jones, Esq. who kindly furnish.
ed me with the means of defence. And as it
was the first in my life, when among civilized
men, that had to resort to such means for
personal safety, hope it may be the last, in
which representative of the people, for the
discharge of duty, will be subjected to like
necessity.
lam aware that Gen. Jackson in letter to
Mr.. Grundy.h has by an equivoque, disengenous
and uncandid attempted a denial of the out
rage designed to have been committed upon
MIR. Eppes' But this denial relates merely to
the precise spot, and the manner in which he
was prevented by commodore Decatur. His
previous threats of cutting of the ears & mu.
tilating the members, he has never denied, al
though the charge made by me in the Intelli-
gencer, in my own name, hen we were both
in Washington, and when the facts were al
i've in the memory of all, and when many
were on the spot who witnessed the transac-
ton, would have been proved. Nor general
jackson ever did deny, in his letter to Mr..
Grundy, his going in his carriage with a de-
termination of putting his threats into execu-
ton, and that between the carriage and the
n n