Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1844-12-28
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.

The immediate friends of the late President Mon
ROE have not witnessed with indifference recent dis
cussions respecting the treaty of 1919, generally
termed the Florida ueaty--a prominent measure of
his Administration If they have hitherto refrained
from remark, under all the peculiar circumstances
of the case, it has been under sincere desire that
their motives should not be misunderstood, when
in the progress OF time, it would become them to be
heard.
If Mr.. MONROE were hving-in full confidence
that this, with his other public acts, would receive
the calm and deliberate judgment of posterity on
flu view OF all the motives which induced its adop-
,tion-t is probable he would leave to time its per-
feet justification, under all the trying circumstances
of the period TO which it refers. But, under the
influence of that characteristic integrity which dis
tinguished his private and public life, he would be
prompt to relieve from unmered censure or injury
any individual charged with the assumed injurious
consequences of an act unequiyocally his own.
Under existing circumstances it seems proper that
his personal representatives should do no less 1t
is, therefore, in the single spirit to shield from in
justice each of the distinguished individuals assoc
ciated in the Administration Of that day. and as far
possible to render full justice to ALL that the pre-
sent appeal is made.
With these remarks, it might be sufficient to say
that no member of that Administration is or ought
TO be responsible for the provisions of that treaty
Whether regarded with favor or otherwise at the
present time, they were the results of the deliberate
judgment of Mr.. MONROE himself With these adj
missions justly appropriated to the living, few
marks seem due to the dead.
The views under which that public act was con-
summated, securing, as Mr.. MONROE with host of
Others then believed all the great objects of national
import claiming special care belong to the history
of those times With the general scope Of the poll
cy which shaped the measures Of his Administration
they will, in due time, invite the judgment of the
present age. If the disposition exist, without such
evidence to anticipate its verdict ii may be proper
to suggest that this treaty was framed twenty-six
years since, the country comparatively young and
Its prospective existence menaced by many difficult
ties and dangers, both at home and from abroad evil
IDENTIFY little understood at the present day.
II, under the wary patriotism Of that Adminstra-
ton, 1t shall hereafter appear that, overlapping i'm
minent sources of danger in her growth to manhood
our country has attained unexampled prosperity at
home and envied influence abroad may it not SAVIOR
OF injustice and ngrahtude that they who in her in
fancy peaceably secured so much, should be openly
charged with treachery her real interests because
without putting all at hazard, they did not then ac-
quire more! The Justice of these remarks will be
more apparent when it shall be distinctly known
tnat In addition TO its unanimous confirmation by
Senate emneny distinguished for virtue and patriot
ism, the act in question then elected the concur
renee of many of the illustrous now dead and some
OF the most distinguished living of the present day
II is eminendy due to the memory of Mr.. Mon
ROE explicitly to state that in the execution of the
high duties involved in this measure, he did not fail
to avail himself of all the lights which patriotism
and experience could shed upon it. Its provisions
were the subject of friendly consultation with JET
PERSON and MADISON names identified with no con-
cession unworthy of their country and the policy
Dictated especially to boundary has the written
appreciation of JACKSON, well versed in the localities
OF territory to which they refer, then lately the
scene of military services distinguished by high
personal responsibility, which gave him new claims |
TO the grateful recollections of his country.
Ii will be apparent, is there any disposition
ductioR Of near personal friend of Mr.. MONROE, |
sensitive to the further progress of error and i'm
PEELED by sincere desire that in doing Justice to
Others at least portion should not be withheld
from him. Dictated by conviction Of right, they
offered in spirit of moderation and candor, in
wiling the calm consideration of all controversy with
none, but distinctly challenging contradiction from
any. The materials on which they are founded are
taken from depository tainted with no selfish con-
and regarded of sacred trust Dedi-
Gated to the of justice and historical truth
they are preserved to promote at the proper time
the full triumph of both and only accessible now,
when just cause of complaint seems to exist that
the just limits of both have been seriously invaded
g.