Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-02-24
Gen AndreD Jackson TO Mr. Msnroe.

has been received. In future commune alton il is
my intention t., submi' my views OF all the questions
sprtogiOg from tue subject, with the uness and gan
dor which the importance OF the topic aud the part
have acted ia il, demand. At present will confne
myself to the consideration OF pat Of your letter,
which has particular bearing myself, and which
seems to have oTigua oil in msconce pton of the i'm
port OF the order under which have commenced tho |
Seminole campaign. Ia making this ex amin alton,
viii make use OF all tho freedom which is courted by
your letter, and q hlch deem necessary to afford you
clear view oil The construction which given to the
ORDER end The motives under which proceeded 10 sx
ecute it's Intentions.
1t is stated in the second paragraph Of your Latter
hat H.nscended tho Limits ct my ORDER and that
acted my own responsibility.
To these two points mean at present 10 couhne nv.
'sf-But, before entering proof of their arplics
bility TO my acts in Flor da allow fair,yio State tLa
the assumption OF responsibility will never be shrunk
ON whent'e public n sres, thereby be pr ,mo'ed
have passed through difficulties aud expeusesio he
h nor AMI bene6, OF my country; and whenever siI
Tor this purpose, II shall become necessary 10 assume
further liability, no scruple will be urged felt
But wien IL shall be required of me to do so, and the
result be danger and injury to that country, the in
ducenen' will be lost aud my consent will be wan'ing
This pri 'cipe l. held TO he incon,rover'ibe, that an
order, generally 10 perform a certain service, or ef
fecta certain Chi ct, without any specification OF the
10 be adopted, limits govern the executive
oirer, leaves entire discretion with The officer az
TO the choice and application OF means, but preserves
the responsibility for his ac's the authority from
which The order emanated. Under such an order all
The acts of the inferior acts OF the SUPERIOR and in
no way can the subo dnae officer be mpeached for
his measures excep; the OF d. fciency in judg-
meDt and skill Ii is also a grammatical truth tia
the limits o! such order canno, be Transcribed with
nut entire desertion of the objects contemplated
for as long as the main Legitimate OF sct kept in view
the policy Of the measures adopted TO accomplish It sa-
lone 10 be considered If these be adoped as the pro
per rules o. construction. and we apply them 10 my
order OF December 26, 1917, it will be at SEEN
that, both in description and operative principle
they embrace th't order exactly. The requision. OF
the order for the commanding general 10 ssume the
immediate command at fort Scott TO concentrate all the
| md kla ~ 49,
quarter, 10 call the cuves of adjacent States for
auxiliary militia force, and concludes with this com
prehsnsive command
"With this view you may be prepared to con
cearae forces. md adopt ths necessary
to terminal conflict, which il has been the de-
sire OF the Preside t. from motives Of humanity to a.
VOID, hut whirh IL now made necessary by .hsr set
tie hostility"
10 no part OF this document is there reference to
any previous order, either 10 myself another officer
with view to point to the measures thought al
vsable or the lmits OF my power in choosing and ef
footing than. |, states that Gen Gaines has be or
dered to Amelia island and then proceeds inform me
that " subsequent orders have been given to General
Gaines, (of which COMES will be furnished you,) that
You would be directed to take ,hs command, an de
recing him 10 rsasrme, should he deem the public
interest TO require II, the command at for, Scot until
you shoud arrive there" Lastly, il mentions ,ha,
he was instructed to penetrate the s'min lie towns
through the Flordas, provided the strength of his com
nand at Amelia would justify his engaging in often
sve operations" The principle determining The weight
OF re erences in subsequent orders to instructions
previously given, is well seued. Such references are
usually made with one Of these two intentions-ei'her
the order IL given 10 second officer, TO effect GER
tain purpooe, which intended TO he eff cted by an
other officer, and the instructions Of the first refer
red to "a the guide OF the second the order
and is designed Tor extension Of authority and only
refers 10 anterior communications. 10 give full vie ~
OF what has been previously Dpted and d.
In the FIRST it is always necessary come the
different orders, by specific provision, that doubt
may exist as 10 the extent Of the command and thus
the several acquisitions and instructions ere amalga
mated and the mi,s OF the agent plainly and secure
iy e'hbishei lie the second, such provision is ne.
cessary for entire discretion in the choice and nee
Of eans, being previously vested the reference II
there be any, ony descriptive Of ths powers arece
IDENTIFY given, and The results OF attempted
under such spec6 rai limitation But admitting tn At, in
my order Of December, g. 1877 there is such a ref,
renee as contemplated in the frat case ALLOW me TO
examine iis character and amount II IL stated, that
orders have been given to General Gaines (copss Of
which will be furnished you,'O bu, without afirmirg
that they are to be considered binding on me- or IN
any way connected with the comprehensive command
that should terminate the Seminole conflict On the
contrary, so far are thay from being designated
as my guide and limits in entering Florida thai, in
stating their subsiarce in the ensuing sentence, al
fusion Whatever is de either to Limitation
How, then, can il be said, with propriety, that 1
bavs transcribed the limits Of my ORDERS or acted on
my own responsibility My order was az eomprehen
'iye as 1t could be, and contained neither the minute
original Instructions or reference to others previous.
ly given, TO guide aud govern The fullest discre
ton was lett with mo, In the selection and apple iop
OF means u Effect the speeifcal Legitimate objects Of
tho campaign and Tor the exercise of sound disue
ton, on principles OF policy, am alone responsible-
But allow Inc TO repeat that responsibility is not fear
ed by me- II the general good requires its ASSUMPTION
never have shruuk from il, and never will but A.
gairst iis impositon5 contrary 10 principle and
without lie prospect OF any polite result must con-
tend, VIII all the feelings Of soldier ard citizen
B'i1g advised, that you your country sea in
boutoIn, where expect this will reat h YOU encIos
you copy Of The order 20 OF the 26th Dscambsr
| 1917, aud copies Of the orders Of General Games
| therein referred 10 from a permsal of which Won
will perceive that the order 10 has no references 10
those prohibory orders TO General Gaines that Won
have referred to.
| IL will afford ms pleasure To aid ths Government in
procuring any testimony that may be nrcess,rv 10
prove the hostility OF the officers Of Spain 10 the u
States bad supPo'ed, that the evidence furnished
had e''sbli-hed that cthai the Officers Of Spain bad
ideniihed themselves with enemy, and that 81
VI irki and PenSacola under the complete control
n The Indians, although the Governor of P.nsaeo',
at least had force suBcsnt to have controlled the IT,
diam, hal he chosen TO have useI in that yav For
the purpose Of procuring the necessary evidence Of
the hostile sets OF the Governor Of Pensacola dss.
patched Ca7sin Young, Typographical engineer and
soon a. obtained, will he urui,bed YOU. trust on
a view OF AL my COMMUNICATIONS, (copies of which
have been io-warded by Captain G1d.dsn Won tsill
find that they do not bear the construction YOU have
| given them. They wtrs written under bad he aI,b
xret fatigue and 10 basic. My bad he h coptinus.,
1 labor und.r great bodily debility.
Accept assurances Of my sincere regsrd and es'eem
and am, respec fully, your most ohedieDt servant
/ ANDREW JACKSON
JAMES MoxRoE, President US.
G..
James Monroe TO Gen. Andrew Jackson
N An a.