Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-02-21

any one in n touching the discharge of nv off
c'ai conduct | staud on very different ground. I
embrace the opportunity which your letter offers. not
Tor the purpose of making excuses. but sui,nkle
occasion pncc ny conduct in relation to IN interest
ing public transaction in hs proper light; and nm
gratitied that Mr. Crawford, though far from intend
my kindness, has afforded me suc! IN opportu-
nity
In undertaking to place my condset in its proper
light deem it proper 10 premise that IL is very far
."n my intention to defend mine by npcarhnr YOU'RE
Where we have differed, have no doubt that we
differed honestly and in claiming to on honorable
nnd patriotic nloircs myself, chccru!ly accord the
same to you
know no, that correctly understood your mcan ming,
but aftcr careful pcrusll, would infer from your
letter that YOU had learned for the frs, time Inv Mr.
Crawtnrds letter, that you md placed different
constructions the order under which YOU acted
in the Seminole war; md that rox had been led To
h:Iicvc, previously. by my lc;k 70 to Yourself and
Governor Bib, that I concurred with YOU in think
Ing that your orders were intended authorize YOUR
attack tho Spanish posts in Florida Und r
these impressions. you would seem to inpu,c TO me
some degree of duplicty, OF n, least concealuen,
which required on my part explanation. hope that
my c. inception oil your meaning erronsuus but if
1t be not, and your meaning he such as suppose,
must be permitted t" express my surprise n, the mis-
apprehension, which, I feel confident it will be in
my power to Correct by the most decisive proof,
dence between Mr. Monroe and Yourself erowino
ont OF the decision Of the cabrn.t on the Semino
"liair, which passed. through my hands az the time
ana which now have his permission to use, as cx-
anaory OF my opinion, as vol his. and the 9TH
or members OF his administration. 70 save YOU tho
trouble of turning to the file of your correspondence
have enclosed extracts from the letters, which
clearly prove that the decision Of the cabinet on the
point that your orders did not authorize the occupa-
ton of ST Marks and Pensacola, va. curly and fully
made known 10 you, and that J. in particular con-
Cured IN the decision.
Mr. Monroc's letter Of 10 10Th JuIy 10 49, the first
OF the series and written immediately after the de-
clsion OF the cabinet, and from which Lavc riyen
copins extract, cntr. fully in,o the views token
10y the Executive Of The whole subject In your re-
ply OF the l9h Of August, 1915. you object TO the
construction which the administration had placed ON
your orders. and you assign your reasons al large
why you conceived that the orders undar which Won
acted nuthorizri your operations in Florida Mr.
Monroe replied on the 2Dh October, 1919 and nk.
ter expressing his regret that yu had placed con
Structon on your orders different from what vns in
tended. he invited you 10 open co,rs,pond,ncc
Sh me, that your conception Of the meanno of vopr
orders, and that Of the administration miyhi he nl,
ced, WIN the reasons both sides, on the files of
the War Department. Your letter of the 18th of
november IN answer, agrees TO the correspondence
as proposed, but declines commencing il: 10 which
Mr Monroe replied by letter of the els, Dcc.mh,r
stating his reasons for suggesting the corrc.pondoncc
ana why he thought It ought tn commence with YOU
o ,hesc, nave added Oil extract trnm your lottcr
OF the nh December, approving Mr. BIonroe's mos
sage nj thu opening uf Congress, which thour, mo-,
constituting par, CT the correspondence from which
nave eNtractrd 50 copously is intimately connect
ed with the subject undor consideration.
But 1t was not by private correspondence. only
tha' Tie view wltich the Elk took Of your OF
ac1S was made known. In his message 10 the House
OF Representatives Of the 25:h March, lal8 long
before Information OF the result of your operation in
FLORIDA, was received, Mr. Monroe states that ..or-
ders had been gwen to the General IN Command mo-,
To enter FLORIDA, unless it be pursuit of the enemy
ana IN that case, To repec, the Spanish authority
w q 4.
s:rnctcd TO withdraw bis faYces frntn ,h. province
as soon as ho has rednced that tribe (,be Semi
noles) to order, and secured our fsiIow-c,z,r, i,
that quarter by satisfactory nrransefn.n,x anains,
IFS unprovoked and savage hcstities in f,ure'' In
his annual message ut tho opening of CONGRESS- in
NoVetn"er ot the stmc year the President s0eakinp
OF your entering Florida says, "on AUTHORIZING Ma
jor General jackson TO enter Florida, in pursuit OF
tife SeHlinoles, care taken not to eucroach on
the nights of SPAN" Again SIN entering Florida
20 suppress the combination, idea was entertained
of hostility TO Spain, and however us,ifiab, Tho com
fnandIng General was, in consequence Of the mis-
cohuuc' OF inc Spanish officers, in entering ST.
Marks and Pensacola to terminate il, by PROVING To
the saVagcs aad their associates that they could no,
De protectsd even there yet the amicabe relations
between me United States and SPAN could not be
ane'ea oy mat net alone BY ordering the restitu-
ton ct thoss posts. thoss relations were nre-
served. 10 change of ih"m the o,wer of
the EXecn'Ive IS deemed incompetent n IL
vested IN Congress alone" The view takcn NJ
IhS suGee' met your entire Hpprobaion as appears
from the extract OF your letter, of 7th Dc:cmber.
1918, above referred 10.
After such full and decisive proof as il snems TO
me, OF the view of the Executive, had n righ, oe
supposed to conclude that you lang since knew ,ha,
the administration, and myself IN particular, were
OF the opinion that the orders under which you nc
leu, did not authorize you 20 occupy the Spanish
posts OUT no" infer, from your letter TO which this
Is IN answer, that such conclusion was erroneous
anu That you were Of the impression till you received
Mr. Crnwi"rds letter, that concurred in the opn.ato
construction, which you gave your orders thai thew
we're Iesnoed 10 authorize you to occupy tho posts
on rely for this impression, as understand Won. on
certain general expressions in my let;or to Cover
nor bi6b, OF ALBANIA, Of the 18Th of Nav, 1915 in
winch state that "General Jackson il vested wi,
lTH powers to conduct tho war 10 the manner he
shall Judge BEST" and also in my letter of the 9th
February, 1919, IN answer yours ofthe goth Janu
airy OF the same year, in which acquainted Won
with the entire appreciation ot the President Of all
he measures you had adopted to tcrminatp tho rup
ture with the Seminole Indians"
will not reason tho point, that letter to CIV.
B5b' winch was not communicated to you which
pears date long after you had occupied St. Marks
and subsequent 10 the time you had determined to
occupy PENSACOLA lsee your letter of June Cd, 1919
n-el ,-A