Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-03-01
1b,. Monroe 70 General Jacksoa.

WASHINGTON, J3tiy 10, 1878.
DEAR SIR: received, lately, your letter of June 3D.
by Mr.. iiambly at my farm IN loudoun TO which, had
retired to await your report and The return OF yourcom
mssioners from Buenos Ayres. lnrepy to your letter.
! shall express myself with the freedom and candor
which l have invariably used III my communications
with YOU. shall withhold nOthngn regard to your at
tack of the Spanish posts and occupancy Of them, par
tCuary Pensacola which you ought TO know, It beng
an occurrence of the most delicate and interesting ma
ture, and which, without circmnspect and cautious
policy, looking TO all the objects which claim attention.
NAV produce the most serious and untayorabie Consc-
quences. 1t is by a knowledge OF all the crcumstan-
ccs, and comprehensive view OF the whole subject,
that the danger to which this is exposed may
be avoided, and all the good which You have contem
plated by it, as trust he fully realized.
In calling You into active service against the Semi
noles, and communicating to you the orders which had
been given Just before TO Oen Ganes, the views and
intentions OF the government we're fully disclosed in
respect to the operations in Florida. In transcendmg
the limit prescribed by those orders you acted your
own responsibility, on facts and circumstances which
unknown to the government when the orders
given, many of which, indeed, occurred after
wards, and which you thought imposed on you the
measure, as an act OF patriotism, essential TO the honor
and interests of your country.
The United States stand justified in ordering their
troops into Florida in pursuit of their enemy They
have this right by the law OF nations, the Semnoies
were inhabitants Of another country, and had entered
Florida to elude pursuit. Being inhabitants OF Flo
rda with species OF sovereignty over that part oil the
territory, and right to the soil, our right to give such
an order Is the more complete and unQueSuohaDie. III
is of hostility Spain 1t is the less so, be-
cause her government is bound by treaty TO restrain by
force of arms Unnecessary, the Indians there IRON COM
uniting hostIities against the United States
But order by the government to attack Spanish
post would assume another character. ltwoud antho-
rze war; to which, by the principles OF our constltu
ton the executive is incompetent. Congress alone pos
sess the power. | am aware that cases may occur,
where the commanding general, acting on his own res
possibility may with safety pass this limit, and with es
sental advantage TO his country. The officers and
troops of the neutral power forget the obligations Incl
dent to their neutral character they stimulated the
my TO make war; they furnished them with and
munitions of war to carry on; they take active
part other respects IN their favor; they afford them
asylum their retreat The general obtaining VIC
tory pursues them to this post the gates Of winch
shut against him; he attacks and carries 1T and rests
those acts for justification. The affair is then brought
before his government BY the power whose post has
been thus attacked and carried. Ii the government
whose officer made the attack had given order for
1t, the ocer would have merit it. lie exercised
no discretion did he act on his own responsibility.
The merit OF the service, if there be any in IT, would
not be his. This is the ground on which this occur
renee rests as TO his part. will now look to the iu-
ture.
The foreign government demands-Was this your
act! or did you authorize III did MOTT was the ACT
| OF the general He performed 1t for reasons deemed
sufficient himself, and on his own responsibility de-
mand, then, the surrender of the posts and his punish
ment The evidence iustIfying the conduct OF the A.
mercau general and proving the misconduct of those
officers Wil be embodied to be laid before the soyer