Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-03-10


dual IN the country who united the POPULAR.
~ and hrmness to arrest, ii elected, what
then and now consider dangerous tendency
IN our affairs. Under This impression, stood
prepared TO render every aid in nv power 10
secure bis success This ST. ang feeling was
seized on to extract from me. if possible,
some hasty aud uDguarded expression re-
spectlng the course of the cablnet on the Sc
,nnole question, by which | might be en-
tangled.
Mr.. Hamilton, while here, requested to
have some conversation with me, which on
my part, was carried on with the freedom
that is usual between those engaged on the
same side IN warm political contest. view
ed him in no other light than that of warm
supporter of General Jackson. In connex-
ion with some remark of his, that there was
rumor of an attack on General jackson
for his conduct in The Seminole war, he in.
qulred If any motion had been made in the
cabinet to arrest him. To which | replied
IN the negative. II may be proper to fcmsrk
here, that no such motion or any other was
made. The discussion in reference 10 the
course that might be pursued towards him,
took place on suggestion OF the proprety
Of an inquiry into bis conduct. and my an
swer was therefore in strict conformity to
the facts. / accompanied the answer with
some general remarks on the proceedings of
The cabinet, such as | might with pfopriaty
make without any breach OF confidence. |
however feel the most perfect confidence,
that did not use the expression that "tbe
only point before the cabinet was the answer
TO be given TO the Spanish Government as
Mr.. Hamilton states that he understood me
in his letter of the 25th February. | never
did nor could use the expression comfy" as
| IT would have been both inconsistent with
! facts and absurd, as the publications on the
Seminole affair clearly indicate that other
points were considered by the cabinet IL
| the statement be an error on the part of MIR.
Hamilton, it probably originated in my
! ing the words "main point, or great point"
/ or some other expression of similar import,
| instead Of the expression he imputes to me.
| The whole conversation was of general
character. such as might with proprety be
! held respecting the cabinet proceedings-
and was by me considered in no way conf
Dental, except the confidence that exists be-
tween gentlemen, that nay name was not TO
be used before the public in connexion with
any thing said | certainly did moi suppose
that my conduct, or that OF any other lnd,-
vidual, was put at issue, and could have bad
sion as to the proceedings Of the cabinet, nor
the part took. ] suspected no sinister OBJ
ject
On his return TO New York. received
letter from him dated the 25th February, the
object of which was, apparently, 10 know if
he understood my conversation correctly.
He stated that his object in being thus
particular in endeavoring 10 ascertain from
me whether his recollection was faithful or
not with regard to the conversation, was be.
cause he wished to fulfil the object of his in
qury by confirming Major Lewis, conf
dental friend Of General jackson IN the
truth, but with view TO make the publica-
ton then, but to he prepared against an APP
| pretended attack, founded on events connec-
ted with the Seminole campaign This dis
closure, particularly that the Information was
intended for Major Lewis as a confidential
friend of General Jackson, excited my sus
Ipicion Circumstance, however, gave my
| eye wrong direction, not towards myself,
but Mr.. Monroe. What they were, it be-
comes necessary to state, with the view Of
understanding the correspondence which fol-
lowed with MIR. Hamilton.
When Mr.. Monroe received the letter Of
Gen. Jackson Of the 10th August, 1918, in
answer to his Of the 10th September Of the
same year, both Of which are published With
my correspondence with General Jackson ,he
was at his farm in Alhemarle. General jack
son. in his letter, objected to the construc-
ton which had been placed on his orders
Mr.. Monroe addressed me aprivate letter of
the 9th September. 1918 a copy Of which is
herela annexed, marked A. stating the view
which the General took ofhis orders, the tone
OF his letter, and with some other circum-
stances. (Mr. Monroe's) reasons for thinking
that there ought 70 be an official correspon-
dence between the General and myself SO that
! the views which we respectively took Of his
orders might appear on record.
This letter passed out of my possession in
to that of General jackson without nv con.
sent, but at what time, or by what means,
or through whose agency, am to this day
uniformed. In December, 1927, accden-
tally heard from gentlemen of this city, in
a conversation turning on the subject Of the
feelings of MIR Monroe towards Gen. Jack.
son, (Which stated knew to be frendly,)
that there WAS letter of the former in the
hands Of the latter, which afforded concu-
sive proof Of his hostility to the General
Having found, some time before, that the
letter OF Mr. Monroe TO me ofthe 9th of Sep
TENDER, a copy of which is hereto annexed,
was missing, ascertained the fact by an
lexamR4 tien Of the letter to me, that il was
missing, on a HAT from a friend that there
was letter written by Ar. Monroe, as it
was supposed, to me, which was out OF my
- I'D 81, he. 1,If