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

the higher authority of the constitution which had
sworn to support Nor will 1 discuss the Question
whether the order TO General Gaines, inhbiting him
kom attacking the Spani,h poss "a copy OF which
sent 70 YOU'D was In fact, and according to military
usage, an order TO you, aud OF obligatory until
reseinded. Such. certaioy, was my opinion. know
that yeurs different. You acted your consruc
uoo' believing II TO be sb, and 10 pursuing the
which have done. claim an equal right to act the
construction which conceived TO be correct, knowing
It TO coniorm my in,enions in issuing the o. ders.
But in waving the question OF ,he true c,nstruc-
ton ct the orde's wish 1t however to be .udersiood,
II IL only because do not think II presented by your
letter, aud not because have now, or ever had, the
least doubt OF the correctness OF the opinion which !
entertain. Ihave always been prepared discuss il
on iendiy terms with you, as appears by The extracts
rom Mr. Monroe's correspondence, aud more recently
by my letter to you OF the 30 Of pr 1928 GOV
copy OF letter of Maj Fl. Lee in which decline a
correspondence that he had ested the subj
ne construction OF your orders. In my letter to M aios
Lee, stated that, "as you refer to the public docu.
ments only Tor the construction which the Executive
gave to the orders infer that this subec, you have
not mad access to tho Generals Jack. on) private pa
pers; but II be in error, and If the construction
which the administration gave 10 the orders be not
stated with suiicisnt disDctness in the then Pfes-
dents correspondence with him will heerully give.
as one oil the members Of the dmni,ra,op, my own
views fully in relation 10 the orders, II il be desired by
General Jackson; but Is only with him aud at his de
sire, that under existing circums ances should feel
myself jus flied In corresponding this any other
subject connected with lis public eonduc':" 10 which
ADDED, in my letter to you, covering copy OF the
letter from which the above is au extract, "wh you
cannot have the elton on hi,
subject, II additional informal be desirable" You
expressed no desire for further iDformaiop, aud took
II Tor granted that Mr.. Monro.s correspondence it'll
you aud the public documents, frui1h you full and
clear conception OF the construction which the Execu.
I'VE gave 10 your orders; under which impression
manned till received your letter Of the 18Th inst.
Connected with the subj ct Of your ORDERS there arc
certain expressions in your letter, which, though
az loss TO understand cannot pass over in silence.
After announcing your surprise at the contents of Mr.
CraworTs letter. You ask whether the information be
correct "under all OF the circumstances, of which you
AM are both informed, that any attempt serious sly
70 ansc me az was moved and sustained by you in cab-
net council, when, as is known to You, Tastx-cut.
ing the wishes Of the government" II by ,cishes,
whsh you have under cor'd IL he meant that there
was any intmaton gwen by myself, directly or indi.
rec,y OF the desire OF the government thai YOU should
occupy the Spanish posts, so far from being Informed"
had not the slightest Knowledge Of any such inma-
ton, did hear whisper of any such bef1re
Blu, cannot ina ne that is your intention to make
distinction between the wishes and the public orders
OF the government, as find such disiine lion i'm you
correspondence with the President, nor in any of the
public doe uments but, the contrary, is strongly
rebutted by your relying for justification constant
ly and exclusively your public orders Taking,
then, the "wishes of the government" to be but
Their expression for its ORDERS refer the proof
already offered to show that the wishes of the govern
ment, in relation TO the Spanish posts, not such
assume them to be.
Having, trust, satisfactorily established tina. there
has not been the least disguise to the
OF your orders, will now proc led to state the part
which took in the deliberations of the cabinet NV
statement will be corfined strictly to myself, as do
not feel myself justified to spea ak of the OF the
other members OF the administration; and, in fact, only
OF my own in seit-defence, under the ex,raordna.y
circumstances connected with this corres pondencs.
And here must PREMISE that the object of a cabi.
net council Ia not to bring together opinions already
formed, but to form opinions on the which the
Government ought TO pursue after full and
liberation. Meeting in this spirit, the first object
free exchange OF sentiment in which doubts and Oh.
:c,ions are freely presented and discussed. Il l..
conceive, the duty Of the members thus to presen,
their doubts and objections and to support them by
Offering fully all OF the arguments in their power but
az the same time 10 take not To form an opinion
ill all the facts and views fully brought out, and
every doubt aod objection carefully weighed In thi,
,piri, into the meeting The questions invoIv-
ed were numerous and important; whether you had
transcribed your ORDERS so, what course ought to
be adoptedi what was the conduct OF Spain and her
officers in f1rida what the state of our relations
with Spain and through her. with the other European
powers?-a question, at that time, Of uncommon com.
Plica ion and difficulty These questions had all to be
carefully examined and weighed, both separately aud
in connection, before a hna opinion could be- wisely
formed; and never did see delibera in which
every point was'more carefully examined, or greater
solicude displayed to arrive at correct decision.
was the junior member Of the cabinet, and had been
but few months in the administration, as Secretary
OF War. was more Immediately connected with The
questions whether you had transcribed your orders
and if so, what course ought to be pursued? was OF
the impression that you bad exceeded your orders and
had acted on your own responsibility; but neither
questioned your patriotism nor your motives Beiiev-
ing that where orders nded attic
"a matter Of course, ought 10 follow due in ius
ice TO the Government ard the officer, unless there
be strong reasons 10 The contrary. | came 10 the meet
ing under the impression that the usual ought
to be pursued in this which supported by pre-
ssntug fully and freely all the arguments that occur
red to They mot by other arguments, grow
Ing Of enlarged view Of the subject as con-
nectsd with the conduct OF Spain and her officers aad
the OF policy which honor aud interest dictated
to be pursued towards her, with which OF the
members OF the cabinet were more familiar than my
self, AMI whose duty ii was to present that aspect OF
the subjsct, as il was mine TO present that more i'm
m-dateiy connected with the military operations AT
ter deliberately weighing every ques ion, when the
members OF the cabinet TO form their nal opiui-
on, a view Of the whole ground, ii was unanimously
determined" as understood D favor of the course
adopted, and which fully made known to you by
MIR. Mon'oe's letter OF the 10Th Of July, 1918. gave
ny assent and support, being that which, under all
he circumstances tho public interest requI ed TO be
adopted.
shalt now turn to the examination of the version
which MIR Crawford has given OF my course in this
important elaboration, beginning with his apology
for having discosed what took place in cabinet meet
ing" He siys: " 10 the summer at sr the meeting
an extract OF lettsr from Washing Ton, published
IN Nashville paper, in which il was stated that (Mr
Crawford) had opo1od to arrest General Jlckson bur
hat he was fiumphanily defended by Mr.. Calhoun
md Mr.. Adams. This letter, I always believed, was
written by Mr.. Calhoun. or by his direc ion. IL had
The desired effect; General Jackson ecame inimicsl TO
nc, and friendly to Mr.. Calhoun"
am not at all surprised that Mr.. era wford should
eel that he stands in need of apology for beirayng
The deliberations of the cabinet IL is 1 believe not
DDly the first instance in country, but one of very
lew Instances TO be found in any country or any age
hat individual has felt himself absolved from the
high obligation which honor and duty impose on one
I'll