Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1831-02-21

ford. My course trust, requires no apology, and
If it did, have too much self respect to make 70
any one in case touching the discharge Of my ON
cal conduct. I stand on very different ground.
embrace the opportunity which your letter offers, not
for the purpose Of making excuses, but as suitable
occasion to place my conduct In relation TO an
ing public transaction in it's proper light, and am |
yrati6ed that Mr. Crawford, though far from intend |
ing me kindness, has Afforded such an opportu-
nifty.
light deem it proper to premise that II 10 vefy far
from my intention defend mine BY mpeaching yours
Where have differed, have no doubt that We
differed honestly; and in claiming to oct on honorable
and patriotic motives my SELF cheerfully accord the
same to you =.
know no. that correctly understood your meaning,
but after careful perusal, would infer from your
letter that you had learned for the first time by Mr.
Crswforj's letter, that you and placed different
constructions on the order under which you acted
in the Seminole war; and that you had been led to
believe, previously by my letters to yourself and
Governor Bib, that4 CONQUERED with yousin think
ing that your orders wore intended to authorize your
attack on the Spanish posts III Florida. Und
these impressions, you would seem to impute to me
some degree OF duphcl'y, or at least conceaiment
which required on my part explanation. hope that
my C, inception of your meaning IS erroneous, but
it be not, and your meaning be such as suppose,
must be permitted to express my surprise at the ms
apprele nson, which, feel confident, II will be IN
| my power to Correct by the most decisive proof,
drawn from the public documents1 and the corrcspon
dence between DIR Monroe and yourself, growing
out of the decision of the cabinet on the Seminole
affair, which passed through my hands at the time.
and which now have his permission to use, ex-
planatory Of my opinion, well his, and the 9TH
or members Of his administration. To save you the
ahle Vi turning to the hie Of your correspondence
II have enclosed extracts from the letters, which
clearly prove that the decision hc cabinet on the
point that your orders did not authorize the occuaaz
tion Of ST. Marks and Pensacola, early and fully
made known 10 you end that !, in particular, con-
CURED IN the decision.
Mr. Mouroc's letter OF lie 10Th July, 49, the fisst
OF the series, and written immediately aher the de-
cison Of the cabinet, and from which Have given
a copius extract, eutrs fully INTO the views taken
by the Executive of the whole subject. In your re-
! ply Of the 10Th oil August, 1918 you object 10 the
construction which the administration had placed
your orders. and you assign your reasons large,
Wy you conceived that the orders under which you
acted authorized your operations in Florida. al .
Monros replied on the 20,h October, 1913, aud, at
Ter expressing ms regret that you had placed con.
struction your orders different from what wos i'll
tended, he invited you 10 open a correspondence
with me, that your conception Of the mcanny of your
orders, and that Of the administration might be pl-
ced with the reasons both sides, on the files of
the War Department. Your letter OF the 18th OF
November la answer agrees to the correspondence
as proposed, but declines commencing 1t. TO which
AIR Monroe replied by letter Of the alst December
Stating MS reasons for suggesting the currespondence
and why he thought 1t ought 10 commence with YOU.
10 these, have added extract from YOUR letter
OF the 7th Dcccmber, approving hIr Monroe's mes
sage at the opening OF Congress, which though NJ,
constituting part Of the correspondence from which
have extracted copously, IS Intimately connect
ed with the subject under consideration.
But l, was not by private CORE spondance oniy
That the view winch the EX 'cuive took OF ynur or
dcrs was made known In has MESA re TO the House
of Representatives Of TIE 18th March Igl3 lonr
before Information OF the result of your operation IN
Florida, was received, Mr. Monroe states that .or-
ders mad been gwen to the General in Command not
10 enter Florida unless be IN pursuit of the enemy
anu IN that case, co respect the Spanish AUTHORITY
wherever II may be maintained. and he will he in
sructed to withdraw his forces from the province
as soon az he has reduced that tribe the Semi
noies) TO order, and secured orr fellow-ctzans in
that quarter; by satisfactory arrangements apainst
ITS unprovoked and savage hpstiIi,ies IN future" In
hls annual message at the opening of Congress in
November OF the same year the President, speaking
OF your entering Florida says, "ou authorizing Ma
jor General Jackson TO enter Florida in pursuit OF
the Semnole5, care taken not 10 encroach nm
the rights of SPAN" Again In cnte.lnr FLORIDA
20 suppress this combination idea was entertained
OF hostility to SPAIN and however iusiabl. the com
mandlnS General was, in consequence of the mis-
conduct of the Spanish officers, in entering 81.
Marks and Pensacola to terminate IT, BY PROVING IN
he saVages and their associates that they could not
De projected even there, yet the ancable relations
between the United States and Spain could moi no
altered by that &c. alone BY ordering the Iestitu |
Ion CT those posts those relations were pre-
s Ger a. 10 change OF th"m the power of
Vested IN Congress alone" The view taken OIL
TINS SUBJECT met your entire approbatlon as appears
from the extract of your letter, of 7h December,
1913, above referred TO. ..
after such full and decisive proof as it seems to
me, or the view of the Executive had right, as II
supposed, to conclude that you long since knew that
the administration, and myself IN particular, were
OF the opinion that the orders under winch YOU ac
ted, did not authorize you to occupy the Spanish
posts; but nov infer, from your letter to which th,
Is IN answer, that such conclusion WINS erropeous
and that you were of the impression TIL you received
Mr. CrawOrd's letter, that concurred in the opos,te
construction which you gave your orders that they
were INTENDED to authorize you occupy the posts
GU rely tor this impression, understand yon on
certain general expressions in my letter to Cover
nor Bibb, Of Albania, Of the 18Th of Nav 1918 in
which state that General Jackson is yosted win
Iuh powers to conduct the war Ia the manner he |
shan Judge best" and also in my letter of the 9th .
February 1918, in answer to yours Ofthe Goth Janu-
airy OF tho same year, in which acquainted YOU
with the entire appreciation OF the President of all
The measures you had adopted TO terminate tho nm