Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-02-26

what you do With the letter. You may give the Pre'i-
dent cory Of il.
docscy He stated that he had couversed, cores
pended. do not rece!lect which, with Mr.. Calhoun on
this subject and that the statements Of Mr. Crawford
aud Mr. Calhoun did not agree He was therefore,
willing to interfere further than comply with the
Presidents wish in asking Of me the information.
On this statement. was determined not to give the
The attenuation was no longer matter OF Indifference,
aud did choose TO give to the President without
spp'ising Mr.. Crawford that he and MIR. Calhoun diff
cred in their account Of the transaction, and without
submitting him my statement Of our conversation for
correction, IL il was, in any respect, erroneous. OBJ
tanned for that purpose, and enclosed to him copy Of
my letter Major Hamilton. His Is before the
public. found to my surprise, that had erred in
repeating what he had said and avoid the possibility
President copy Of my letter to Major III. and Mr..
letter to In making this communication,
from respect to the personal decacy Of Major his
name was kept out OF view.
Justice to Mr. Crawford demands the publication Of
his letter to MIR. Calhoun Having received from him
copy Of it, shortly after it written, have submit
ted II to the inspection Of OF those in whose judg-
ment know he repo,es implicit confidence; and as
they coincide with in the opinion have expressed.
send 1t TO you for immediate insertion in your paper
II for Mr. Crawford, and for him only to decide whe
Their any thing is necessary for his justification.
have found myself very Unexpectedly compelled TO
any thing about this transaction, and trust that none
Of those who interested in il, will find II necessary
introduce my into the further discussion Of it,
JOHN FORSYTH.
Georgefo,cn, Feb 1e, 1881.
| From Mr.. Forsyth to Mr.. Hamilton.
MuLLEpoEvILLE, Feb. Sth, 1928.
DEAR SIR: Our friend Mr.. Crawford at this
place few hours yesterday private business. had
very unexpectedly opportunity to comply with the
request made in your letter, dated Savannah January
and afterwards read to him your letter. He regretted
that your engagements did not permit you pay him
passing visit. BY his authority I stated in reply to
your inquiry, that at meeting Of Mr. Monroes cabinet
n mrs warIs Spaip in
consequence Of Gen. Jackson's proceedings in Florida
during the Seminole war, MFR. Calhoun, tho Secretary
OF the War Department, submitted to and urged upon
the President the Proprety and necessity of arrestng
| and trying General Jackson. Mr.. Monroe was very
much annoyed by il; expressed belief that such step
would not meet the public APPROPRIATIONS that General j.
had performed much public service be treated as
younger subaltern office might without shocking
public opinion Mr. Adams spoke with great violence
against the proposed arrest, and justified the General
throughout. vehenenly urging the President to make
the cause of the General that Of the administration.
In consequence Of the strong excitement produced
| by the Presidents obvious embarrassment, Mr.. Craw-
ford nterposed in the discussion, and suggested
there necessity for deciding upon the course to
be pursued towards the General, the question for
which the cabinet was convened did not REQUIRE it,
They were called to determine how Spain was TO be
treated in relation TO the Florida affair; the conduct of
the General was matter exclusively between the Gen.
eral andhis own Government in which, however Spain
might feel interested, she had right 10 meddle The
subject then disposed Of and was not renewed
Mr. Calhoun had previously communicated to Mr..
" =.
Monroe; intention MIR. Crawford approved. al
hough not believing he stated to Mr.. Calhoun that
General j. would be either arrested by the
President.
With great respect, l am, dear sir. yours.
JOHN FORSYTH.
Maj JAS HAMILTON, New York.
Mr.. Crawford to Mfr. Calhoun
WooDLAwN, I'd Oct. 1880
Sin nee the aci urnm' N, of Congress, the copy
4 al tef rom you to ihs Pte,ident eon,.nug eleven
hesn, has heen placed in my hsuds. The object Of
h' labored essay Is TO prove that statement contain
I'd in letter from 10 the Hon. J.hn For,yt5 OF
tIe Sena,e OF the United States Is Incorrect II there
evidence but that which IL contained in "a at
essay, shoI not b. afraid of convincing every RAJ
II aud uopr-jud csd mind that my state IN. nj 10 Mr.
Forsyth 10 subs aniidiiy correct
In the brief com hrnt which l intend TO make upon
your essay OF elev sheets. propose avoid tho X
ample you have set them in three things, viz shall
no begin by depreca,ipg the official dignity and we gh
Oh character OF the person | address; when meet
with fac, that cannon fa"kiy and distinctly deny
u 20 atteu pit to prove negative by argume rt; and
-ha'i not falsely and hypoc calIy profess a forbear
a: CO which do not feel.
shall irst no,ice your observations upon tho dis.
co.ufe OF the secrets Of the cabinet which YOU say
II the hrst that has occurred at least in this
Do really believe this assertion Mr. Calhoun. How
did the writ opinions OF Mes r.. Jefferson and am
ton, on the hrst apk bill, ever the lightl How
we'e the facts and circumstances which preceded and
accompaoied the reu oval If + imnnd Randolph from
the shte Department, by General Washington, dis
closed and made kDo"n to this publicl IL our aser-
ton be rue those facts ard circumstances would N
lhI. moment, be buried 10 Egyptian darkness. While
cabinet IS 10 existence and Is usefulness liable 10
be nnpoir d, reason and common sense point ont the
Propristy oil keeping it, oeedipgs secret But after
the cabne' no longer exists, when il, fnDess can
not he impaired by the disclosure of its 20.
neither reasons conn on sense, nor patriotism, quifes
that hose proceedings should be shrouded n
trable darkness. Ths acts Of such cabinet become
history add the nation has the same right 10 know.
ledge OF them, that II has TO any other historical fact
Ii 10 presumed that all nations have entertained this
opinion and have acted upon it. Whence the secret
history OF cabinets, the most de spotc in Europe Hence
the history OF the house OF Stuart by Charles Ja Fox
which diseases the most Intercourse between
Charles the H. ard the French Minister by which il
wa, proven that Charles wa. Pensloner Of Louis tbs
XIV, King of France, and bad secretly engaged 10
re-stihlI.h Pdpery in England Yet In the face of
all these fac you dare to presume up the Ignorance of
the distinguished person you were addressing 10 far
as to insinuate that such disclosures had peyer
msde in any country, but certainly not 10 the repub
lie.
The next III Dg which shall observe l.. the manner
IN which you atempt 10 obtain evidence 10 eon,rov.t
ny statement to Mr.. Ftrsyih. That statement con.
tanned ore proDin mt and dnct fsc every thing else
10 that statement secondary and collateral TO that
TACT IL was reasonable, in controvertng that stale
ment that you should have sought to obtain evidence
to cOniroveI, that fact You apply to Mr., Monroe aud
Mr.. Writ Tor evidence. Bot OF WHAT Not Of tbe
principal fact, but OF secondary collateral NATTER
The omission to appeal 10 Mr.. Monroe whether you
made the proportion ascrIbed TO you in my Ielt,r 10
Mr. Forsyth, Is strong pfesumpive evidence a, YOU
bseved his answer would confirm my statement, You
remembered tho excitement which your proposi,ioo
pro uced 10 the mnd and upon the feelings OF the Pre-
sdent aud did not dare to AK him any nd
ing TO revive bis recollection Of tina, opostion The
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