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


ase which supported by presenting fully and freely
III the arguments that occurred To me. f'hcy Wete
net by other arguments growing out ot more en-
arged view OF the subec', connected WIN the cen
luct of SPAN and her officers, and tho course OF pol
CIV which honor and interest dictated TO be pursucu
towards her, with which some OF the members oil the
cabinet were wore familiar than myself, and whose
lnty present that aspect OF the slhJec' rs
IL mine To present that more immediately cooHcC-
ted with the military operations Alter dehScraieiy
weighing every question: when The members oil the
cabinet came form their final opinion, on view VI
the whole ground, it unanimously determined,
as understood, favor of the adopted, and
which, WIS fully made known Ia you by Mr. Monrucs
letter of the i9th Of July, 1919 lgive 1t my assent
and support, being that yvhrh. under all the cur .
cumstances, the public interest required To be adop-
led.
shall now turn to the examination Of the version
which Mr. Crawford has given of my course in this
impor,an, dciberation. beginning with mis- apology
for having disclosed what took place IN cabinet meet
ing" He says, " In the summer al er the m"elng,
an extract OF a letter from Washington publish.
ed in n Nashville paper, in which II was stated that
tr. Crawford had proposed to arrest General Jack
son, but that he was trlumphan'y defended by Mr.
Calhoun and Mr. Adams. This letter, always b.
lievcd, written by Mr.. Calhoun or by h,s dlrrc-
ton. II had the desired cficc, ;~Gcne'al Jackson
became nincal TO me, and friendly to Mr.. Calhoun.
am net 81 al surprised that Mr.. Crawford should
feel that h. stands in need of apology for betray
ing the deliberations of the cabinet II L., believe,
not on the first instance i'll country but one OF
very few instances TO be fund i'll any country. or
age, that individual has ilt himself absolved
from the high obligation which hone: and duty i'm
pose situated as he was. Il is not, however,
my intention 10 comment on the moralIly oil his dts
closure; that more immediately concerns himself;
| and | leave him undlsturbed 10 establish his own
~uIes If honor and fidelity, in order to proceed The
,y,,,;,,.,,. of question in which am more i'm
neda,cly concernca-...., truth of his apology,
desire 10, TO speak harsaly o, MI. CIa"'o'u'
s!nc-r rely cnnm sefatc his misfortune. may &c
warm :" noIical contests; but is not ii M 10 re-
tain cr,ni,y, particularly towards tho unsuccessful
Ia he political con;cs; which ended in 1925, Mr.
Crawforjpnd mys,lf took ,ppos',e sides; but what
ever te ngs Of unkiudness it gave rise to. have long
since passed away on my part. Tie contest ended
! IN an entire change of the political elements OF the
country: and, III the state Uf things which fol-
lowed, found myself scjIng with many of the
iticnds of Mr. Crawford, 10 whom had been rCceut-
y opposed, aud opposed many of my friends with
"ep had, till then, been associated. In this new
state or things, "'s inclination, my regard Tor his
friends who acting with ne, ..., '"e ~aCeess q.
the for which Jointly coutcndlng, au
contributed to from my bosom every
towards HIM. save thatsof pity for his misfortune.
would not speak harsh word, if | could AVOID IL ::
anu II Is cause of pain to that he extraordinary
position IN which he has placed me, compel me- in self
defence, to say any thing which must, in it's conse-
qnence, lear on his character.
speak III this spirit, when | assert. Us do that
his apology has no foundation III truth He offers no
icdSOu 10Y Cud1Sln8 me Win so dIShOnOrable
as that Of beirayng the proceedings of the cabinet
ana that tor the purpose OF njurng of my assu-
crates in the administration The charge rests wholly
on us usplclon, to which oppose my positive as
sermon that 1t Is wholly unfounded. had no know-
cGse nj The letter, o! conneXion with it; nor do
rceo!'cct that | ever saw the extract But wbv
charge ne, and not Mr. Adams / wis, not to be
understood as inilnatng that Mr.. Adams had the
least conneXIon with the affair. | believe him 10 be-
wholly incapable of such baseuess. I had then been
hut few months IN the administrations and SIR
Crawford and myself were the best terms without
iceih5' certainly on my part of rivalry jeaou-
Sy IN assigning the motive that he does ior the
letters, he iUrgets the relation which existed then
between yon and hiunself lie says 1t hadihe dcsir-
ed eff CT; that you became friendly To the and ex-
tremely lnlniicaI tn HIN. lie does remember
that your hostility to him long preceded this period
ana had very different origin. he certainly could
not have anticipated that copy of ms letter would
be placed IN your hand.
These are not the only difficulties accompanying
'c apoi by; there are others still furmid able
and which must compel him to assign some other rea.
son tor disclosing the proceedings of the cabinet.
Mr. McputIes letter to me, OF the 14th instant, of
wmch enclose copy, proves that Mr. Crawford smoke
freely OF the proceedings Of the cabinet his way to
Georgia, in the summer Of 1918, and dates will show
that he could not at that time have seen the extract
from the Nashville paper which he now rests his
apology. The deliberations of the cabinet took place
between the 18th and 25ih July, 1918. On the for.
Iner day, Mr. Monroe returned TO Washington from
Loudon, and the latter general exposition of the
views Of the Government in relation to the operations
IN florida appeared IN the Intelgencer The letter
OF r Monroe TO of the 10Th July, 1873 fixes pro-
badly the day of the final decision of the cabinet Mr.
Crawford passed through Augusta on the 11th August
rs announced in the papers of that city, on which d.y
Or The preceding, his conversation, to which Mr. Nc.
Dufhe letter relates, must have taken place. On |
Of these dates you will see that it was i'm
possible that Mr. Crawford could have seen the extract
rom the Nashville paper when lie wa in Edgefed |
ana ne must consequently find some other apology for
ms disclosures This the only instance Of his
making the disclosures before lie saw the extract lie
vas at Mllledgevile the 10Th of Au. ust, 1873
ew days after he passed through Augusta and little
liter, there appeared statement in the Georgia Jour.
nal somewhat varied from that made at Edgeiied but
greeing with 1t in most Of the particulars cannot
ay my hand on the article, but have distinct recol-
cotton ct It. You no doubt remember it, Circum.
stances fixed it on Sir Crawford and it has not TO my
been denied.
WIN such evidence Of inaccuracy, either from want
u memory, or some other cause, what relates his
'wn motives and actions, it would be unreasonable to |
upposr that Mr. CrawfOrds statements will prove more