Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-10-04

P;,,;.m so well appreciated, whicn inuuced
,r,,,cend his instructions, and to risk him.
n'T pS,r VA he believed the public good, which
sen 40. ,nd soul Of his brilliant achievements.
. ~. , .,il discover, before have said all
~ I,o,eDJ 20 say now, and all which it is
S;h,s NAV say hereafter, that you have
P".; w,sr,ncelved both my motives aud my
g.~' In the discharge OF that duty which
deceased relative and friend, :" find no
y,mn,r,bility with all the respect which is due
~. commanding general. nor with the high
',~;,.r;ou with which have been accustomed
:" Contemplate his services IN the Seminole war.
r. ,-onod cover il, as conceive, the ground
ism6,ual honor between Mr.. Monroe and him
so,F a, that Interesting epoch, assailed as they
800 hv m,ny an idiyidual who would now. for
momentary purpose, criminate the one IN the
- hons Of contributing 10 the elevated stand
'af ,bs other. Take from me the ground
~. and sincerely believe that great injustice
Llama 4, both. But of this | may possibly
sneak hereafter
T. i sometimes fair Illustration of the error
-, N opinlon, to admit IL to be right for mo-
..n, in order 10 prove by its own reflections,
NV, !, must. be wrong. To this mirror let US
,orJ m the proposition you have asserted. and
"'n,o.e !, 10 be true. In conducting the Semi
rnIt war General Jackson pas in fact, acting
.0Jsr the secret orders of the Government
Wny do We now stand? Do you not see that the
rrooo,it,on is full of ready suggestions to defeat
tf.,s,i,tence as fact? II mars all the moral beau
- If the scene to which it refers. II it cast
ry,bering glance at the integrity Of the states
man can yuu prevent it from reaching the we'll
,r.ri,,d nonors of the solders The acts, which,
wnon nv assertion, are glowing with merit, 1t
Spnr. he admitted, are shaded with doubt. Can
van not perceive that an Executive may well sus-
ram an act when done under peculiar circum-
.,,nees, which IL could not legally authorize to
he donrI An act. directly in the face OF orders
NAV no, only be Justly sustained but may be rich
IN merits The act, then. may be fairly dis
,yowed as transceading Instructions, because
he Intention that it should be done, anticipating
.ha sx,steuce Of circumstances under which alone
!, could be we'll done. would be wrong, and yet
me suppnrt of both the act and the agent, when
all he circumstances are known, and motives
appreciated, may be right aud commendable.
Nav il no, then by patriotic Executive, justly
BE- made lnstru mental in promoting the great m
terests committed to his charge, without subject
ing IL % the charge of inconsistency. or worse!
But there is another view urging IN stronger
terms, the improbabiity, had almost sa'd the
.npOssibiitv, that you can b. right. The neces-
a,y Of the case is the Justification ut the com
handing officers. The existence OF circumstances
not to have been foreseen, urging the assumption
Of a responsibility not to have been provided
Tor is his triumphant defence. Take away the
responsibility, and admit the "secret ORDERS
do you not convert an elevated principal into an
humble agen,s Must It not come To this and
AZ th. f.r hat xyprp
made the refuge Of the hostile Indians, protected
and countenanced as they were hy the Spanish
officers, which induced General Jackson to take
themf Could he have acted under secret orders
then, to take them. when It was morally impossi-
Die that the Government could have been appris-
ed Of that facts that they could have known that
the Indians were there, and that they were, BY
the Spanish officers so countenanced and protect
ed? You certainly do not mean to De understood
that Gen. Jackson left home with the intention
and under secret orders from the government, II
take the posts in any event, and under any cir
cunstances, whether the facts existed to justlf,
iheact Or not. That Mr.. Monroe and himsel
had entered into private understanding Il
seize the military posts of country at peace witt
The L. States, whether just cause existed or not!
The facts under which they were taken, in my OPT
be known to the commanding general. He need
ed no secret orders" no .prvate understand.
n.y." to do what he did. The transcendins OF
nis orders VAS distinguished point of his merit.
Admit that he had "secret ORDERS" or "pri-
yate understanding" and you open field for re-
mark, which have scarcely entered.
fcu will, think, have inferred, that, whether
YOU speak Of the "secret orders Of the Govern.
ment' or allGde TO "private instructions given
through friend to the Commanding General, -"
or "sPr'ate understanding blending itself with
the public orders, and constituting in fact Sc
cret ORDER" deem them equally Objectionable.
Your explanation is no doubt intended as mo-
dlhcaticn OF the remarks, to which | referred
yuu. From II, in either shape, as conceive, all
ihe consequences TO which / adyerted must How |;
and to 1t. all that have said. may be as readily
applied. Ia "this state of this case" you ask
me how can make il appear that the article in the
wlooe Is an attack on the purity and honor Of
Mr. Monroe! You say, 81 force the conclu-
son,' Possibly do; | think others need not.
It's the lnference-l repeat, it is the Inference
from all this, which can never admit,-and it
- the TACT YOU assert, which continue To deny.
But you SAY, "that have no right to coosi-
yer you the originator Of the statement contained
IA the article Of the Globe, nor to impute to you