Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-03-01

conception of the construction which the executive
gave to your orders under hich impression remain
ed til ] received your letter Of the l3h inst
Connected with the subject OF your orders, there are
certain expressions your letter. which, though am
at a Oss understand cannot pass over IN silence
After announcing your surprise AT Tie contents Ot MIR.
Crawford letter, YOU ask whether the Information be
correct, Under all OF the circumstances OF which you
and are both informed, that any attempt seriously to
affect me was moved and sustained by you in cabinet
council when, is known 70 you, was executing the
nlghes Of the government" II by rtshes which you
have UNDERSIGNED, ube meant that there any init
nation given BY myself, directly indirectly of the
desire If the government that you should occupy the
Spanish posts 50 far from beng informed had not
the slightest knowledge Of any such lntmanon nor did
ever hear whisper OF any such before. But can
not imagine that II is your intention TO make dlsnc
ton between the wishes and the public orders the gov
eminent, as find such distinction in your
p0ndence with the president nor in any Of the public
documents but the contrary, is strongly rebuted
By your relying for your justification constantly aud ex
clusyey on your public orders. Taking, then, the
"wses Of the government 10 be but another express
sion for its orders must refer TO the proof already Of
fercd to show that the wishes of the government, in
relation to the Spanish posts, were not such you
sumo them To be.
Having, trust satisfactorily established that there
has been the least disguise 10 the construction of
youT orders will proceed TO state the part which
took IN the deliberations Of the cabinet. NJ, state
ment wall be confined strictly TO myself, as do not feel
myself justified speak OF the course OF the othermem
bers OF the administrations and, in fact only Of my
in selt-detence under the extraordinary circumstances
connected with this correspondence
And here must premise that the object of a cabinet
council is not to bring together opinions already forum
ed but TO uopiniOns on the course whchtc govern
ought TO pursue after full andm mature dclIberaton
Meeting IN tins spirit the exchange OF
sentiment which doubts and objections freely pre-
scented and discussed. 1t is conceive the duty Of the
members thus to present their doubts and objections
and to support them by offering fully all OF the argu
men in their power, but at the same time TO take
not form opinion till all the facts and views are
fully brought out and every doubt and objection
fully weighed. In this spirit came into the meeting.
The questions involvedwere numerous and Important
whether you had transcribed your orders II so, what
course ought to be adopted what the conduct of
Spain and her officers in Florida; what was the state of
relations with Span and through her, with the
Their European powers-a question, at that time, OF
complication and difficulty. These questions
had all to be carefully examined and weighed both
paraely and in connexion before final opinion could
be wisely formed; and never did delberation in
which every point carefully examined, or a
greater s0lctude displayed TO arrive at correct deci
Sion. | the junior member Of the cabinet, and had
been but few mOnthsin the administration. Assecre-
tary OF war, was more Immediately connected with
the questions whetheryou had transcribed your ORDERS
and, if 50, what ought TO be pursued was of
the impression that you had exceeded your ORDERS and
had acted on your own responsibility; hut neither
questioned your patriotism nor your motives. Believ
ing that where orders transcended investigation,
as amatter of course, ought follow, due in Justice
to the government and the officer unless there be strong
reasons TO the contrary, came to the meeting under
the impression that the usual ought be pursu
ed in this case which l supported by presenting fully
and freely all the arguments that occurred tome. They
met by other arguments, growing out of a more
enlarged view of the subject, connected with the
conduct OF Spain and her officers and the of po
hey which honor and interest dictated to be pursued to-
wards her, with which OF the members OF the ca
bnet were more familiar than myself and whose duty
IT was to present that aspect OF the subject, ii
mime TO present that more Immediately connected with
the military operations. After deliberately weighing
every question, when the members OF the cabinet
TO form their hnai opmon, on view OF the whole
ground, it was unanimously determined as UNDER
STOOD, IN FAVOR Of the course adopted and which was
fully made known to you by Mr. Monroe's letter of the
18th Of July, 1913. gave my and support as
beng that which, under all the circumstances, the pub
lie interest required to be adopted.
| shall now turn to the examination of the version
which Mr.. Crawford has given of my course in this
important debeIaton, beginning with his "apology
Or having disclosed what took place in cabinet meet
ing lie says, In the summer after the meeting,
an extract OF letter from Washington was published
IN Nashville paper in which it was stated that (Air
Crawtordl had proposed arrest Gen. Jackson, but
that he triumphanty defended by Mr.. Calhoun
and Mr. Adams. This letter, always believed, was
written by Mr.. Calhoun, or by his direction. 1t had
the desired ettect Gen; Jackson became inimeal to
/ me, and friendly to Mr.. Calhoun"
! / am not at al surprised that Mr.. Crawford should
feel that he stands in need OF apology for betrayng
the deliberations of the cabinet. 1t is, believe, not
only the first instance IN our country, but of
~ few instances TO be found in any country or any age
lat individual has felt himself absolyed from the
/ high obligation which honor and duty impose on one
situated as he was. 1t is not however my intention to
comment the morality of his disclosure; that more
immediately concerns himself; and leave him undis-
urbedto establish his rules Of honor aud fidelity
an order to proceed to the examination OF question in
winch am more Immediately commemorative truth of
! his apology
| desire not to speak harshIy of Mr.. Crawford. I
sincerely commiserate his misfortune. | NAV be warm
m political contests; but in ne TO retain ennity
particularly towards the unsuccessful. In the political
contest which ended IN 1875, Mr.. Crawford and myself
took opposite sides but whatever feelings Of unkind
ness gave rise to- have long since passed away on my
] WIG Ii. 80