Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-02

neGIccteHT=UnIy- rWU TIaFeUee niaue sinCsa y
and those then made duly attended to- t,1pe 1oF
l5o mounted men, which declined, Tor the reasons
we stated yeserday-to wit: that militia force couo
not be called out unless hostilities were actually COM
menced or immediate prospect, ana that tns loi.e
was asked for not repress hoses, but 10 ad I'D re-
moving the Indians. But lieu of Il fur addltioi'a
conpanes of regular troops, giving greater actu'
force, were placed under the orders Of Cen CI'nch
The other application, though in tact was report
what had been DONE announced th"t Gen. Chnch nae
called for 100 mounted men, and asked the approval OF
The e.ident. This approval not ctly immediately
piyen but Gen. Clnch authorized TO call upon Tue
Governor Of Florida for any force that might DC
lie was subsequently authorized, without any upPmca
ton from the military authorities of Florida, to call III
the same upon the Governors of South Carolina
| Georra and Alabama. 1t is likewise stated that the
above mentioned force was withheld on the score Oh
economy. This too is utterly unfounded, was shewn
| yesterday. -.
It will be recoccted that the object of assembling
troops in Florida was compel the Indians TO remove,
if thew should forG;by resist the efforts made for that
purpose This removal was not TO take place until Ja-
nuary or February; and anticipated that the IN
dams would any force until the time of their embark
alton arrived and before that there could be no doubt
that the fourteen companies placed at the disposal OF &C.
neral ClincI would be assembled. We again repeat our
conviction that that force would have been sufficient for
the removal of the disaected parties, mastering only
about three hundred warriors, and 1t is obvious that &C.
ne raj Cnch himself did difficulty until sub
seouent 10 its occurrence because The company OF Maj
Dade at Key West, which had been placed at his dspo-
sal on the M Of the preceding February Id not receive
orders from him to join him until Tie ith Of Dcccnbcr
We observe :ai iie Charleston resolutions state that
the Secretary of War reported that IA companies had
been placed under the command Of General Clinch, and
they remark that afterwards appeared that the force
under his actual command did not amount 10 that mum.
be and to this they attribute the disastrous result II
b. actual command the committee mean that that num-
Der of not concentrated together and
der the personal direction Of General Cnch, they
no doubt right. Busuc assertion, it is obvious, was
not made intended 10 be made by The War Depart
ment. The Annual Report of the Secretary Of War 10
the President contains the history of the operations of
account among other branches OF the service, of the
itIe army ii is stated that fourteen COM
pancs have been placed under the command Of General
Clnch, &c. Ten Of these companies had been placed
under Gen. Cliuchs authority &C cary as Februay 9th,
iS35
! Two additional ones on the 18th Oct, and the other
two on the 2lst of Oct. OF course the movements had
been authorized siA weeks previous 10 this report 1t
was not intended to convey the slightest censure upon
General Clnc, but merely TO state IN histrIcai sum
mary the measures that had cen authorized by the De-
partncnt We have no doubt that General Clnch took
the requisite for concentrating his force as soon
as circumstances appeared to require IT,
There is, however much better mode OF Investigate
ing this subject than by newspaper discussions Any
member of Congress has il in his power to the APP
poutncnt of select committee. reference OF The
subject to other appropriate committee by whom
! The whole matter can be examined.
/ We are satisfied that the Administration would be We
~ plad to see this course adopted, and if not
der great dcIusion il iii BE- found that if they deserve
ALL it is because they have autrizrd the EN-
ployncnt Of more than asked for, or seemed
TO be necessary under the circumstances which
| known here.