The New York herald., 1922-10-22

her husband, she could understand his
lapse of time nor nearness to the grave
could change her attitude toward him.
When he had heard her out he took up
his hat and turning left the room.
On June 10. 1881. fifteen days before his
death, Monroe, then upon his deathbed,
made affidavit in answer to the bitter and
humiiating letter of James Rhea, former
Member of Congress from Tennessee,
charging him with falsehood in the matter
of Jackson's invasion of Spanish Florida,
thirteen years before Jackson had entered
his campaign against the Seminole Indians
after sending to Monroe a letter offering
to conquer Florida from the Spaniards if
Monroe would send word of approval
Johnny Rhea. The letter found Monroe
sick abed at the White House Calhoun
opened it in his presence, read line or
two, apparently enough to catch its tenor.
and told Monroe it was matter for his
private consideration Monroe says he put
the letter aside without knowing what it
proposed, and forgot it until after Jackson
had gone into Florida, captured a Spanish
fortified place, hanged two Englshmen,
and conducted himself as if acting by the
authorization of the President. jackson
authorization of the President. Monroe re-
proved Jackson very gently, and Jackson
said nothing of having received the letter
from Rhea, although there was a move
ment in Congress to call Jackson to ac-
count for his conduct.
Nobody has ever fully cleared up the
question of veracity between Monroe and
Jackson. Both were reputed truthful men,
and both were old men, Monroe especially
broken in health, when the question was
revived in 1881, because of Jackson's quar-
rel with Calhoun. AS Rhea was the least
important person concerned in the affair
the historians have been inclined to take it
for granted that he was the liar. But
Rhea, as a descendant of his wrote to the
writer of this article, was the well edu-
Gated son of a Scotch Irish Presbyterian
minister who came to America in 1869 and
was highly regarded. Rhea served eighteen
years in Congress, and seems to have stood
we'll throughout his life. He was probably
not untruthful, but the cruel letter to the
dying Monroe, which perhaps would not
have been sent had Rhea known of his ILL
ness, was written when Rhea was nearly
so years old, and of blurred memory.
Jackson had sent him several letters be-
fore Rhea managed to recall the details
of the affair. Jackson always maintained
that he had Rhea's certification of Mon
roe's approval for the conquest of Florida
and asserted that Rheas letter had dis
appeared from his letter book. Rhea had
had more than one interview with Monroe
after Jackson had written proposing to
invade Florida, and in at least one such in
terview Monroe had warmly praised Jack
son. 1t has been guessed that Rhea took
this general praise for non -committal
approval of Jackson's proposal, and this
view is set forth as plausible by George
Morgan, Monroe's latest biographer. jack
sons conduct was precisely such as a VEN
turesome General would have entered upon
after sending such a letter to the Presi-
dent, and the Administration, although 1t
disavowed Jackson's acts, accepted their
fruits. An American Admiral off st.
Nicholas Mole during Grover Cleveland's
first Administration, when there was dis
order in Haiti, was advised by his flag
Lieutenant an up and coming person, to
seize the country in the name of the United
States and trust to the acceptance of the
gift by the Administration at Washington;
hut the Admiral RECALLING President