Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-02-22

connexion with it, nor do recollect that ever saw
the extract. But why charge me, and not Mr. Adamsl
wish not to to be understood intimating that Mr..
Adams had the least connexion with the affair. be-
lieve him to be wholly incapable Of such baseness.
had then been but few months in the administration,
and Mr. Crawford and myself were ON the best terms,
without feeling certainly on my part Of rivalry
Jealousy. In assigning the motive that he does for the
letters he forgets the relation which existed then be-
tween you and himself He says ii had the desired ef
feet; that you became friendly to me- and extremely
inmical to him. He does not remember that your hos
tlity to him long preceded this PERIOD andbad very
different origin. He certainly could not have antici-
pated that copy Of his letter would be placed in your
hands.
These not the only difficulties accompanying the
apology; there are others still formidable, and
which must compel him TO assign some other reason
for disclosing the proceedings of the cabinet
Mr.. McDuhs's letter to me, OF the I4'h instant,
OF which l enclose copy, proves that Mr.. Craw-
way to Georgia, In the summer Of lSlS and dates win
show that he could not that time have seen the ex-
tract from the Na-hvie paper which he rests his
apology The deliberations of The cabinet took place
hstween the 1+.h and 25,h july lSlS Ga the former
day, Mr. Monroe returned to Washing On from London,
acd on the general exposition Of the views of
the Government, in relation to The in Florida
appeared in the The letter of Mr.. Mon
roe to you Of the 10Th July, 1885, fixes probably the
day OF the final decision OF the cabinet Me. Craw
ford passed through Augusta the lIh August as an
nosnced in the pape,s OF that city, which day, or
the preceding, his conversation, to which Mr.. McDuf
hes letter relates. mus have aiken place. On com.
PARTON OF these datss. will that it imposs
Die that Mr. Crawford could have the extract from
the Nashville paper when he was in Eds, field aud
he must consequently End other apology for his
disclosures This was not the only instance OF his max
ing the di closures before he saw The extract He
was1 Milledseville on the 18th OF Augut 1918, k W
days after he passed through Augusta. aud little after,
there appeared statement in the Georgia Journal +,
somewhat var d from that made at Edge field, but a
greeting with II in most Of the particulars. cannot
lay my hands on ths article, but have dicinc reco
Lection oft. You no doubt remember it, Circum-
nv ION Ir FNrla and; "a
| knowledge, been denied.
with such evidence OF inaccuracy, either from
wan oil memory, or some other cause in what relates
to lis own motives aud acions II would be unreason-
| able to suppose that Mr.. Craword's statemeuts will
prove more correct in what relates to me. will now
proceed 10 examine them He first states that pro.
posed that you should s be punished in some FORM or
reprmanded in some form; " and to make nv course
more odous. as suppose, he adds, that "Mr Calhoun
did not propose to arrest General Jackson" l will
not dwell on statement which, on is face il So
absurd. How could officer under our law be nun
i'hsd without arrest and trial And to suppose that
l proposed such course, would be to rate my un
dersanding very low
The next allegation requires much mora attention
He says, "indeed my views the subject had I'M
dergone material change after the cabinet had been
convened. Mr.. Calhoun made some alluson 10 n let
Ter that General Jackson had written the President
who had forgotten that he had received such letter
but said II he had received such one he would find
u, ana went directly to his cabinet and brought ii
In General Jackson approves of the determination of
the government TO break Amelia island and Galvez-
town; and gave it also as his opinion that Florida ought
to be taken by the United States He added, it might
be delicate matter for the Executive to decide but
the President approved of it, he had only to give hint
to some confidential member OF Congress, say Johnny
Ray and he would do it, and lake the responsibility on
on himself asked the President if the letter had been
answered: he replied no; for that he had no recoec-
ton OF receiving il. then said that had no doubt
mat General jackson, in taking Pensacola believed he
was dong what the Executive wished. After that let
ter was produced unanswered should have opposed
the inilicon OF punishment General Jackson, who
had considered the silence Of the President as tacit
consents yet 1t was after the letter was produced and
read that Mr. Calhoun made the proposition to the cabi
net for furnishing the General" Again: al do not
know hafa ever limited at the letter to the President;
YET that letter had most important bearing the de-
hberaOns of the cabinet, al least in nv mind and nos
siby on the minds of Mr.. Adams and the President:
but neither expressed any opinion the subject. IL
seems il had none the mind of Mr. Calhoun for II
made no change in his conduct"
IL VIII be no easy matter for Mr.. Crawford to recon-
cile the statement which he has thus circumstanally
made, with his conduct in relation 10 the Seminole af-
fair from the time of the decision of the cabinet till
the subject ceased TO be agitated.
How will he, in the first instance. reconcile it with
his Edgefeld statement of which Mr. McDuffie's LET
ter gives account The contrast between that and
the present is most striking; illustrate which give
an extract from Mr.. McDufFe's Liter. Mr.. McBuf-
ne letter ssys that che (Mr Crawford "sa,ed that
you (Mr. Calhoun) chad been ia favcr of an inquiry
into the conduct OF Gen. Jackson and that he was The
only member OF the cabinet that concurred with you
ne spoke In strong term OF dsappobaon of the
pursued oy General jackson, not only in his militia
~ proceedings, but 10 prematurely bringing the
grounds OF his defence before the county, and FORE
stang public oPin ion; thus anticipating the admins,ra
uon "a this point he remarked, that, the adminstra
uon could not give direction TO public opinion, but per-
med military officer, who had violated his orders to
anticipate them, they had business 10 be Washing
'on, and had better return home" Such was the Ian.
guage then held, and such his tone OF feeling at that
time We hear not one word of the letter which makes
so conspicuous figure in his present statement; not
one wcrd oil the change effected In his mind i'm reIa
ZION 10 your conduct; not word of hfs taking course
diHere nj from me but, on the contrary he then stated
uTecuy mat he concurred with 10 syoring an in
curry and Indicated no difference any other point;
ana SO lar from exemptibg you from the charge of
preach OF orders as he attempts to do he assert
ed' p"sTely, that You had violated your orders Shall
we Ind an explanation Of the contrast la. the two
sta emepts IN the difference Of his motives then and
now! rs his motive now to injure me- and was il thep
70 attack another member of the administration Or
must u be attributed the more cb artabs int
's"oh' 10 the decay OF memory? Whatever may be
me true explanation, all will agree tha: .tatsment
when events were fresh in the memory Is 10 be trus
eu IN preference to made twelve years after the
"ansacuon parlicularlyi tho former accorJs with af
yer events ana the latter does not is the case in this
instance. Az the next session OF Congress- your con.
uc 10 'ne seminole war was severely attacked in both
branches OF the Legislature Let us see if the course
pursued by Mr. Crawford and bis personal and conf
den'si friends, can be reconced 10 the sisteme mt
when ne now gives of his course 10 The cabinet Mr.
Oooo OF georgia, now no more, was then pronipen nj
member 81 the House OF Representatives Hs was
me particular, personal, and confidential lren nd of Mr.
crawford bis near neighbour aud formerly law stu
DENT under him. What part did he take? He led the
a"ack ne moved the resolutions against you; he sccus
sustained the accusation With all his powerst All hi.
accotds with Mr.. Crawford's statems n, NJ b. sanu