Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-07-09
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COMMUNICATIONS
Foa TIE WING.
TO ANDREW JACKSON, PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES

an insinuatiou which could not support 1t is for
this reason, that mean, in the present letter, to
make good my observation, that considered Col.
Callava an unfortunate, if mt an injured man, in
ms difference Uith you am under obligation
to vindcate him, and have imputed any
dishonora5le motive to his actions. In my narra-
tive of the transaction, and which is published in
your defence, there is not word which can be con-
strued to reflect on him man of honor; but in
my account ofthe scene which took place in your
ofhce there is enough to exhibit you IN very ia
vorabe light us a magistrates; and rs my conduct in
making discreet translation of Cdlavas loiter to
you, has been questioned, will make an extract
from the document TO which have just referred,
and which you have used in your jus,ilication.--
"The conversation, natural, was warm on
both Sides and some expressions softened
lyme IN the Interpretation, and others, tending on
ty to irritate and prouokc, omitted altogether"
would not consent to be the medium of conveying
the violent, and indecent trades of two obstrcpe-
rous soldiers; for Callava had full as much of the
lion as yourself, and considering that he was in
your power, his firm and undaunted bravery,
proved him your superior in genuine courage.
Tins may be regarded as supplement to my mar
rative, which you have used in your defence and
which rs published among the Congressional docu-
ments OF 1923; or rather it may be considered the
key to the atfair-t will be breathing the spirit of
history, into the dull chronicle of facts 1t will be
seen IN this, in other instances that the true cause
OF events are not always those which assumed,
or which arc proximatc The affair in itself,
paratively Of small Importance, may, nevertheless
afford useful lesson to the historian.
have always believed, and still believe, that the
unfortunate Imprisonment of Callava, which every
man OF good feelings must regret, would not have
occurred, but for tho previous misunderstanding
which grew out of the surrender of the province
and the giving such receipts as you required for
extra transportion of the Spanish officers and their
FAMILIES Ii was not on account of your extraor-
binary desire to obtain papers which afterwards
proved of SO little Importance, and about which
Callava did not care fg, that your power was ex.
erted, and that you caused Callava to be dragged
from his house. in the night, and afterwards con.
Quoted to common prison; an indipnty which
a high minded Spanish officer, must have felt like
the stroke of death! On the subsequent nvestiga
ton OF the papers of Vidal (the only plpcrs of any
importance,l after fair reference to Auditors, il a
Pc'red that lnnercrty, as the responsible member
of tho house Of Tcales 81 Company, was enabled to
rcduce the amoant appearing against the firm, from
hVo to one thousand dollars; and this balance only
remained, In consequence of the difference of OPT
mon as to the efficiency of the vouchers pro.
duced; one of the Auditors thought them efficient
In consideration of this circumstance, in offering
tho rep )rt, you allowed two months to Innerarty
to produce them before final decree; and YOU then
publicly declared, that he was acquitted of oil mo-
raj improperly in the transaction. These are your
very words and can be proved by Mr.. Aero, the de-
PENDANTS counsel Il by many others. Let me now ask
you whether the aclutt1l # Irnerierty of all moral
impropriety did not necessarily acqpit ai,ava who
was his supposed acco,npiice n apstractinr doom
ments, proved to have been Of no Use to the party
claiming under them? When long after, you
IN
and speak OF bcnoftting peoples pockets" in
alluslon 10 him, and to Judge Fromentnc, insnua
ting bribery and corruption, without the slightest
ioundation is 1T not obvious that your dispute with
caiiava ABOUT the receipts is the real cause of
your honest Indignation? The truth is that Gala
va cared nothing about the papers, perhaps did
not know OF their existence, until they were de.
mandcd oil the old clerk, who had box full of
others relating to the friero mitar to which i'm re-
ality the papers of Vidal belonged. But conceiving
that he had been treated by you with gross indie
nity' by returning to him package unopened, in
winch he attempted to justify himself for gi.
wing the KIND OF receipt you required, he was anx-
lous to force you into correspondence on any sub
Ject. 1T is evidently for that reason that he insist
cd that the papers should be demanded of rim as
the commissioner Of Spain; he never denied having
them I'm his possession, did he ever declare his
unwilDgness to surrender them The dispute A.
bout the receipts, had terminated all intercourse
and from that moment, you INDUCED yourself both
publicly and privately In the most unqualified terms
OF vitupera'on against him. That temper of yours |
so gentle where every thing gives way to it, and so
furious where it meets with the slightest opposi |
hon, exhibited it's peculiar demonstrations in this
affair with Callava. His conduct in relation to the
Nioa papers, repeat was not actuatcd by corrupt
motives, and if your fayorite rule had not stood in
the way, you might have done him Justice on that
head-that rule is, never to correct an error or re
PAIR wrong, and never to lose an opportunity of
revenge on are not averse to making use of
your emies, and even not unwilling TO receive their
allegiance; but this is never in a spirit of rener-
Gus and magnanmous forgiveness. Although des !
titute OF that wisdom which springs from know. |
ledge and ylrtuc no can deny you arpe nor |
ton OF that cunning, which is often short ST nhted
and always selfish, insincerc and malignant
VIII nov relate the re0l cause of the imprsou
1nent OF Ca!lava, for the alleged offence of not de-
llVering up the papers in the of Vidal. Ii was
foreseen by Mr.. Monroe, or by whomsoeyer vour
instructions as commissioner to take possession Of
Florida, were framed, that a question might arise
under the second article of the treaty. as TO what
nnFlpr tl.a
and you were instructed to claim under this term |
the guns and ornaments Of the forts If n ron |
trary construction should be insisted on bv tho
spanish commissioner, you were to insist on a lite
RAJ construction OF the seventh article, which pro-
Vdes Tor the transportation Of officers and se3d;ers
but which is silent to their families and tho no
coSsary provisions and stores for the voyaoc ri
the question could not be settled you were to nre
pare mutua& and conditional receipts leaving tho
question open to negotiation with their resnoct;vo
governments. The difficulty as Goreseen occnrrcd.
TINS was on the occasion Of making arrangernopts
sor tho surrender Of st. Marks. After a cores
Pendonce with Callava, Of some length, in which
endeavoured, as / thought very inTenioueiy o. |
prove that fertilization without cannon - ~
fertilization at all! Capt. Call received private j.;
structons to propose the succcdancum boCo,o |
mentioned, and was particularly directed TO make
the proposal in rrHiRg, in which it was to bo az
Pressly declared that tho receipt for tho artilierv
should be the consideration for a similar recon, 81
the extra transportation. This officer reported tb,,
the arrangement had been made according to he
the matter supposed to be tins
and not afterwards explicitly so,
forth in the direct correspondence with Caliava
but after tho surrender, it was unfortunately die
covered, that there a MISUNDERSTANDING al
though you insisted upon il that CailIya was inan
Phcea ny dShonorable gotives, although it is i'm.
possible to conceive whist advantage or benefit
could be derived fro,n sucn an alleged breach or
good iaith. Call1va, and hs secretary Cuniot who
was rbPileSted IN your deDu1oations, denied that